DTI implements 60-day price freeze on essentials in calamity-hit Palawan areas

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) implemented a 60-day price freeze on basic necessities in Puerto Princesa City, Narra, Brooke's Point, and Aborlan in Palawan starting Saturday.

This measure was initiated due to the state of calamity declared in these areas because of the persistent shear line’s impact.

Trade Secretary Cristina Roque stressed that this price freeze aims to prevent profiteering and ensure that essential goods remain affordable for affected communities.

Essential goods subject to the price freeze include canned fish, processed milk (evaporated, condensed, and powdered), coffee, laundry or detergent soap, candles, bread (tasty and 'pandesal'), iodized salt, instant noodles, and bottled water.

The DTI is actively monitoring prices in these areas with a provincial monitoring team to ensure compliance and protect consumers from profiteering.

Violators of the price freeze will face administrative penalties, including fines ranging from PHP 5,000 to PHP 1,000,000 or imprisonment for one to ten years.