SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique -- Antique’s provincial price coordinating committee will meet on June 24 to decide on whether there is a need to impose price controls on basic and prime commodities following the declaration of a state of calamity in the province last June 13.
Trade and industry development specialist of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) - Antique, Glen Fernando, said in an interview Wednesday that the committee will meet at the Provincial Capitol for updates on the effects of the El Niño weather phenomenon and decide if there is really a need to impose the Automatic Price Control (APC).
“The imposition of the APC is provided under Republic Act 7581, or the Price Act of the Philippines, whenever there is a state of calamity,” Fernando said.
“The APC was not immediately imposed when the towns of Sibalom and Sebaste declared a state of calamity earlier because their municipal councils also said that the El Niño phenomenon has not affected the prices of basic and prime commodities,” he said.
Sibalom was declared under a state of calamity on April 15 and was followed by the towns of Sebaste, Barbaza, and Anini-y.
Sebaste’s local price coordinating council, upon consultation with DTI-Antique, also found it unnecessary to impose the APC.
“The committee finds it necessary, however, to meet to decide whether the APC will be implemented with the entire province now declared under (a) state of calamity,” Fernando said.
He added that based on their recent monitoring, prices of commodities remain stable with enough supplies of goods in stores. (PNA)
