DTI: No price increase on basic goods until year end

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Maria Cristina Aldeguer-Roque on Thursday assured that there would be no price increase on basic goods through the end of the year.

“First and foremost, for the prices for basic necessities, no price increase until the end of the year,” Roque said during a press briefing in Malacañang.

“And then for the Noche Buena, more than 50 percent, the price will remain the same as last year. And ‘yung mga iba (for the others), they just increased but less than five percent,” she added.

Roque further clarified that the minor price increases on certain commodities are already being implemented.

She said this price hike represents the first adjustments since last year.

Roque also explained that these increases are necessary to account for the rising costs, particularly for imported goods.

However, Roque said the adjustments were kept minimal to ensure they would not overly burden consumers.

“Actually, there was no price increase since last year. So, of course, prices --- some are imported products have already increased. So, they decided to request if they could increase,” Roque said.

“So that at least, kahit papaano, our  consumers will have, of course, a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. And not too much of increase also,” she added.

Based on its Noche Buena Price Guide, the DTI said that buying 102 of the 236 stock keeping units would now cost more as compared to last year.

Meanwhile, a total of 121 Noche Buena items have sustained their prices, while 13 product lines have seen price reductions. —RF, GMA Integrated News