Davao City: One of the challenges of the Department of Agriculture (DA XI) with the current COVID-19 pandemic is how to maintain relatively stable prices in local markets all over the Davao region.
DA XI is at the forefront when it comes to advising local markets and online sellers regarding the proper pricing of food items while considering price adjustments given the current situation when it comes to logistics and limited movement of personnel in Region XI.
The Information Officer for DA XI Noel Provido discussed the relevance of daily price monitoring and how it has impacted the nine (9) public markets around Davao City and even on online social media platforms engaged in online marketing of food items.
“If there is the presence of the DA (in public markets) who monitors prices, somehow it’s a deterrent for them to adhere to the suggested retail price, second is to inform them (food item vendors) that the government is really serious in enforcing the price act,” Provido said in the vernacular.
Since DA has no jurisdiction in apprehending violators of the current policies for price freezing and monitoring, DA is working closely with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).
“Again I am warning them (Price Act violators) nga dili lang kami ang naga implement (price monitoring) but apil diri atong PNP, NBI, and especially ang CIDG (Again, I am warning them that the DA is not the only one who implements this (price monitoring) but also the PNP, NBI, and especially the CIDG,” Provido added.
Offenders of the said price freeze will be given a letter of inquiry by the DA inform vendors of their offense and to give them a chance to voice out their concerns and justify the inflated prices of their respective goods so the said department can look into existing issues that food item vendors are currently facing and act on it accordingly.
“Isa nga reason pud kung ngano kita nag monitoring kay we must consider what are the factors nganong mahal ang presyo ani (food items) (One of the reasons why we conduct monitoring since we must consider the rise in prices for food items),” Provido mentioned. (PIA XI/KPC)