Minimize bike, laptop price increase DTI asks retailers

FOR BIKERS ONLY Pasig is putting up bike lanes and extending sidewalks on Caruncho, Market and Amang Rodriguez Avenues, major arteries in the city, for the protection of residents using the environment-friendly form of transport. —GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Tuesday asked bicycle and computer / gadget retailers and sellers to only impose “reasonable” increases in its prices.

DTI Undersecretary Ruth Castelo issued the appeal and assured that the agency will check whether or not prices of the said items need to be monitored since demand soared amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

“We will see po kasi before COVID, hindi siya basic o prime commodity so hindi po talaga natin yan binantayan before COVID because it was a regular consumer product,” Castelo said in a public briefing.

(We will see because prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, these were not basic or prime commodities so we did not monitor these regular consumer products.)

“Pero in the meantime, pakiusap po natin sa both business owners na nagbebenta ng ganitong produkto at sa consumers na kung magtataas po ng presyo para sa bike or laptops, kung puwede po yung reasonable increases lang na hindi masyadong malaki,” she added.

(But in the meantime, we ask retailers / sellers of bicycles and laptops to only impose a reasonable price increase.)

The limited passenger capacity allowed in the limited number of public utility vehicles has seen a rise in the demand for bicycles. 

A senator proposed a price freeze on bicycles since many are purchasing this due to the restricted use of public transportation.

The possible shift of students to distance learning or the use of the Internet  as well as the work-from-home arrangements adopted by many workers likewise triggered increased demand for laptop. computers and tablets.

GSG