Gaisano, Unitop face overpricing cases

By NITZ ARANCON
with LITO RULONA
Correspondents

THE city’s price coordinating council yesterday found two grocery stores in Carmen going against the price freeze put in effect here by the Department of Trade and Industry.

Lawyer Jose Edgardo Uy, the council’s vice chairman, identified the establishments as Gaisano and Unitop in Carmen.

Eliza Pabillore, DTI provincial director, told a news conference that the government would send the establishments “show cause orders” so as to compel them to explain why they should not be charged and fined.

The government ordered a 60-day price freeze in the city, applicable to basic commodities, in the aftermath of the Dec. 22, 2017 floodings spawned by tropical storm “Vinta.” Before the new year, the city council placed the entire city under a state of calamity.

“Ipa-explain nato sila ngano nga milapas sila sa atong price ceiling,” said Pabillore.

The two-month price freeze has been in effect since Dec. 22, 2017. It would end on Feb. 20, 2018.

She however said the government would give the establishments the chance to “rectify” their mistake.

“Kon wala gyud silay action nga himo-on, ang sunod namong buhaton,  mo-file na dayon mi og formal charge  didto sa DTI regional office,” Pabillore said.

The Carmen branches of Gaisano and Unitop were found to have erred during a unannounced inspection by a team fielded by the local price coordinating council. Also inspected were Golden Ace Grocery, Fortune, Ororama-Carmen, Savemore in Kauswagan, SM Supermarket in upper Carmen and Carmen Marketing.

The team found the prices of soap and other grocery items in the two establishments beyond the ceiling set by the government.

Pabillore said the products with questionable prices were ordered pulled out from the grocery stores’ display areas, and inspectors called the attention of the establishments’ managers.

Uy meanwhile said authorities would continue conducting surprise inspections in order to protect consumers.

“We must assure the consumers that our business community is law-abiding, and that they would always comply with our laws and regulations,” Uy said.

He pointed out that the city is still under a state of calamity as a result the December floods, and the declaration and subsequent extension of martial law covers the city.

Earlier, DTI said that based on Section 6 of RA 7581 or the Price Act, prices in a declared disaster area or under a state of calamity or 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 would be be administratively fined of up to P1 million under RA 7581 Section 16 and Department Administrative Order 6 Series 2007 Article 6 Section 2.