CAGAYAN de Oro City Councilor George Goking on Tuesday urged the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to strictly monitor the prices of basic commodities particularly of noche buena items amid the holiday season.

Goking even appealed to manufacturers and sellers to maintain the prices of basic goods to ease the burden of Cagay-anons who are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The government should ensure the "just regulation" of the prices of goods to alleviate the burden of Filipinos especially this holiday season and in the spirit of bayanihan,” he said.

Goking, chair of the City Council’s committee on trade and commerce, is also looking into complaints of the consuming public regarding the sudden increase in the prices of prime commodities in the market today.

“The Price Monitoring Council is conducting regular inspections and monitoring the prices of basic commodities in the city,” said Goking.

However, he said that one of the factors of the increase is the high price of petroleum products as well as demand and supply.

“It is important that prices of such commodities are regulated under the context the COVID-19 pandemic to help Filipino consumers while also protecting the rights and income of manufacturers and sellers, said Goking.

Early this month, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said a number of factories have committed to keep prices of noche buena unchanged during the holiday season.

Lopez, according to Goking mentioned that prices of grocery products have been also minimal so far, with more than half of basic goods retaining their prices.

“I am appealing to the business sector to understand the situation of the consumers who are experiencing difficult financial situations because of the pandemic,” said Goking.

He also urged the DTI to implement a rollback if there were really increased in the suggested retail prices (SRPs) of basic commodities.

He said keeping prices of these products will be a relief for Filipinos who will be celebrating the Christmas season in a pandemic for two straight years.

“We call on these manufacturers not to increase prices of Christmas products this year,” said Goking adding that if they need to increase, only at the absolute minimum level.

We need to understand and balance so that we can have peace and harmony and a happy Christmas celebration, according to Goking (Ben Balce)