The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has assured the public that the supply of face shields and face masks in the country is sufficient.
“Face masks marami tayong supply. I think even sa face shields kasi madaling gawin. Pwede do-it-yourself, so yung supply niyan di magiging problema (We have a lot of supply of face masks. I think even the face shield since it’s easy to produce. You can even make one yourself. So I think supply won’t be a problem,” DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez told DZMM Teleradyo on Monday.
The suggested retail price (SRP) for face shields is at P26 - P50 per piece, while prices for face masks have gone down to P10 per piece, according to Lopez.
Lopez said vendors selling overpriced face shields and face masks can be hit with a P5,000 to P1 million fine under the Price Act.
The DTI secretary, however, said the SRP applies to just basic face shields.
“Yung mga complicated na na-f-flip and all that, hindi kasama sa ating price reading (The complicated ones, like those that can be flipped and all are no included in our price reading),” he said.
Lopez encouraged the public to buy locally-made face masks and face shields
“Kung locally-made yan, yan po ay pasok sa ating medical grade standard, kaya kung ako sa inyo, yung locally made yung bilhin natin (Locally-made have passed our medical-grade standards, that why I encourage the public to buy the locally-made ones),” he added.