DTI to traders: Observe 60-day price freeze

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has reminded merchants of the strict implementation of the 60-day price freeze on all basic commodities across the country in the face of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.

“The prices of all basic necessities are frozen for 60 days following the Proclamation No. 922 declaring a State of Public Health Emergency throughout the Philippines due to the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19),” the DTI said in its advisory.

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President Duterte earlier issued Proclamation 922, declaring a state of public health emergency amid the spike in COVID-19 case in the Philippines.

Issued through the recommendation of the Department of Health (DOH), the proclamation mobilizes governmental and non-governmental agencies to respond to the threat.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the Philippines has 33 confirmed infection of COVID -19, a respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus that first emerged in China’s city of Wuhan in Hubei province in late 2019.

The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses named the novel coronavirus as SARS-CoV-2.

The virus causes mild symptoms such as fever and cough for most people but can cause serious illness such as pneumonia for others, especially older adults and people with existing health problems.

The Trade department also announced the postponement of the 2020 National Food Fair in compliance with the proclamation.