House Speaker Martin Romualdez (Speaker’s office)

Noche buena items and rice must be affordable for consumers. 

House Speaker Martin Romualdez sent this message to the country's retailers on Monday, Nov. 27 after leading a market inspection at Farmers Plaza in Quezon City. 

"Unang-una, dapat abot-kaya ang bigas at iba pang noche buena items. Dapat ang gulay tulad ng sibuyas, bawang, kamatis, repolyo at iba pa ay maaabot ng ating mga kababayan. We appeal to retailers to follow the SRP (suggested retail price)," Romualdez said. 

(First of all, rice and other noche buena must be affordable for our countrymen. So too should vegetables like onions, garlic, tomatoes, and cabbages. 

An SRP is essentially a suggested price level for the various goods as determined by the Department of Trade and Industry's (DTI).

Accompanying Romualdez during the price inspection was House Deputy Majority Leader ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo. 

"We want to make sure that traders do not take advantage of the holiday season to jack up prices of basic commodities," the Speaker said. 

"The Christmas season is meant to be a time of giving and compassion, and we want to make sure that prices of goods are affordable to a great majority of our people," added the leader of the 300-plus-strong House of Representatives. 

Noche buena refers to Filipinos' traditional Christmas dinner.

Romualdez said part of the oversight functions of the House of Representatives is to fight inflation and make sure that the prices of commodities are low. 

"Our primary task here is to protect people's welfare by providing them with the most affordable goods in the market," he stressed. He added that the people should be protected from hoarding, price manipulation, and unreasonable price increases. 

"It is a reaffirmation of our commitment to ensuring fair pricing and protecting consumers' interests by fighting hoarding and exorbitant prices," underscored the Leyte 1st district congressman 

He also encouraged suppliers to double the delivery of necessary items to retailers, small traders, and market stallholders until the end of the holiday season.