The public can expect a stable food supply and steady prices of basic commodities this Christmas.

Malacañang Friday assured that there will be sufficient food supply, even as it warned it won’t think twice to penalize price manipulators and hoarders.

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) is on the guard to ensure that the prices of pork and chicken and other agricultural products remain stable.

Remonde Friday had a meeting with Trade Secretary Peter Favila and Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap who both made the assurance.

“Both secretaries assured me that they will not allow run away prices of basic and prime commodities especially for Christmas,” he told in a press briefing.

During the meeting, Yap said they opened the importation of chicken, pork and other agricultural products that are usually in demand for Christmas to ensure that there is sufficient supply, which would result in stable prices.

The DA secretary also vowed that his Department is strictly monitoring the movement of prices of agricultural products and “they are going to step in immediately if there is a need to do so.”

According to Remonde, Favila also made the same assurance that “they will not hesitate to recommend the re-imposition of the price control if there will be a run away of prices.”

“So this is our assurance that the national government is not going to allow the running away of prices of basic commodities especially this Christmas season so that our people can enjoy the spirit of Christmas,” he said.