For the first quarter of 2019, DTI Caraga regularly monitored 240 leading establishments on price trending with reference to the Suggested Retail Price (SRP) for the Basic Necessities and Prime Commodities. All 219 establishments are compliant and some even sells below the SRP issued on 5 December 2018 and the latest 13 February 2019. Monitoring is done monthly except for Butuan City which is done on a weekly basis. For the Province of Dinagat Islands, 21 establishments monitored though prices are not within SRP but considered reasonable considering the cost of transportation from the mainland to the island.

Under DTI’s jurisdiction, there are 311 items monitored under Basic Necessities and 228 for Prime Commodities. Basic necessities are canned sardines, processed milk, coffee, bread, instant noodles, salt, detergent soap/ laundry, bottled water, and candles. Prime commodities are luncheon meat, meat loaf, corned beef, beef loaf, condiments, toilet soap, and batteries.

As provided for in the Price Act (R.A 7581), Basic Necessities are goods vital to the needs of consumers for their sustenance and existence while Prime Commodities may not be basic necessities but are essential to consumers in times of any of the following cases; state of calamity, emergency, martial law, rebellion and war. Under these situations, the state shall automatically freeze the price at the prevailing price or place the affected area under automatic price control.

Refer to E-presyo at www.dti.gov.ph for the list of items and the prices as monitored.♦

Date of release: 9 May 2019