DTI urges Noche Buena product makers to temper prices

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is urging manufacturers of Noche Buena products to keep price increases at a maximum of 10 percent as the country enters the holiday season.

At a Laging Handa public briefing yesterday, DTI Consumer Protection Group Undersecretary Ruth Castelo said they have already observed price increases in some Noche Buena products used for the Christmas Eve meal.

She mentioned ham, queso de bola, pasta and fruit cocktail as some of these items with price increases.

“This week, we have already observed some increases. That is why we are reminding (consumers) that if you can, buy already since we know that the price will move,” Castelo said in a mix of English and Filipino.

Castelo said the DTI is requesting manufacturers of these Christmas products to implement a maximum of 10 percent price increase only.

“We hope that this will not exceed (10 percent) so that consumers will not be shocked,” she said.

Castelo affirmed that around 20 manufacturers of Christmas products have notified the DTI of price increases in their products.

She explained that these price increases are accepted as the DTI does not regulate Noche Buena products.

She, however, urged manufacturers to keep price increases to a minimum.“If the increase is around P5 to P7 maybe this is OK, but if it’s too big, consumers might have a hard time buying,” she said.

Meanwhile, Castelo clarified that the price guide on Noche Buena items that the DTI releases around October or November is not a suggested retail price list, but only a guide for consumers to know how much they should be paying for a certain product.

Apart from Noche Buena items, Castelo also reminded consumers buying Christmas lights to make sure that the product they are purchasing has gone through the certification process of the DTI.

She urged consumers to look for the Philippine Standard Quality and/or Safety Mark or import commodity clearance stickers that these products are safe to use.

Castelo said last year, the price of Christmas lights ranged from P300 to P400 per set.

She emphasized that Christmas lights are mandated to be regulated by the DTI, explaining that these need to be certified by the agency before being sold in the market.