By Arjay L. Balinbin, Reporter
President Rodrigo R. Duterte has ordered the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to place health warning labels on sugar-sweetened beverages, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said on Wednesday, June 20.
In his economic press briefing at the Palace on Wednesday morning, Mr. Lopez said the President is “concerned” about the health of the public.
“May directive ang Presidente na kailangan may warning itong mga (There is a directive from the President that these sugar-sweetened beverages –if it has high sugar content, ilagay sa harap na (it should state on the front label) ‘containing high sugar.’ So, it is like [warning the public that it] can be dangerous to their health. So, we’ll issue the necessary order in that regard, but we’ll have to talk to the… again, the stakeholders as we implement that directive from the President,” Mr. Lopez explained.
Mr. Lopez added that energy drinks, soft drinks may be covered by the proposal.
Also at the press briefing, Mr. Lopez reported that his department has intensified its price monitoring activities. “We cover 400 stores weekly in the National Capital Region (NCR)…We are increasing it to 600, to cover more groceries and supermarkets. Again, these are not just the big groceries, also the small groceries,” he said.
The official also said his department intends to launch “by the start of July” the DTI Suking Tindahan Program.
Under the said program, registered participants will be provided with a badge of ‘DTI Suking Tindahan Tanda ng Sulit at Resonableng Presyo’, “so that people will know that the stores are carrying SRP priced basic products, basic necessity and prime commodities,” Mr. Lopez said.
The DTI targets to have “at least one store participant in every municipality” across the country.
Mr. Lopez also said he recommended to Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol to set up a suggested retail price (SRP) for rice and other agricultural products sold in wet markets.
As for the increase in prices of basic commodities, Mr. Lopez said, “It’s very minimal.”
“Even on the inflation. In fact, tumaas lang noong (it only increased) last two months, 4.5/4.6. Before that, I think about 4.1/4.2 and 3.9, so the increase was gradual,” he said.
As of May, Mr. Lopez said, “Basic necessity and prime commodities, wala (did not) hong nag-increase. Pero po kapag (but if) outside the basic necessities ang (and) commodities, mayroon hong mga nag-increase (some have increased), but those are the non-essentials.”
He also said, with the implementation of the first package of the tax reform law, “more people are eating at restaurants because of higher take home pay.”
He also pointed out that consumers should be wise in choosing where to purchase goods.
“Tao ang mamili saan mas mura (People will choose to buy at stores that sell cheaper goods). Manufactured goods mas mura sa (are cheaper at) grocer[y] (stores and) supermarkets… Let them compete para (so that there will be) a natural correcting mechanism,” he said.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR