While the supply of alcohol is not a problem in Iloilo, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said there are no more available face masks in the market.
“We have sufficient supply (of alcohol). Our problem is the face masks,” said DTI Iloilo provincial director Felisa Judith L. Degala in an interview on Thursday, March 12.
The monitoring of masks and alcohol falls within the jurisdiction of the Department of Health (DOH) but the DTI is helping them.
Degala added that there are times that hospitals have supplies but they prioritize their patients and their watchers, and the health workers.
“If they have more than enough supply, then they sell to the public. As of now, to be honest, we have no data if how many hospitals have supplies,” she said, adding that it could be that today they have stocks but the next day there is no more supply.
Starting March 11, DTI Iloilo also mobilized its business councilors manning Negosyo Centers (NCs) in various municipalities to focus their monitoring on the basic necessities, including the availability of face masks sold in drug stores.
As per report from the 26 NCs, there are no more face masks during their monitoring.
Meanwhile, she said following the declaration of the state of public health emergency last week, DTI has immediately embarked on daily monitoring from the previous regular monitoring that was done under normal situation.
The declaration automatically results in the price freeze among prime commodities and basic necessities.
“We have not monitored violations. Prices are as is because there was no increase in SRP (suggested retail price),” Degala said.
She added that if the SRP increases, then retail prices also follow. However, since the SRP did not increase, then there was no price hike. The last SRP was released way back September, Degala said.
She said the prices could be different in municipalities because DTI recognized that they also incur expenses when transporting goods from Iloilo City to municipalities.
She added that letters of inquiry (LOI) have been sent to retailers in the municipalities asking why their prices are higher than the SRP. In response, the retailers furnished the department of their explanation with documentary evidences.
“Based on our computation we can say that they are still compliant with the SRP because they did not abuse their price or take advantage of the situation by overpricing,” she said.
The price freeze lasts for 60 days starting from the day of the state of public health emergency.Perla Lena/PNA
