Prices up on 13 basic goods in latest DTI SRP – consumer group

A consumer group on Monday claimed that, based on the Department of Trade and Industry's recently-released suggested retail prices (SRPs) for basic and prime commodities, there were price increases on 13 basic goods.

"'Yung anong basehan, naglabas po sila ng bagong SRP as of September 1 no. Nailathala po 'yan sa pahayagan. In-evaluate po namin base po sa most recent, 'yung August 6... Sa amin pong evaluation 13 items ang nagtaas," Laban Konsyumer Inc. President Vic Dimagiba told GMA News TV program "Balitanghali".

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"Ang kasunduan, wala na pong pagtaas in three months. Bakit hinayaan pa ng DTI na ihirit itong mga basic goods na ito? 'Yung kasunduan nila in-announce nila two or three weeks ago, Agosto pa," Dimagiba added. "Bakit magtataas ka pa ng September 1? sino ba pinagbigyan mo dito, 'yung consumer o negosyante?"

Dimagiba said that among the products that increased prices were sardines, corned beef, soap, and iodized salt.

The DTI on Saturday released the latest SRPs for basic commodities as of August 6

Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez had thought it unlikely that manufacturers of basic commodities would increase prices, pointing out that 70 percent of prime commodities in the market had not risen since November 2017.

A Saturday "Balitanghali Weekend" report said that the prices of several basic commodities had indeed gone up by P0.40 to P1 in the latest SRP.

Lopez, however, clarified that these were only agricultural products in the market.

"Kasi nga ang problema doon ay yung supply. Kung hindi talaga ganun karami yung supply, medyo nagtataas ang presyo," the DTI Secretary explained. — Anna Felicia Bajo/DVM, GMA News