QC cracks down on market vendors for overpricing, fraudulent weighing scales

MANILA, Philippines — The local government of Quezon City on Thursday said that hundreds of notice of violations were handed down to market vendors in both public and private markets around the city for overpricing of products and having “fraudulent” weighing scales.

In a statement, Quezon City Market Development and Administration Department (MDAD) head Procopio Lipana said that the department issued a total of 211 notice of violations for 249 infractions that were recorded.

Such violations of vendors were overpricing, fraudulent weighing scales, as well as the absence of price tags.

“We give vendors a chance to explain their pricing because prices now are affected due to supply issues. If proven as overpricing, they will need to pay the corresponding penalty when they renew business permit,” Lipana said.

Fraudulent weighing scales are also confiscated by the MDAD and have them recalibrated. Vendors, however, need to pay the penalty, Lipana added.

Because of this, Mayor Joy Belmonte has ordered the MDAD to do regular inspections in public and private markets, and in talipapas as well.

Lipana then formed four teams that will go around various markets in the city’s six districts, so they will monitor violations and ensure social distancing, as mandated by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) during the enhanced community quarantine period.

The ECQ period comes as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the Philippines continue to soar, with 8,488 confirmed cases, of which 1,043 have recovered while 568 have died.

Previously, the city government installed closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in markets to ensure that the public observes social distancing in markets.

JPV