In a bid to curb violations of the Price Act or RA 7581 and RA 11469 or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, the Department of Trade and Industry Regional Office III (DTI-3) has partnered with the Philippine National Police Crime Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) in enforcing the abovementioned laws to protect consumers buying emergency medical supplies at this time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
As of April 2, 2020, a total of 87 consumer complaints from the seven provinces of Central Luzon related to overpriced alcohol, face masks, thermal scanners and other essential medical supplies have been addressed by the DTI and referred to the PNP-CIDG. Because of the joint effort of DTI-3 and CIDG, a total of 2,113 bottles of alcohol has been confiscated from online and physical store sellers because of profiteering, hoarding and other violations of government regulations on selling emergency medical supplies. A total of 20 individuals have also been arrested and charged for the violations. A majority of the confiscated supplies (993 bottles) are in the form of 500 ml ethyl alcohol and 1 Liter bottle (301 bottles).
The DTI and CIDG are assisting the DOH and its Food and Drug Administration, which has the mandate to regulate the said products in checking hoarders and profiteers taking advantage of online selling and the panic brought by the Covid-19 pandemic. Earlier, the DOH has issued Circular No. 2020-058 declaring a Price Freeze on Emergency Medical Supplies.
The FDA has also issued Circular No. 2020-005 prohibiting the online selling of overpriced medical supplies like alcohol, face masks and thermal scanners. Consumers are asked to report overpricing, hoarding and other related violations to the concerned agencies such as the DOH and FDA or to their local PNP. For FDA, consumer concerns may be emailed through its email: covidresponse@fda.gov.ph. For DOH, its hotline is 1555 or 0289426843 and for PNP, its hotline is 09178475757.
