Local Price Monitoring and Coordinating Councils in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City are assisting the Department of Trade and Industry in ensuring strict compliance with a price freeze on basic commodities in the province following recent typhoons that have hit the country.

Gov. Isidro Zayco said he is calling on the mayors of the towns and cities of Negros Occidental to assist the DTI so that sanctions can be imposed on retailers who fail to comply.

At the same time he called on businessmen to comply with the price ceiling on basic commodities.

Vice Governor Emilio Yulo III said members of the Negros Occidental price monitoring body will meet today to discuss actions they can take against violators.

Department of Trade and Industry provincial director Rebecca Rascon said the Bacolod City price monitoring council also met yesterday afternoon to map out its course of action.

Leaders of local businesses were also present at the meeting, Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia said.

Leonardia said that, aside from price monitoring, he has also asked the local police and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to activate their intelligence networks against possible hoarding of goods.

He said, though, that from experience, “We have not encountered businessmen in Bacolod who have engaged in hoarding and clearly violating the price ceiling on basic commodities.”

The mayor said he appealing to local businessmen to continue with their decent practices and not to take advantage of the misfortune of others.

On Saturday, Rascon said that, with the President's declaration of a state of national calamity prices of basic commodities in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City should remain at the levels they were at on the third week of September.

As of yesterday no violators of the price freeze had been caught, she said.

Supermarkets, retailers and traders of basic commodities are mandated to keep prices at automatic price control levels or face severe penalties as stipulated the Price Act (Republic Act 7581), she said.

Under the price act, basic necessities include rice, corn, bread, fresh, dried and canned fish and other marine products, fresh pork, beef and poultry meat, fresh eggs, fresh and processed milk, fresh vegetables, root crops, coffee, sugar, cooking oil, salt, laundry soap, detergents, firewood, charcoal, candles and drugs classified as essential by the Department of Health.

The Price Act states that those violating the price ceilings set face imprisonment of one to ten years and fines of from P5,000 to P1 million.

Those engaged in price manipulation through hoarding, profiteering and cartels, face imprisonment of 5 to 15 years and fines of P5,000 to P2 million, the Price Act also states.

Violators also face temporary closure and suspension or cancellation of permits to operate, it adds.*CPG

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