DTI-6 assures sufficient supply of basic goods for ‘Paeng’-hit Antique

By John Noel E. Herrera

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) assured sufficient basic goods and prime commodities in Antique as it continues to facilitate supplies to the province after it was severely hit by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng.

DTI-6 revealed that they were able to facilitate the shipment of more than 70 tons of supplies of basic needs and prime commodities to Antique via the BRP Tausog of the Philippine Navy to augment the depleting stocks in the province.

DTI-6 also said that most of the depleting stocks were instant noodles and canned sardines, while other commodities are still enough, as retailers from Iloilo – where DTI-6 got most of the stocks – still have extra supplies.

“The sources of supply, the big suppliers are from Iloilo. As a matter of fact, groceries and supermarkets in Antique have their main branch here in Iloilo, making some supplies still sufficient,” DTI-6 officer-in-charge assistant regional director Felisa Judith Degala said.

Aside from the 70 tons of basic needs and prime commodities, Degala said that they were also able to ship around 60 tons of assorted basic grocery items via the MV Felipe-FF Cruz roll-on-roll-off (RORO) vessel facilitated by the Provincial Government of Antique.

Degala added that another 60 tons of goods consisting of cooking oil, detergent soap, noodles, bread, candles, and biscuits, among others, were also shipped via the same vessel.

DTI-6 also assured the public that prices of BGPCs will not increase as the agency intensified its monitoring of prices of basic goods and necessities in the region, making sure that major retailers are complying with the price freeze.

“With the efficiency of the supply of basic necessities and prime commodities, rest assured that prices will not move, more so that we have issued and already published the price freeze of provinces all throughout the region,” Degala said.

Republic Act No. 7581, or the Price Act, mandates that when a state of calamity (which was declared all throughout Region 6 due to typhoon Paeng) is imposed on a region, prices of basic necessities are automatically frozen at prevailing prices for 60 days.

Meanwhile, data from DTI-6 also revealed that a total of 181 micro, small and medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) in the region suffered total damage due to typhoon Paeng, while 391 were partially affected.

Affected MSMEs can also go to the Small Business Corporation, which is the financing arm of DTI as it offers soft loans that MSMEs might opt to avail, while those who still have existing loans can request a moratorium.