COTABATO CITY ---Prices
of prime commodities in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) remain
stable, the region’s Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said last June 5.
“Hindi totoo ang kumakalat na balita na umabot na sa limang libongpiso
ang presyo ng isang sakongbigas. Stable ang presyo ng bilihin,”
said DTI-ARMM Secretary Anwar Malang as he clarified issues on the alleged
increases in prices of goods in Lanaodel Sur.
A price freeze of commodities was automatically
enforced in Mindanao after President Rodrigo Duterte declared Martial Law
for 60 days on May 23 following clashes between the government troops and terror
groups in Marawi City.
Under Republic Act 7581, or the Price Act, price freeze
on basic necessities shall be automatically implemented in areas under a state
of calamity.
The measure covers basic goods including canned sardines,
processed milk, bottled water, locally manufactured instant noodles, coffee,
detergent soap, bread, candles, salt, rice, corn, cooking oil, fresh pork,
fresh beef, fresh poultry meat, fresh and dried fish and other marine products,
fresh egg, fresh milk, fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, root crops, and sugar.
Malang said his office is conducting weekly price
monitoring not only in Lanaodel Sur but in other provinces of the ARMM as well.
“We are intensifying the monitoring to check if business establishments are
complying with the price freeze order.”
Because of the recent crisis in Marawi City, the
department has organized and deployed two special price monitoring teams in
Lanaodel Sur, he said. The monitoring covers the municipalities of Buadipuso Buntong,
Ditsaan-Ramain, Poona Bayabao, Tamparan, Malabang, Ganassi, Marantao,
and WatuBalindong.
Reports from the field, Malang said, indicated
price increases of only up to 10 percent in the municipalities of Marantao and
Ditsaan-Ramain. “The minimal increases in prices (of basic goods) in those
areas (Marantao and Ditsaan-Ramain) are justifiable on account of
transportation costs incurred in the hauling of goods from suppliers in Iligan
City,” he said.
Supply of basic commodities in Lanao del Sur comes from
the cities of Iligan in Lanao del Norte, Cagayan de Oro in Misamis Oriental,
and Pagadian in Zamboanga del Sur. Penalties for those who violate the price
freeze include a fine ranging from P5,000 to P1,000,000 and/or imprisonment
from one to 10 years.
Price control of basic necessities remains while
Martial Law is in effect. Billboards on the price ceiling of basic goods, price
freeze advisories, and other relevant information will be posted all over the
region through the DTI-ARMM’s provincial offices. (BUREAU OF
PUBLIC INFORMATION – ARMM /MINDANAO EXPOSE’)
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