CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City government will be helping the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in the crackdown of establishments selling overpriced face masks and personal protective equipment (PPE).
In a phone interview, Mayor Edgardo Labella, said that the city government will extend help to DTI in going after these establishments.
City personnel or the city police can be deployed to help DTI, and they can accompany DTI personnel during the checking of establishments.
“If they continue to violate, then one of the options would be to issue a closure order,” said Labella.
In previous statements, Labella has urged the DTI to investigate the alleged hoarding and overpricing in some establishments of face masks.
Councilor David Tumulak said he received reports of seven pharmacies allegedly selling overpriced face masks, and he already submitted the names to the DTI for investigation.
He warned pharmacies selling overpriced masks that they will be charged with violating the Consumer’s Act for overpricing and the Disaster Risk Reduction Law for hoarding.
DTI Cebu already said face masks and other PPEs should be sold only by threes or fives, and not by boxes to avoid shortage. /rcg