By Miguel Gil
October 13, 2023, 8:34 pm
BOAC, Marinduque – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has imposed price freezes on key commodities in three more towns across the Mimaropa region due to outbreaks of animal diseases.
DTI-Mimaropa announced Friday that retailers in the towns of Boac, Marinduque, and Roxas and Mansalay in Oriental Mindoro are now subject to price controls.
Ruby Ramos, trade and industry development specialist at DTI-Mimaropa, told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) that temporarily halting price movements in select basic goods is standard procedure after local authorities declare a state of calamity.
“A price freeze automatically follows the declaration of a state of calamity. But it is only on certain basic commodities that are subject to DTI regulation,” she said in Filipino.
The Sangguniang Bayan in Boac declared a state of calamity on Thursday following an outbreak of rabies in the municipality.
Meanwhile, the towns of Roxas and Mansalay have been under a state of calamity since Tuesday due to African swine fever (ASF) outbreaks.
The imposition of price freezes follows a similar move by DTI-Mimaropa in San Fernando, Romblon.
San Fernando was put under a state of calamity last Oct. 3 due to an ASF outbreak.
Products subject to price freezes in the four towns include canned fish and other marine products, processed milk (evaporated, condensed, and powdered milk), coffee, laundry/ detergent soap, candles, bread (tasty and pandesal), iodized salt, instant noodles, and bottled water, according to the DTI’s website. (PNA)
