The Department of Trade and Industry in Negros Oriental reported that no hoarding of supplies took place before, during or after super typhoon “Pablo” slammed the province early this week.

DTI provincial director Javier Fortunato Jr. said yesterday that monitoring of consumer goods continues as people were noted to be “surge buying” shortly before the typhoon hit Dumaguete City and other parts of Negros Oriental Tuesday.

Common items selling like hotcakes were flashlights, LED lamps, batteries and noodles. Shelves in many stores were immediately replenished as suppliers and distributors had assured the DTI of high buffer stocks, and only a number of stores reported running out of certain items, he added.

The DTI also reported that no change in the prices of consumer goods was reported or monitored at the height of the typhoon’s onslaught.

Fortunato said they undertook pre-disaster, actual and post-disaster monitoring to ensure that no business establishments, or enterprising individuals, would take advantage of the situation and jack up the prices of their goods.*JFP

back to top