Consumer group demands transparency amid rising prices of some basic goods

Consumer welfare advocacy group Laban Konsyumer on Tuesday demanded transparency from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) amid the price hike on some basic goods.

According to a report by Lei Alviz on GMA News TV's Balitanghali on Tuesday, nine brands of milk raised their suggested retail price (SRP) by P0.50 to P2.

The SRP of one coffee variant has also been raised by P1 per pack while a brand of fish sauce also had a P0.85 price increase.

Laban Konsyumer president Vic Dimagiba said that the consumers should have been properly informed about the price adjustments.

"Mataas po 'yung percent increase at maaaring magdulot na naman ito ng impact sa inflation as far as food is concerned. Kulang sa transparency, kulang sa proseso at hindi natin alam bakit nagtaas, wala pong paliwanag eh," he said.

Dimagiba was a former official of the DTI.

"Ang DTI lamang at manufacturer gumagawa ng desisyon, di kasama ang consumers doon. Ang process before nagkakaroon kami ng mga meetings usually ang manufacturers ang nag-a-announce ng presyo nila, vina-validate po namin 'yan," he said.

The DTI, for its part, said that price hikes undergo due processes and thorough studies before being implemented.

Laban Konsyumer said that the DTI should revive the practice of setting up price boards in wet markets, penalize violators of the Republic Act No. 7581 otherwise known as the Price Act, and set temporary suggested retail price for pork and chicken meat. —Dona Magsino/LDF, GMA News