Executive Assistant Ernesto Pineda, who heads the Price Monitoring Council of Bacolod City, yesterday said they will invite Sugar Regulatory Administrator Rafael Coscolluela to their council meeting on Nov. 27 to explain the increase in prices of sugar in  public markets.

Pineda said that based on their monitoring, the prices of refined sugar have increased from P38 to P42, while prices of washed sugar have also increased from P28 to P32.

He said they have also invited other sectoral groups and representatives of the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Agriculture, Department of Health and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to attend the meeting at the government center.

Pineda said implementing agencies like the DTI, DA, DOH and the DENR can recommend to them the mandated price ceiling for certain commodities like sugar, which will be based on prices three months ago.

The Local Price Monitoring Council will then recommend this to the National Price Monitoring Council headed by the President, he said.

Meanwhile, Bacolod Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson said the lifting of the oil price freeze may cause prices of  petroleum products to also increase.

He said he hopes that the transport groups will maintain fare rates at the same level considering that the people are already burdened with the recent increase in water and power rates.

On the other hand, Sayson said the city had hired additional traffic aides during the MassKara Festival in October who will augment the present force until December in anticipation of heavy traffic during the Christmas season.*CGS 

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