DA-7: Food prices within normal range

CEBU, Philippines — Despite the reported increase in the prices of food commodities in Cebu, the Department of Agriculture-7 yesterday said such prices remain within the normal range and that there is no cause to be alarmed.

DA-7 director Salvador Diputado, reacting to reports on the increase in the prices of food commodities such as local/imported rice, pork, fish, chicken, vegetable and processed meat, said that the prices would vary depending on location.

He cited, for instance, that commercial rice is being sold at P40 per kilo at Tabunok Public Market in Talisay City but P44 per kilo at Lapu-Lapu City Public Market. Another example, he said, is the price of pork liempo, which is P204 per kilo at Carbon Public Market in Cebu City but only P200 at Tabunok Public Market.

“Atong makita based on our weekly price monitoring nga lahi-lahi ang presyo depende kung asang dapita but their prices are within the normal range. (There’s) nothing to be alarmed (of),” Diputado said in an interview with The FREEMAN.

Diputado said that quarantine restrictions and strict travel protocols create an artificial shortage, such as in the supply of vegetables, but that Cebu in general has enough food supply.

He added that Cebu will soon stop supplying pork and pork products to Manila as ordered by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

“As soon as mogawas na ang executive order ni Governor Garcia, moundang na ta og supply sa Metro Manila og pork and pork products kay our own supply may dwindle resulting to an increase in the price of pork,” said Diputado.

Meanwhile, the country’s largest workers’ unions, the Associated Labor Unions (ALU), is urging President Duterte to order a price freeze on basic commodities and go after profiteers in the light of extraordinary increases in the prices of food and other staples upsetting workers and their families in recent weeks.

ALU spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said that, so far, there is no price freeze in Visayas and Mindanao but prices in these areas are catching up with the high prices in Luzon.

ALU national executive vice president Gerard Seno said that aside from extending price freeze and hunt down hoarders and price manipulators, the workers group is also urging the president to deploy more Diskwento Caravan and Kadiwa rolling stores to bring affordably-priced basic food commodities to communities and work sites to link up with cooperatives and businesses, to provide wage subsidy to workers, to fast-track shipment of basic commodities from Mindanao, and to ensure that price list is widely published. — JMD (FREEMAN)