SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The Automatic Price Ceiling (APC) that is in effect in the province of Antique will be implemented until Sept. 15 unless lifted earlier or extended after the 60-day duration.
In an interview on Sunday, Glen Fernando, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Development Specialist, reminded retailers and suppliers of basic commodities that the APC, which was imposed on July 15 a day after the Antique provincial board declared a state of calamity due to dengue outbreak, must still be followed.
“We continue to implement the APC unless the provincial board will lift it earlier than Sept. 15,” he said.
He said this in response to the queries of retailers and suppliers on whether the APC is still in effect.
This is also in reaction to what Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) provincial officer Margie Gadian had said that Governor Rhodora J. Cadiao would like to have the APC lifted.
Fernando said he is also in favor of lifting the APC so that the basic commodities such as noodles, soap, and others could be sold at their normal selling price.
“The provincial board could lift the APC if it feels that there is no more need to place Antique under the state of calamity and that there is no more need for the price freeze to help the consumers while there is still a calamity,” he said.
Fernando said that as per their monitoring, retailers have been 100 percent compliant with the APC since it was implemented.
“DTI has hired price monitors and Negosyo Center Business councilors in the 18 municipalities who daily monitor the adherence of the stores,” he said.
The price freeze is implemented in accordance with the Price Act of the Philippines.
Dengue cases continue to rise in Antique with 2,094 cases and eight deaths as of Aug. 6.
The fatalities were recorded in Hamtic with four, and in the towns of San Jose de Buenavista, Sibalom, Bugasong, Belison, one each. (PNA)
