More basic commodities placed under price control

The House of Representatives yesterday expanded the list of commodities that should be placed under price control to include instant noodles, bottled water, fruits and liquefied petroleum gas.

San Juan Rep. Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito yesterday said the government should take a strong stand against those unscrupulous businessmen who take advantage of the current economic difficulties by hoarding essential commodities.

“These items should be placed under price control,” Ejercito said even as other lawmakers pushed the inclusion of root crops, kerosene, livestock and fishery feeds in the list of items that should be under price control.

The move, embodied in House Bill 4801, is expected to be passed on third and final reading when the Lower House resumes session next month after a sine die adjournment that will start today.

HB 4801 is a consolidation of bills filed by Ejercito; Teodoro Casiño of Bayan Muna; Roman Romulo of Pasig City; Luzviminda Ilagan of Gabriela; Catalina Bagasina of ALE Party-list and Elmer Panotes of Camarines Norte.

Ejercito said the bill seeks to further strengthen the functions of the National Price Coordinating Council in protecting consumers against unfair trade practices and spiralling prices of basic necessities and prime commodities during emergency situations.

Ejercito, son of former President Joseph Estrada, is the principal author of House Bill 2985 which seeks to treat locally-manufactured instant noodles as basic necessity. HB 2985 was among the bill consolidated in HB 4801. Like instant noodles, bottled water, LPG and fruits are not included in the list of basic necessities considered under Republic Act 7581, otherwise known as the Price Act.

Casino, author of one of the measures that sought to include LPG in the basic necessities list, said HB 4801 has provided a descriptive definition of basic necessities.

According to him, basic necessities are goods vital to the needs of consumers for their sustenance and existence in times of emergencies.

For her part, Bagasina stressed the bill provides that prime commodities shall mean goods not considered as basic necessities but are essential to consumers during emergency situations. –Gerry Baldo, Daily Tribune