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By LITO RULONA
Correspondent

City Price Coordinating Council (CPCC) will conduct a citywide visit anytime this week to known and selected business establishment who reportedly violated “price freeze” that was imposed by the local government and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provincial office.

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A Council who monitors the price of commodities in the city even reminding local business sector that a `price freeze’ is still going on.

Earlier, City Council approved ordinance no. 2018-2 requiring every barangay council in the city  to designate a Consumer Welfare Officer” to cater the rights and obligations of the constituents as consumers.

“We will be conducting a surprised inspection anytime this week,” said City Councilor George Goking, chairman of the committee on trade and commerce and ways and means.

Goking said they would not divulge the names of the malls and grocery stores who are subjected for inspection.

The price would be based by the DTI price markings, he said.

Goking said the monitoring of prices of commodities was based on the declared State of Calamity following Tropical Storm Vinta through the Resolution No. 2018-1 of the City Council.

The city was experienced flash floods occurred in several parts of the city on January 8, 2018.

“Mamisita gyud kami sa mga tindahan kung wala ba sila nagpakasa sa ilang mga basic commodities,” he said.

Goking said the team would be led by lawyer Edgardo Uy, the chairman of the City Price Coordinating Council (CPCC).

Those who would be found violating would charge properly, according to Goking.

Trade and Industry provincial director Eliza Pabillore on Monday formally declared and informed all the consumers and retailers that based on Section 6 of the Republic Act 7581 or the Price Act, prices in an area proclaimed or declared a disaster area or under a state of calamity or under an emergency shall be automatically frozen at their prevailing prices or placed under automatic price control for a period of 60 days unless sooner lifted.

The Price Act provides that any retailers found selling more than the listed prevailing prices shall be imposed with an administrative fine of up to One Million Pesos (P1,000,000.00) under Republic Act No. 7581 Section 16 and Department Administrative Order 6 Series 2007 Article 6 Section 2.

Aside from the declaration under the state of calamity, the council also reminding the existing President Rodrigo Duterte’s martial law declaration in the entire island of Mindanao is still in effect.

Price freeze on basic necessities and prime commodities has been automatically enforced in Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Soccsksargen, and in Caraga regions.

Meanwhile, Uy said basic necessities that are under price freeze include canned sardines, milk, coffee, detergent or laundry soap, noodles, bread, salt, candles, and water.

He also encouraged consumers to report retailers found increasing or manipulating their prices.

“Initially no supermarkets, retail stores or grocery stores have violated the price freeze so far in their monitoring but an actual inspection of the team is needed to confirm the monitoring reports,” Uy said.

The DTI-Misamis Oriental provincial office also called on consumers to report violations at 857-4034.

 

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