DTI to continue monitoring prices of face masks as panic buying subsides

CEBU CITY, Philippines –Even if there were no more reports about panic buying incidents, the price freeze for face masks is still in effect.

This was the clarification made by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-7 regional director Asteria Ceberte. She also said that it was the Department of Health (DOH) who issued the price freeze for face masks and not the DTI.

During the early stages of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) scare, the price freeze was issued after some establishments took advantage by overpricing their stocks.

Due to panic buying, face masks were sold out due to its high demand.

“Wala pana ma-lift, so in effect pa. But the good news is murag wala na ang panic in procuring mask,”Caberte said.

Caberte also said that the supply of face masks has now normalized, after they’ve tapped a local supplier in the country who can produce around 80,000 face masks a day.

Aside from this, the agency has also found foreign suppliers.

But despite this development, Caberte said that they are still monitoring the prices of face masks sold in pharmacies, to ensure that they are not overpriced.

She said that an ordinary medical face mask should only be sold at P8 per piece and P105 for N95 mask.

“Alert lang mi from time to time dunay nagbaligya online, but kini amo ning giatubang, kining mga online nga namaligya ug overpriced face masks,” she added. /rcg