CITY OF SAN FERNANDO — The government-imposed price freeze on basic commodities has remained in Bataan and Pampanga which were declared in states of calamity during the recent monsoon rains that trailed tropical depression Maring.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Regional Director Judith Angeles said that “under a state of calamity, an automatic price control is implemented as a preventive measure to avoid chaos that may result from overpricing of goods such as processed milk, canned goods, coffee, laundry soap, detergent, candles, bread, and salt during times of calamities.”
This, she noted, is according to Section 6 of Republic Act 7581 otherwise known as the Price Control Act.
“The prices of such commodities should be at levels prior to the calamity, but this excludes agricultural products,” she said.
Angeles noted that the duration of a state of calamity is 60 days unless lifted sooner by either the local officials or by the President.
But she noted that local governments and provincial DTI offices “can adjust prices to reflect additional operational costs or the costs of bringing the products to the stricken areas.”
Such price adjustments, however, would need the approval of either the National Price Coordinating Council or the President. The adjusted prices must be published in newspapers of national circulation, Angeles added.
Angeles warned that the penalty for profiteering in prize freeze areas could amount to either as much as P1 million in fine and one to five years in jail, or both.
In case of hoarding of basic goods, violators can face up to P2 million in fines and imprisonment of five to fifteen years, or both.
