Camarines Sur Representative Luis Raymund “LRay” Villafuerte on Friday, November 1 urged fellow lawmakers to expedite the passage of the measure that would expand the list of basic goods and commodities to be covered by the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) prize freeze during natural disasters and calamities.
Villafuerte is referring to House Bill (HB) No. 7977, which aims to empower the Price Coordinating Council (PCC) or any of its member-agencies to expand on their own the list of food and non-food items to be covered by a price freeze whenever any natural disaster or calamity calls for it.
“HB 7977 seeks to empower the PCC to make motu propio (on its own) adjustments in the number of basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPC), provided such inclusions in or expansions of the BNPC list has prior approval of the President,” Villafuerte said.
“Such an amendatory law to RA 7581, to be known as the ‘Expanded Basic Necessities and Prime Commodities Act,’ will further protect consumers against hoarding, profiteering and other forms of price manipulation in the wake of super typhoons and other natural disasters or emergencies,” the former governor added.
In the case of the provincial government of CamSur which took the brunt of tropical storm “Kristine’s” impact, Villafuerte said the local government had to cope with the limited list under the BNPCs when DTI imposed a two-month prize freeze on all provinces that had been placed under a state of calamity following the devastation caused by “Kristine.”
Therefore, Villafuerte said “new legislation is necessary to authorize the PCC or any of its member-agencies to include or exclude by motu propio specific goods from the list of BNPCs subject to price control for the duration of any emergency or natural- or man-made calamity.”
Under the Price Act, considered as “prime commodities” are fresh fruits; flour; dried, processed or canned pork; beef and poultry meat; dairy products not falling under basic necessities; noodles; onions; garlic; vinegar; patis; soy sauce; toilet soap; fertilizer; pesticides; herbicides; poultry; swine and cattle feeds; veterinary products for poultry, swine, and cattle; paper; school supplies; nipa shingles; sawali; cement; clinker; GI sheets; hollow blocks; plywood; ply board; construction nails; batteries; electrical supplies; light bulbs; and steel wire.
Also included on the BNPC list are all medicines classified as essential drugs by the Department of Health (DOH).
Villafuerte said passage into law of HB 7977 will expand the definition of BNPC through the inclusion of other goods deemed to be necessities under certain situations identified in the law.