About 111 Quezon City market vendors were issued notices for overpricing as the local government cracked down on price violators.
The vendors who were rounded up since January 1 will be endorsed to the Department of Agriculture (DA) for investigation and appropriate action “as the city has no jurisdiction over the traders where the market vendors get their goods.”
The vendors argued they were forced to increase the price of their goods because they get their products from traders at a higher price.
“Pero makikipagtulungan tayo sa DA para habulin ang mga wholesalers lalo na’t kung taga-QC sila (We will coordinate with the DA to run after erring wholesalers, especially if they are from Quezon City),” Market Development and Administration Department (MDAD) head for Operations Procopio Lipana said, adding that they will use transaction receipts between vendors and traders as evidence.
Mayor Joy Belmonte said the local government wants to ensure that market vendors comply with the suggested retail price so “residents will not be burdened by the already high cost of basic necessities.”
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