MALACAÑANG said on Monday the government currently has no plans to impose another price freeze despite the extension of the state of national calamity up to next year.
In a online briefing on Monday, Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the price freeze implemented by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) during the onset of community quarantine last March has already expired.
He noted the imposition of the regulation to control the prices of basic commodities is limited to just 60 days “upon declaration of calamity, emergency, and other circumstances.”
“It cannot be repeatedly reimposed even if the declaration of State of Emergency is extended up to September [2021],” Roque explained.
In March, President Duterte issued Proclamation No. 929, placing the entire country under six months of State of Calamity because of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic. This expired last September 16, 2020.
He later extended this declaration through Proclamation No. 1021, which placed the country under State of Calamity from September 13, 2020, to September 12, 2021, “unless earlier lifted or extended as circumstance may warrant.”
But even without a price freeze, Roque assured the public that prices of basic goods will remain regulated by DTI through the use of suggested retail price (SRP). “This [SRP] is being monitored by DTI and those who will violate will be given sanction,” Roque said.