COTABATO CITY – Regional trade officials in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has vowed on Friday to penalize hoarders or businessmen overpricing their commercial goods amid the region-wide quarantine due to the 2019 coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Abuamri Taddik, BARMM’s head of the Ministry of Trade, Investments, and Tourism (MTIT), said prices of food supplies and other commodities in the region remain stable. There are also no reported hoarding activities within BARMM, he added.
Since the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) was imposed in the region, Taddik said the provincial MTIT personnel have reminded traders in their respective areas of Republic Act 7581, or the Philippine Price Act.
Taddik said the regional price freeze order was meant to ease the plight of residents and cushion the impact of ECQ due to the government’s anti-coronavirus campaign.
“The business sector in BARMM is cooperating with our efforts to lighten the situation of residents whose means of livelihood and mobility were affected in the process,” he said.
Should anyone monitor overpricing by some traders, Taddik said all they have to do is alert MTIT provincial offices so appropriate action can be taken against unscrupulous traders.
BARMM is composed of the provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur, both in mainland Mindanao, the island-provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, and the cities of Cotabato, Lamitan and Marawi. (PNA)
