As the Christmas holidays approach, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) visited Divisoria in Manila to check the prices of Noche Buena items and Christmas lights
DTI Asec. Amanda Nograles shared on Wednesday, December 6, that some merchants sell their goods lower than the prices indicated in the Noche Buena Price Guide released by the agency.
"As to the Noche Buena prices, we are very happy to report na ang mga presyo ng ating mga retailer ay below the Noche Buena price guide," Nograles said during DILG sa DZRH Breaktime.
"May nakita kami less than 18 pesos, mas mababa pa by as much as 18 pesos, 13 pesos. Yung ibang items naman ay tumpak yung presyo, sakto sa nilagay natin price guide," she added.
Nograles said that DTI Sec. Alfredo Pascual met with manufacturers and retailers of Noche Buena items and they promised to not increase prices until the end of 2023.
"Meron kaming mga na-receive na pakiusap ng mga manufacturer na magtaas sila ng presyo pero nakuha naman sa pakiusap and sinabi nila hanggang December ay hindi muna sila magtataas," the DTI official assured.
Nograles also credited the prices of Noche Buena items to Executive Order No. 41, which suspends the collection of pass-through fees on all vehicles transporting goods passing through national roads.
She said that EO 40, signed last September, lowered the transportation costs of manufacturers, which has a domino effect on the market price of Noche Buena goods.
Nograles urged the public to report merchants or products that do not follow the Noche Buena Price Guide to report them at [email protected].
She promised that DTI would summon the manufacturer of the product to explain.
"Sila naman ang nagbigay nung presyo. Yung mga presyo na nailagay natin sa price guide ay galing mismo sa mga manufacturer," Nograles said.
"Kakausapin sana namin sila, pa-explain lang kung bakit nabebenta yung product nila above the price guide and sana naman ay maresolbahan," she added.
