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DTI, DA MUST PROTECT CONSUMERS AGAINST PROFITEERS – VILLAR

Amid reports of spikes in the prices of commodities and services, Senator Cynthia Villar asked the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) to activate their price monitoring teams to guard against unreasonable price increases.

“Unfortunately, there are businessmen who would take advantage of the situation and use the enactment of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) to justify price increases. We don’t want these unreasonable increases to undermine the intended benefits of the law and we ask concerned government agencies to protect the consumers,” Villar said.

The veteran legislator noted that there are reports of spikes in the price of rice in some areas, and asked the DA to check on the report, emphasizing that no agricultural product was taxed under the new tax system.

“Hindi naman na-tax ang bigas. Ang na-tax is gasoline kaya transportation lang ang tatamaan. Hindi naman ‘yon ang major cost kaya kailangang tingnan kung tama ang pagtaas ng presyo ng bigas,” the seasoned lawmaker said.

The lady senator also asked the DTI to see to it that the price tag requirement is strictly implemented in establishments all over the country and to stop profiteering and violations of the Consumer Act and the Price Act.

“The support of local government units is also needed to ensure the stability of prices and to protect consumers from undue price increases,” she said.

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