The Department of the Interior and Local Government-Cordillera Administrative Region (DILG-CAR) urged its local government units (LGUs) to reactivate their respective Local Price Coordinating Council (LPCC) to prevent any businessmen from taking advantage of the oil price hikes to the prices of basic goods and services.
DILG-CAR Regional Director Araceli San Jose stressed that reactivating the LPCCs will monitor and prevent excessive price spikes in agricultural goods, processed goods and medicines in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic.
"The LPCCs will also assist in the implementation of suggested retail prices (SRPs) of basic food commodities, issue warnings, and monitor, transport, movement, and distribution of commodities," San Jose explained.
Under Republic Act No. 7581 otherwise known as the “Price Act’’, the LPCCs are authorized to protect the consumers by stabilizing the prices of basic necessities and prime commodities and prescribing measures to prevent excessive price increases during emergency situations and similar occasions.
"I strongly enjoin our local chief executives (LCEs) and members of the LPCCs to conduct regular inspections of public and private markets. LCEs may delegate barangay officials and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to monitor abnormal price increases in order to protect our kakailyans in these unprecedented times," she added.
San Jose also encouraged the local chief executives (LCEs) to submit regular reports on Price Act violations to the National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC) secretariat and to provide stalls, kiosks or spaces for the KADIWA ni ANI at KITA program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Diskwento Caravan of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in public markets, including flea markets in their areas.
Determination of Price Ceilings
The LPCCs may hold a public hearing or engage in dialogue with DILG representatives, producers, manufacturers, distributors, sellers, and consumers to arrive at a reasonable price ceiling.
They should also continue to monitor the prices of all basic necessities and prime commodities and enforce suggested retail prices (SRPs) even during normal times to ensure that businesses do not take advantage of customers. (Chito A. Chavez)