The Department of Trade and Industry has started inspecting retail stores in Negros Occidental to ensure that the cost of school supplies they sell conform to the suggested retail prices released by the agency, DTI Provincial head Rebecca Rascon said yesterday.

Rascon said their agency has ordered all the retail stores not to exceed their prices of school supplies by more than 10 percent of their prices last month.

She said retail stores can only increase the prices of their school supplies if a specific manufacturer seeks and gets approval for the rate hike from the agency’s national office.

Coop to launch
savings plan

The Capitol Government Employees Multi-Purpose Cooperative is launching it’s “CAPGEM Tots” Savings Program for children of Negros Occidental provincial government employees, incoming coop general manager Leans Villafranca, said yesterday.

Villafranca said the program, which is a brain-child of Assistant Prosecutor Hermes Ariño, will kick off on May 30.

He said, about 50 children of provincial government employees between 6 to 12 years-old have signified to join it.

DOF assails ruling on oil
smuggling raps

The Department of Finance has questioned the Court of Appeals' issuance of a Temporary Restraining Order effectively blocking the smuggling case against the President and CEO of Phoenix Petroleum Philippines as well as its Customs Broker, Jorlan Cabanes, and multiple John Does last week.

Following the order, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said "TROs like this one effectively prevent the government from prosecuting smuggling. Our courts and court processes should not be used by a few to block our progress in enforcing customs laws, and creating a level playing field for all."

The Petition for Certiorari with application for TRO of Phoenix's customs broker Cabanes was filed before the Court of Appeals and assigned to CA 10th division composed of Justices Romeo Barza (vice Lampas Peralta, per CA Office Order NO. 193-13-ABR dated 6 May 2013), Francisco Acosta, and Angelita Gacutan.