Reactivate Price Monitoring Councils, ACCESS Urges

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY – The Alliance of Concerned Consumers in Electricity and Social Services (ACCESS) has called on city and provincial governments to reactivate the Price Monitoring Councils as mandated under Republic Act 10623. The law seeks to protect consumers by stabilizing prices of basic necessities and commodities and addressing undue price increases during emergencies.

ACCESS President Wennie Sancho, in a statement provided to the Daily Guardian on Tuesday, emphasized the urgency of the matter.

He urged city and provincial officials to convene an emergency meeting with stakeholders to address price stabilization amid continuous price hikes in basic goods and services, worsened by recent surges in petroleum prices.

Sancho proposed the formation of a task force to monitor prices, supply chains, and the energy market.

He also stressed the importance of public awareness campaigns, urging the government to educate citizens about initiatives and efforts to stabilize prices and protect consumers.

“We are facing an economic downturn or crisis that threatens the economic survival of the population,” Sancho said.

He noted that inflation has significantly reduced the purchasing power of workers, devaluing the peso and impacting livelihoods.

“If the purchasing power of workers collapses, we will face an economic depression that could wreak havoc on the lives of people, particularly the marginalized sector,” Sancho warned.

ACCESS strongly recommended implementing concrete economic relief measures to address the situation.

Sancho also called for price controls and regulations, suggesting the establishment of price ceilings on essential commodities to prevent profiteering.