Aklan has enough Noche Buena goods for Christmas, DTI assures

2009/12/16

Aklan has enough Noche Buena goods for Christmas, DTI assures

by Venus G. Villanueva

Kalibo, Aklan (16 December) -- Aklan has enough goods for the Christmas season, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) here.

DTI-Aklan Provincial Director Diosdado Cadena said this is so because Aklan is the anchor point of the Strong Republic Nautical Highway (SNRH) that regularly ferries in RORO vessels, buses and delivery vans bringing goods from Luzon, replenishing stocks in groceries, supermarkets and wet markets here.

Director Cadena said the DTI is currently monitoring prices of goods nationwide per instruction of Sec. Peter Favila.

Focus of DTI's monitoring this season is the prices and supplies of the so-called Noche Buena products. In Aklan, Director Cadena said establishments are adhering to the Suggested Retail Price (SRP) set by the department.

"During our monitoring, we even found out that some Noche Buena products had reduced their prices compared with the earlier period," Cadena said.

Even then, he called on Aklanon consumers to be vigilant, and to report to proper agencies if they find some establishments overpricing their products.

Besides monitoring manufactured products, the DTI is also assisting the Department of Agriculture (DA) in the monitoring of agriculture products which are also Noche Buena mainstays like pork, chicken, beef, eggs, etc. The DTI is also monitoring the price of sugar. These products, excluding sugar, are produced locally.

With just a week before Christmas, Director Cadena advised Aklanons to buy their Christmas needs early to avoid big crowds and unplanned purchases.

"Do not be last-minute shoppers. Plan your purchases. If you don't, you will tend to buy anything on sight without scrutinizing the products well," he added.

Besides montoring of prices and supplies of Noche Buena products, the DTI is also monitoring this season other products like Christmas lights and manufactured firecrackers.

According to Director Cadena, the DTI will be monitoring firecracker manufacturers and traders together with the Philippine National Police.

"We will be going around Kalibo with the PNP to monitor if the the firecrackers being sold here are standard and if these have correct labellings," Cadena said.

The monitoring is also to ensure that firecracker manufacturers are complying with regulations, according to the DTI. (PIA)


Diosdado Cadena Jr.