THE role of local price coordinating councils (LPCCs) has been strengthened after the success of the joint price monitoring for medicines with government agencies.
Earlier, the city’s price coordinating council (CPPC) partnered with the health and trade departments in efforts to shield consumers from possible medicine price hikes not only in the city and Misamis Oriental but in the region.
Also, an earlier joint memorandum circular was even signed by the departments of agriculture, interior, environment, and health that aims to help manage unreasonable and excessive price increases of necessities such as farm and fishery inputs and products, medicine, wood, and forest products.
In a statement, City Council’s committee on trade and commerce chair Councilor George Goking explained that with this joint memorandum circular, they are strengthening, even more, the power of the local price coordinating councils tasked to monitor the supply and prices of basic food items, as well as enforce the suggested retail price (SRP) and ‘price freeze’ policies in their respective localities.
As part of the agreement, local government units (LGUs) are urged to perform regular inspections of public and private markets and to direct barangay officials to watch abnormal price increases.
Under the circular, LPCCs will send recommendations to the National Price Coordinating Council regarding price ceilings for certain commodities in their respective localities.
To uphold consumer welfare as the CPPC continues its partnership with national government agencies in conducting price monitoring activities for various commodities sold in the market, according to Goking.
The recent success of the joint price monitoring for medicines with the DTI of Misamis Oriental and the regional health department (DOH)-10, was due to the CDO price council’s vigilant monitoring of the markets’ prices to protect the consumers.
"The city government has been successful for the past six years in making sure that the prices of goods sold in the city are within the suggested retail price,” said Goking, adding CPCC was created to make sure the right quality, quantity, and is in line with the government’s mandated retail price.
CDO CPCC Co-Chair lawyer Jose Edgardo Uy reiterated that the city government is always looking toward the protection of consumers.
"Nia kita aron masiguro nato nga kung unsa ang gipalit sa atoang mga igsuon sa publiko mao jud ang quality and quantity na ilahang makuha ug nakasubay kini sa retail price na gimando sa gobyerno ug implementing agencies," Uy said.
So that people can find out if the items they are buying are within the SRP, the CDO-CPCC is always encouraging the public to always know the suggested retail prices (SRP) of goods, posted on the DTI website, according to Goking.
Goking further expressed that their office is always open to assist consumers with their concerns and complaints.
"We can assure everyone nga bantayan jud nato ang mga presyo sa palitonon. Sa kapit-os sa panahon, the local government is on your side,” said Goking. (with a report from JAKA/PIA-10/Misamis Oriental)
