Bacolod task force monitors prices of school supplies
BACOLOD City – A city government task force monitoring prices of commodities will give particular attention to school supplies starting this week.
The Market Coordinating and Monitoring Task Force will ensure there is no overpricing, especially with the opening of classes fast approaching, according to task force head Ernie Pineda.
Four teams will inspect the three major public
markets Burgos, Central and Libertad, and the supermarkets every day, Pineda said.
Classes are expected to open starting June 5. Many consumers are already flocking to stores to buy school supplies.
Inspections will peak on May 29, when the task force may send out additional monitoring personnel, said Pineda.
Inspectors will ensure all school supplies are sold in keeping with retail prices suggested by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
They will also check if there is any shortage in school supplies, Pineda said.
Many business establishments rack up their prices whenever the supply of whatever product runs low, he said.
On its website the DTI has an online price monitoring system called “e-Presyo,” where “consumers can check the prevailing prices of basic necessities and prime commodities being monitored” by the department.
“It serves as a price guide for consumers in doing their grocery shopping which in turn ensures ‘value for money,’” a description on the site read.
Under e-Presyo, prices of composition notebooks with 80 leaves range from P12.50 to P34, depending on the brand and specifications (e.g., with or without plastic cover).
Writing notebooks with 80 leaves cost between P12.50 and P34, while spiral notebooks, between P11 and P23.75.
Customers may buy writing pad papers (Grade 1 to 4) with 80 leaves for as low as P9 per pad but prices may reach up to P33 for a pack of three pads, e-Presyo showed.
Intermediate pad papers with 80 leaves cost between P14 and P29.75, depending on the brand and type of paper.
Prices of pencils range from P6.50 to P37.50; ball pens, from P4 to P32.75; crayons, from P12 to P69.75; erasers, from P5 to P12.75; sharpeners, from P5.25 to P34.75; and rulers, from P9.75 to P29.75, depending on the brand and specifications (e.g., type, color, per-piece, per-pack, or pieces-per-pack).
Currently school supply prices are “stable,” or within the DTI’s suggested retail prices, said Pineda. Any store found overpricing will be reported to the DTI and other concerned agencies, he said.
Pineda also assured they are currently monitoring the prices of all other commodities sold at the three major public markets and the supermarkets, especially at the wet section./