MANUFACTURERS of notebooks and other school items have vowed not to increase prices this year, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.
Dinah Gladys Oro, trade and industry specialist of DTI Central Visayas, said the Philippine School Pads and Notebooks Association, Inc. (PHISPANO) made the assurance during the National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC) meeting in April.
The group also said there are enough supplies for the next academic year.
Oro said they have started monitoring prices of school supplies, especially in stores on Colon St. and in Carbon Market. This will continue until the second week of June.
The DTI will closely monitor establishments selling school supplies, including those in the downtown area.
Classes will open on June 1 in public schools across the country.
As of May 11, 2015, Oro said prices of school supplies were either equivalent to or lower than the suggested retail price (SRP). Little or no changes compared to last year were noted.
Oro added that more brands and items have been added to the “Gabay sa Pamimili ng School Supplies” (SRP List) this year. Brands such as School Basics and Topline have been added to the SRP list. New additions to the list this year are sharpeners and erasers.
In the market at present are items left over from last year. New stocks and more brands will be available in the third week of May.
Meanwhile, Oro said DTI Cebu will hold its annual Diskwento Caravan on May 30 in Kaleryohan, Dalaguete and on May 31 in Mantalongon, Dalaguete.
The caravan, a flagship program of the DTI, will offer basic and prime commodities, including school supplies, at discounted prices.
Among DTI’s partners in the caravan are Unilever, Unitop, National Book Store, Virginia Foods, National Food Authority, White Gold and Prince Warehouse.
A total of 16 caravans have been held in Cebu between the years 2011 and 2015.