With the return of full face-to-face classes eyed later this year, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) must move to avert a potential price upsurge in school supplies.

Thus, said Quezon City 2nd district Rep. Ralph Tulfo, who expressed concern that such price hikes might discourage poor families from bringing their kids back to school.

“I am wary of probable high prices of school supplies, school uniforms, and shoes now that campuses will soon reopen for face-to-face classes. Tuwing tumataas po kasi ang demand para sa isang produkto, maaaring tumaas din ang presyo nito (When demand for a product increases, then a price hike is possible)," he said.

“If school supplies price increases and tuition hikes are not reasonably tempered, many students might postpone their return to school," warned Tulfo, who at 26 is among the youngest House members in the 19th Congress.

Tulfo said the DTI can enforce price ceilings on school supplies “administratively using its regulatory powers".

He said the DTI and the local chief executives or mayors “can talk with local manufacturers of school supplies to assure price and supply stability".

Republic Act (RA) 7581 or the Price Act lists school supplies as prime commodities and thus provides for the setting of price ceilings on them instead of suggested retail prices or SRPs.

The young congressman also said there “is still time for schools to rethink tuition rates and school fees, as well as payment terms and payment modes".

" already lost two years to the pandemic. Let us not prolong the agony of students,” Tulfo said.