The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) now includes rice in their monitoring activities for basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPCs) amid surging prices of rice in the local market despite assurances by the Department of Agriculture (DA) of higher palay output this year.
DTI Secretary Alfredo E. Pascual said that President Marcos has instructed the agency to help DA in the monitoring of rice prices during a monitoring and enforcement operation on school supplies in Divisoria, the country’s largest bargain and trading hub, on Thursday, Aug. 17.
“DTI received an order from the President to monitor its market price in coordination with the DA. We are now monitoring following said order and are working with the DA in managing the price of rice," he added.
Pascual visited Divisoria following the release of the latest "Gabay sa Pamimili ng School Supplies" along with the Department of Education’s (DepEd) “Balik Eskwela” program, the team, organized by the Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau (FTEB).
In Divisoria, the DTI team inspected 23 stores that retail school supplies, such as such as specific brands of notebooks (composition, spiral, and writing), pad papers (Grades 1-4 and intermediate), pencils, ballpoint pens, crayons, erasers, sharpeners, and rulers.
Only one store was called out during the inspection for selling a school supply item higher than the price guide. The store owner was ordered to submit a written explanation within three days from receipt of the letter.
Public schools will open classes on June 29 this year.
"We conducted an intensified price monitoring for school supplies to make sure that establishments are following the price guide we issued last month. We want to make sure that parents who will come here to buy school supplies for their children in preparation for the upcoming school year will not fall victims of profiteering and other unjust sales practices," he said.
Other than prices, the DTI also inspected school supplies' conformance with the Philippine National Standards (PNS), particularly on product specifications for office and school supplies that provide safety and quality requirements of certain products to ensure reliability and safe usage, and compliance with other Fair Trade Laws (FTLs).
Accordingly, the DTI team also inspected school supplies items' product specification, markings, and labels.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), led by FDA South Luzon Cluster Director Arnold G. Alindada was present during the operation. The FDA conducted "test-buy" of some school supplies, such as crayons and watercolors, which will be subjected to further analysis, particularly of the chemical content/s thereof.
Pascual said that DTI Regional and Provincial Offices were also ordered to conduct school supplies price monitoring in various provinces in the country prior to the opening of the school year. “We are conducting this nationwide," he said.
Republic Act No. 7581, as amended by R.A. 10623, or the Price Act mandates the DTI and other implementing agencies, such as the DA, Health (DOH), Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and Energy (DOE), to ensure the availability of basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPCs) at reasonable prices at all times without denying legitimate businesses a fair return on investment.
According to the Consumer Act of the Philippines (RA 7394), manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers shall be liable for damages caused to consumers by defective and unsafe products as well as for insufficient or inadequate information on the use and hazards.
With this, Pascual urged consumers to diligently check if school supplies are FDA-approved to ensure that materials used are safe for their children.
The department engages in a campaign against uncertified items in the market, including the enforcement of technical regulations mandating compliance with Philippine Standard Certification Mark Schemes, particularly Department Administrative Order No. 02, Series of 2007.
The DTI enjoins consumers to report retailers, distributors, and manufacturers that sell basic necessities above their SRPs or uncertified items, through the Consumer Care Hotline at DTI (1-384) or [email protected].