Ms. Ronadale Zapata
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Karuhatan market prices relatively stable

VP NOLI STRONGLY URGES VALENZUELA LGU TO STRICTLY ENFORCE PRICE TAG LAW

25 October 2005

 

VICE President Noli 'Kabayan' De Castro yesterday urged the Valenzuela local government to strictly enforce the Price Tag Law so as to protect consumers from opportunistic traders and businessmen in the locality.

 

De Castro made the call during his surprise market visit to a private market in Karuhatan, Valenzuela yesterday morning to monitor prices of basic goods and commodities prior to the implementation of the EVAT law next month.

                                                                                    

While conducting the inspection, De Castro found out that many of the stall owners in the market have no price lists. The Price Tag Law requires such price lists to be posted in every market stalls to properly guide the buying public, De Castro said.

 

The Vice President requested representatives from the Valenzuela local government to take note of the minor violations and be more vigilant in enforcing laws that protect consumers.

 

Despite this, De Castro said he is happy with the result of his surprise visit owing to the relatively stable prices of goods at the Karuhatan market. He also noted that all weighing scales in the market are accurate. 

 

De Castro said prices of vegetables like eggplant and string beans as well as fish, like Tilapia and Bangus, and canned goods remained stable if not low because of abundant supply. Only the price of tomatoes increased since they are still sourced from Mindanao, he said.

 

Together with Trade and Industry Secretary Peter Favila, De Castro conducted the market inspection to find out if there are unscrupulous traders who are taking advantage of the imminent implementation of the EVAT law.

 

“This is our way of preventing some naughty businessmen who might jack up their prices in view of the upcoming EVAT implementation,” he said. Though majority of the products being sold at the market are exempted from EVAT, De Castro said the government is not giving any chance to erring businessmen to abuse unsuspecting consumers.

 

At one instance during the market tour, the DTI caught one stall-owner that sells milk products higher than the prescribed price. DTI representatives discovered that the milk products were being sold P4 to P5 higher than the usual price.

 

When asked to explain, the trader said that she's charging higher because of high rentals in the market. De Castro advised the trader to comply with the law; otherwise, the DTI shall impose the necessary sanctions that may include closure of her store.

 

 Ref no. VPMEDIA 05-157