By Hannah Torregoza Senator Josefa Imelda “Imee” Marcos on Thursday urged the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to strictly implement the Suggested Retail Price (SRP) of basic necessities and prime commodities especially now that consumers expect prices to increase during the Christmas season. Senator Imee Marcos (Senator Imee Marcos Official Facebook Page / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Marcos noted that the DTI has been lax in calling out merchandisers and other business owners who have been found violating the country’s trade laws by overpricing goods and basic services. “Talagang nagtataasan ang presyo kahit ano pang sabihin nilang SRP, eh wala pa akong naririnig na napaparusahan sa SRP (Prices of all goods are really shooting up even though there is an SRP and I don’t hear the DTI penalizing any business entity for violating the SRP policy),” Marcos said in an interview. “At kung price ceiling man iyan, eh wala naman pinapataw na sanctions, wala naman pinapagalitan (And in terms of price ceiling, we see no sanctions imposed on these businesses, none are being scolded for it),” she lamented. Marcos, chair of the Senate committee on economic affairs, insisted that the DTI should be vigilant and strictly monitoring prices of all basic goods. “Ang akin, kailangan talaga mag price watch tayo nang masinsinan. Papasok na naman ang Pasko hirap na naman ang tao, (I think, we seriously should conduct a thorough price watch. Christmas is near and the people are having a hard time),” Marcos pointed out. Marcos further stressed the DTI has the mandate to punish business entities that violate the SRP policy. “I think that’s the role of DTI. Para que pa yang SRP na yan kung hindi naman papatawan ng parusa. Eh nagbobolohan lang tayo. Moro-moro lang iyan (Why do we have an SRP policy if those who are violating it are not being punished? Let’s not fool ourselves. It’s all for show.),” she said. DTI officials, she said can penalize erring businesses by revoking their licenses or business permits and or imposing hefty fines against them. “Marami naman magagawa basta may will lang na manatiling mababa ang presyo. Importante ang pagkain dahil sa mahihirap napakalaking porsyento ng gastos ang pagkain (There are so many things they can do, if they have the will to keep prices lower and stable. Food is important especially for the poor since a huge portion of their budget goes to food),” she pointed out.