National Unity Party president and Camarines Sur deputy L. Ray Villafuerte has called for the adoption of a measure that would allow more products subject to price freezes during calamities to be included in the price list.
Supermarket security goes wrong
Villafuerte said his proposed amendment to the Prices Act (Republic Act 7581) would make it easier and faster for the government to prevent unnecessary price increases of food and other essential commodities during typhoons or other natural disasters.
Villafuerte said that under Bill 7977, the Price Coordinating Council (PCC) or any of its affiliated agencies will be given the authority to expand the list of food and non-food items covered by the price freeze during calamities.
“To further protect consumers from hoarding, profiteering and other forms of price manipulation in the aftermath of super typhoons and other natural disasters or emergencies, Congress should amend RA 7581 or the Price Act to authorize the PCC or any of its member agencies to, on their own initiative, include or exclude specific goods from the list of BNPCs (basic necessities and primary commodities) subject to price controls for the duration of an emergency or natural or man-made calamity,” Villafuerte said.
