The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has released its price guide for school supplies ahead of the opening of classes on June 8, with only 10 percent of the 210 stock keeping units (SKUs) registering price increases.

The DTI said these SKUs were mostly writing materials and registered only minimal price increases compared to last year’s price guide.

Around 18 percent of the SKUs, which include notebooks, pad paper, crayons, and rulers, recorded price reductions ranging from ₱1 to ₱27.

The bulk or more than half of the listed items maintained their prices from the previous year, covering 109 SKUs such as pencils, ballpens, erasers, and sharpeners.

Under this year’s price guide, the DTI added 41 new items to last year’s 195 SKUs to provide consumers with a wider selection of brands and products.

Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said lower market prices for school supplies reflect the government's ongoing efforts to ease the financial burden on households and ensure that learning tools remain accessible.

“This gives parents and students excellent, budget-friendly choices as they prepare for the opening of classes,” she said.

Under this year’s price guide, notebooks are priced between ₱13 and ₱52, while pad paper ranges from ₱13 to ₱69.75.

Pencils cost between ₱12 and ₱24, while pens are priced from ₱3 to ₱27.

For crayons, customers may choose from different box sizes priced between ₱12 and ₱114.

Erasers, sold in various sizes, range from ₱8 to ₱20.

Sharpeners are priced from ₱16 to ₱19, while rulers are available for ₱8 to ₱32.

“We encourage everyone to check the DTI’s official website and social media platforms to be guided by our price guide so they can maximize their budget and make informed purchases,” Roque said.

Under Republic Act (RA) No. 7581, or the Price Act, school supplies are classified as prime commodities, requiring the DTI to monitor their prices and availability to safeguard consumers against unfair trade practices.

Based on its initial nationwide monitoring, the DTI said school supply prices remain accessible and competitively priced.

It added that stocks of school supplies remain sufficient ahead of the opening of the upcoming school year.

The DTI said it will continue its market monitoring efforts to ensure that school supplies remain available and that businesses comply with fair pricing and consumer protection laws.

Consumers may report pricing violations and unfair trade practices through the DTI’s consumer care hotline at 1-384 or via email at [email protected] and [email protected].