DTI assures stable supply of basic goods as Luzon-wide lockdown is extended

MANILA, Philippines — Following the extension of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez has assured the public that the production and supply of basic goods will remain stable.

“The production and the supply, pati yung pinaggagalingan na raw material, mga agriculture products, maganda ho ang kalagayan, stable ho ang ating inventory,” Lopez said in an interview on dzMM.

(The production and the supply, as well as the raw material and agriculture products, are in good shape, we have a stable inventory).

He said manufacturers have been operating at almost their full capacity.

“We keep on monitoring yung mga manufacturers, many of them actually are operating na close to 80 to 90 percent. Ibig sabihin ho, maganda ang kanilang operasyon, mabilis ang kanilang production, pumapasok na yung mga workers, wala na silang problema sa cargo,” Lopez said.

(We keep on monitoring manufacturers, many of them actually are operating close to 80 to 90 percent. This means their operations are good, they have quick production, their workers are starting to report for work, and they no longer have problems with cargo).

“Ang mga raw materials po nila, mga 45 days inventory,” he added.

(Their raw materials is worth 45 days inventory).

Lopez said that while production and supply of goods are stable, constant delivery and replenishment of products to supermarkets should be ensured.

“Ang na-observe po nila (manufacturers) talagang napakalakas nga ng demand nga ngayong mga panahon na to lalo na yung mga ganyang mahaba ang pila, marami talagang gustong bumili at magsigurado pero at least ang naiwasan natin yung panic buying na isang cart kung bumili ng isang produkto, kasi may limit na tayo sa number ng mabibili,” Lopez explained.

(What they’ve observed is that the demand in these times is really high, especially with the long lines, many are grocery shopping to ensure enough supply in their homes but at least we’ve prevented panic buying because there is now a limit of how much of a product can be purchased).

“Ang kailangan na lang ho ma-continuously replenish kasi minsan paglapag na lang mabilis nauubos, nitong mga goods na ‘to,” he added.

(What we need now is to  continuously replenish because once a product is delivered to markets, sometimes it runs out easily).

To date, Philippine health officials have confirmed 3,764 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the country.

Of this number, 177 patients have died while 84 have already recovered from the disease.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier placed the entire Luzon under an enhanced community quarantine as the number of COVID-19 cases in the country continued to rise. The quarantine became effective on March 17 and was initially set to be lifted on April 13.

The quarantine period, however, was extended until April 30.