‘Stocking up supplies for storm is not panic – buying’

There is no panic buying in Cebu. People are just heeding public announcements to be prepared for the coming of supertyphoon Yolanda, an official of the trade department said yesterday.

“Panic buying occurs when consumers buy more than what they need, said Department of Trade and Industry Cebu provincial director Nelia Navarro.

“What’s going on today is just a phenomenon of people preparing for the typhoon which is a normal reaction.”

“We have more than enough supplies. Some supermarkets have two weeks to one month stock of goods,” she said.

Navarro said DTI fielded inspectors to check if stores were taking advantage of the situation.

The DTI issued a price freeze of basic commodities following the Oct. 15 earthquake. The order still stands.

Hoarding

“There’s no report yet from our provincial offices about panic buying. No buying grossly in excess of normal requirement,” DTI regional director Asteria Caberte said.

The Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) also assured ample supply of basic goods like rice, water, food and medicines in their member establishments.

“We have also written our members not to take advantage of the situation like increasing prices and hoarding,” CCCI disaster preparedness committee head Regan King said.

He said Cebu has no problem replenishing supplies with its central location in the country.

Chief Insp. Enrique Belciña, head of the Police Community Relations branch of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said they have been on red alert status.

“We’ve been directed to look at banks, malls, markets, ATM outlets to strengthen police visibility and secure public safety,” he said.

In La Nueva Supermart in downtown Cebu City, shelves of canned goods, bread and noodles were empty.

But store employees regularly replenish stocks of canned goods and noodles. “There are no more supplies of some flavors of cup noodles for today (yesterday). We tried calling the suppliers for more stocks but they’re still not sure if they can deliver today or tomorrow,” Monde Nissin merchandiser Pet Alapar said.

Ayala Center Cebu was closed starting 6 p.m. yesterday. Cebu Holdings corporate communications manager Jeanette Japzon said the store’s shops and markets have enough merchandise.

“We’re closing the Ayala Center Cebu today (yesterday) at 6 p.m. to allow customers and mall personnel to safely go home to their families earlier,” she said in a text message to Cebu Daily News.

“We have yet to determine operating hours tomorrow (today) depending on our assessment of the situation,” she added.