CDN FILE PHOTO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Officials in Cebu warned retailers that their licenses to do business could be confiscated, and could be revoked if they were found to sell overpriced goods.
Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia and Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella made this warning after they heard reports circulating online that several stores in Cebu City and the province had jacked up prices of supplies.
This despite a freeze order being implemented by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as several parts of the country, including Cebu City, entered into a state of community quarantine.
Enough Supplies
Both Garcia and Labella assures their constituents that there are enough supplies for everyone as border controls are up to prevent the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
On the morning of March 16, 2020, the Cebu Provincial government convened the Provincial Price Control Council.
Garcia, who sits as chair of the council, said the National Food Authority in Central Visayas (NFA – 7) gave the Capitol assurance that there were still enough stocks of rice for Cebu province.
“We have more than three months worth of supply of rice,” Garcia said.
The governor also said she had directed officers from NFA – 7 to ensure that the volume of rice provided to wholesalers and retailers of rice would not exceed their weekly average.
“I have also called the mayors to monitor stores in their respective jurisdictions to check if they are selling overpriced goods. If so, I will recommend for the revocation of their license to the NFA,” she added in Cebuano.
Labella also echoed Garcia’s warning.
He said that the city’s task force on monitoring of prices and supplies and goods headed by the City Legal Office would confiscate the business permits of outlets found to be overpricing their products.
“If the task force finds out they are indeed overpricing, then that’s when the authority of the city comes in to confiscate their business permits,” Labella said.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has ordered a price freeze on basic necessities in the country as the entire country is under the threat of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)./dbs