BY ARGYLL GEDUCOS
As the Christmas season draws near, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles assured the public that the government is undertaking measures to ensure that the prices of basic commodities will not spike as the country continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a Facebook Live video on Saturday night, Nograles said the government has continuing measures to prevent increases in the prices of basic commodities.
He added that the government recognizes the need to continuously monitor the prices of basic goods, particularly food items.
“Actually ang DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) naman hindi lang sa pagkain kung hindi pati sa iba’t ibang essential items, goods. Nagmo-monitor naman ang DTI,” he said.
“During public calamity and public crisis tulad ng meron sa atin ngayon, pwede namang maglagay ng mga price controls kung kinakailangan. Pwede namang i-operationalize ‘yan tulad ng nangyari noong kaka-start ng COVID dito sa atin,” he added.
According to Nograles, the government has already lifted the price freeze on goods but the DTI and the Department of Agriculture (DA) continue to monitor the prices of goods.
“Prices were initially ordered frozen at the onset of the pandemic, but even with price controls lifted the government continues to be conscious of the need to keep an eye on the prices of goods in the market,” he said. (Argyll Geducos)
