THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is reviewing the prices charged by online sellers during the enhanced community quarantine, and is also looking at charges for cremation services.

Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez told DZMM radio on Saturday that prices of products sold online, including grocery delivery, should remain the same.

“Service fee papatong ‘yun (will be added), but the price (of the product) itself should not change,” he said, noting that consumers may choose which online platforms to buy from because the industry is competitive.

Online sellers must list the breakdowns or itemize their pricing, Undersecretary Ruth B. Castelo said.

Mr. Lopez also said that the current pricing of cremation services should not have changed from their levels prior to the pandemic.

He said DTI’s consumer protection group has been studying the pricing of the services and have shared information to Carlito G. Galvez, Jr., the chief implementer of the COVID-19 National Action Plan.

He added that government agencies, including local governments and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, must help ensure prices do not rise.

Mr. Lopez also addressed rubbing alcohol manufacturers’ concerns about the increasing costs of raw materials.

“Hindi dapat magtaas din ‘yan… (the consumer protection group has) to study the sourcing. Kung ang sources ay worldwide, globally nagtaas ‘yung global price nito, wala tayong magagawa. Pero kung mga local ang sourcing nung iba, hindi dapat magtaas ‘yung presyo nila dahil kung hindi nagtaas ‘yung cost. So kailangan the manufacturer should be able to justify kung meron siyang pagtaas ng presyo. (Prices should not rise. The consumer protection group has to study the sourcing. If the sources are worldwide, and the global price increased, there’s nothing we can do. But if the sourcing is local, the prices must not increase if the costs did not increase. So the manufacturer should be able to justify why they increased their prices.)”

He said the manufacturer must be able to submit its justification to the DTI, before the department allows changes in pricing.

DTI had earlier asked for more manufacturers to help produce alcohol after high demand at groceries and supermarkets.

The DTI and agriculture and health departments released on March 18 joint memorandum circular 2020-01 imposing the price freeze on basic necessities and prime commodities after the declaration of the state of public health emergency on March 8 and state of calamity on March 16.

Violators may face up to P2 million in fines or up to 15 years imprisonment. — Jenina P. Ibañez

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