The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) yesterday conducted a heightened school supplies price monitoring and enforcement operation in Divisoria.
This follows the release of the latest Pamimili ng School Supplies or price guide for school supplies, such as specific brands of notebooks (composition, spiral, and writing), pad papers (Grades 1-4 and intermediate), pencils, ballpoint pens, crayons, erasers, sharpeners, and rulers.
Twenty-two of the 23 stores inspected conformed with the price guide. One was ordered to submit a written explanation why a certain school supply item is priced higher than the price guide.
The DT’s regional and provincial offices are also set to conduct similar operations.
Other than prices, the DTI also inspected school supplies’ conformance with the Philippine National Standards particularly on product specifications.
DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual said the agency is assisting the Department of Agriculture in monitoring the price of rice.
