Despite the panic buying, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) XI reported that there is no movement of the commodity price in the region.
In an interview with Davao City Disaster Radio yesterday, DTI XI acting division chief Raul Bulaclac said they have been conducting series of monitoring in the supermarkets and other establishments since last week and found out that there were no changes in the prices of basic needs and commodities (BNPC).
“From the moment that President (Rodrigo Duterte) declared a public health emergency, we immediately issued a price freeze on all basic needs and prime commodities. With that, all establishments (selling BNPCs) must have to follow,” Bulaclac said.
Bulaclac said they also deployed a team to monitor the supplies in supermarkets and establishments selling BNPC goods.
He said there are some establishments that ran out of products only on their display racks but still have supply.
“And based on our price monitoring last Saturday, there were no reports of establishments violating the price freeze that we have imposed,” Bulaclas said. “Those (stores) that we have visited (actually) still have supply, (so) there is no problem on the supply.”
“So there is no need for panic buying,” Bulaclac added. “[P]anic buying (is) not a warrant as of this moment.”
Strategy to control prices
Bulaclac said they just created a data sheet that will be handed out to establishments selling goods covered under the BNPC to monitor the movement of their prices and supplies.
The establishments are required to submit daily the data sheet to the nearest Negosyo Center in their area.
“The establishments will give (the data sheet) from time to time to the Negosyo Center to consolidate (information to know if there is a movement in the prices and supplies),” Bulaclac said.
He said it is one of the steps of the DTI to monitor the price and supply “even on the remotest area” here. “We are requiring them to submit the monitoring sheet daily.”
Public Market
Bulaclac said they are in close coordination with the Department of Agriculture as there are some products not covered by the DTI but by the DA.
He said the DA XI is providing them a list of the monitored prices, such as rice, sold in the public market.
He said they visited Bankerohan Public Market yesterday.
“Meat products, there is no problem. There are plenty (of supplies in there). There is no change on the prices in chicken as well,” he said.
