Belmonte cracks down on QC market vendors who overprice their goods
Published Apr 30, 2020 12:00 am
By Chito A. Chavez
Quezon city Mayor Joy Belmonte on April 30, Thursday, warned errant traders that the full force of the law will be enforced against them for unfair trading practices.
Belmonte ordered the head of the QC’s Market Development and Administration Department (MDAD), Procopio Lipana, to regularly inspect the city’s public and private markets and talipapas (flea markets) to guard against overpricing of prime commodities amid the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
Mayor Joy Belmonte (Mayor Joy Belmonte Official Facebook Page / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
“I have ordered MDAD to keep a close watch on all markets, whether private or public, to ensure that vendors follow suggested retail prices,” said Belmonte.
The QC mayor saw the need to issue the order to protect consumers who are reeling from effects of the COVID-19 crisis.
Lipana noted that hundreds of notice of violation citations have been issued to errant vendors in various public and private markets for overpricing and for having defective weighing scales.
From March 17 to April 28, Lipana said, MDAD has issued 211 notices of violation for 249 infractions “such as overpricing, fraudulent weighing scales, and the absence of price tags, among others.”
Based on MDAD’s record, 109 cases of fraudulent weighing scales and 90 instances of overpricing were tallied.
“We give vendors a chance to explain because prices now are affected due to supply issues. If proven as overpricing, they will need to pay the corresponding penalty when they renew business permit,” Lipana explained.
“The MDAD also confiscates fraudulent weighing scales and have them recalibrated, but vendors have to pay the penalty, as well,” he added.
Lipana has formed four teams that go around various markets in the city’s six districts to monitor violations and ensure social distancing.
The city government recently installed closed-circuit television cameras in different public and private markets to monitor if social distancing is strictly followed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Lipana also called on illegal vendors to lawfully ply their trade by joining the city government’s “Fresh Market on Wheels” project.
Mayor Joy Belmonte (Mayor Joy Belmonte Official Facebook Page / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
“I have ordered MDAD to keep a close watch on all markets, whether private or public, to ensure that vendors follow suggested retail prices,” said Belmonte.
The QC mayor saw the need to issue the order to protect consumers who are reeling from effects of the COVID-19 crisis.
Lipana noted that hundreds of notice of violation citations have been issued to errant vendors in various public and private markets for overpricing and for having defective weighing scales.
From March 17 to April 28, Lipana said, MDAD has issued 211 notices of violation for 249 infractions “such as overpricing, fraudulent weighing scales, and the absence of price tags, among others.”
Based on MDAD’s record, 109 cases of fraudulent weighing scales and 90 instances of overpricing were tallied.
“We give vendors a chance to explain because prices now are affected due to supply issues. If proven as overpricing, they will need to pay the corresponding penalty when they renew business permit,” Lipana explained.
“The MDAD also confiscates fraudulent weighing scales and have them recalibrated, but vendors have to pay the penalty, as well,” he added.
Lipana has formed four teams that go around various markets in the city’s six districts to monitor violations and ensure social distancing.
The city government recently installed closed-circuit television cameras in different public and private markets to monitor if social distancing is strictly followed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Lipana also called on illegal vendors to lawfully ply their trade by joining the city government’s “Fresh Market on Wheels” project.