No undue price increase for more goods during calamities-- Villar

MANILA, October 18, 2012-Sen. Manny Villar today said the expansion of the list of basic necessities under the law will ensure that more goods will be saved from price gouging during calamities.  

 

Villar, in his capacity as chairman of the Committee on Trade and Commerce, sponsored yesterday the committee report on the bill amending RA 7581 or the Price Act.

 

Committee Report 444 recommended the inclusion of locally-manufactured noodles and bottled water in the list of basic necessities to protect consumers against undue price increases during calamity, emergency, widespread illegal price manipulation and other similar situations.

 

“Based on available data, the consumption of instant noodles in the country has risen steadily and in fact, has become a new staple of many poor Filipino families.  The increase in popularity of instant noodles can be due to the fact that it is cheaper and easier to prepare than rice,” Villar said in his sponsorship speech.

 

Villar also added that in the aftermath of the last five most disastrous storms and natural calamities(Ondoy, Pepeng, Milenyo, Pedring and habagat),  instant noodles and bottled water have become two of the most in-demand and have the biggest tendency to be overpriced to the detriment of the citizens.

 

He said the prevalent public consumption of instant noodles and bottled water has placed it in the ranks of basic necessities such as rice, corn, bread, fish, pork, poultry, beef, etc.  And even during relief operations in times of calamities and emergencies, these goods are the first ones to be distributed.

 

Villar noted that prices of goods tend to rise during periods of disasters but reminded businessmen and parties within the chain of distribution of consumer goods to “consider the interest of the public and heed the call to treat customers fairly during times of need.”