Mark Villar, DTI secretary conduct Noche Buena Price Watch in Divisoria

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Mark Villar, chairman of the Senate committee on trade, commerce, and entrepreneurship, has joined the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in conducting price monitoring activity of Noche Buena items in one of the grocery stores in Divisoria.

“Ngayong malapit na po ang kapaskuhan, kailangan na mas mahigpit ang ating monitoring ng mga presyo ng produkto upang masigurado na magiging masaya ang pasko ng ating kapwa Pilipino,” Villar said.

(Now that Christmas is approaching, we need to tighten our monitoring of product prices to ensure that our fellow Filipinos will have a joyful Christmas.) 

Villar joined Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual and other DTI officials in inspecting food items that are usually present in the Filipino Noche Buena table. 

Some of these items include pasta packages, spaghetti and tomato sauce, sandwich spreads, and canned goods, among others. They inspected whether these food items are following the 2023 Price Guide for Noche Buena products, which was released by the Consumer Policy and Advocacy Bureau (CPAB) on November 21, 2023. 

READ: DTI inspects, monitors Divisoria stores, retail prices

“Patuloy po tayong nakatutok sa mga presyo ng bilihin ngayong kapaskuhan. Atin pong sisiguraduhin na sumusunod ang ating mga sellers sa price guide ng DTI,” Villar added.

(We continue to monitor commodity prices this Christmas season. We will ensure that our sellers adhere to the price guide set by the DTI.) 

The senator emphasized the importance of the regular price monitoring activities for the protection of consumers, which in part is in compliance with the Price Act. The Price Act ensures the availability of basic necessities and prime commodities at reasonable prices at all times while securing a fair return on investment for businesses. 

READ: DTI pledges enough Noche Buena supply products this Christmas season

“We are very festive people. Ang taunang selebrasyon ng Noche Buena is a fixture in the Filipino Christmas. Ito pong ating price monitoring activity ay isinasagawa natin sa tulong ng DTI upang mabigyang proteksyon ang ating mga consumers at upang masigurado na makakapag-celebrate ng maligayang pasko ang ating mga kababayan,” Villar emphasized.

(The annual celebration of Noche Buena is a fixture in Filipino Christmas. DTI is helping us monitor prices to protect consumers and ensure they can celebrate a joyful Christmas.) 

READ: Senior citizen files suit after being denied discounts on ‘promo’ with no DTI approval

Villar, together with Pascual, called for the public’s help in reporting any merchant or vendor violating DTI’s SRP and quality standards. For complaints, the general public can report to the DTI Hotline 1384 or to any social media accounts of the agency.