CEBU CITY – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Central Visayas is waiting for the official directive from DTI head office regarding the imposition of the mandated price ceiling which is reported to take effect in the next two years.

Lawyer Josh Carol Ventura, DTI-Central Visayas Division Chief said the mandated price ceiling on certain goods will help educate consumers today on which products retailers are not allowed to impose higher prices on.

“Given the hard times, and in light of recent economic developments, it pays to know which items are covered under the mandated price ceiling,” said Ventura in a chance interview with reporters last week during the annual general membership meeting of the Philippine Retailers Association in Cebu (PRA-Cebu).

Ventura said her office already sent a list of the average prices of prime commodities based on prevailing prices last July, August, and September to the DTI head office in Manila, which will possibly be included in the mandated price ceiling.

Ventura clarified the mandated price ceiling is different from that of the automatic price freeze recently imposed by President Arroyo under Republic Act 7851 or the Price Act, in light of the mishap that befell northern Luzon, placing the entire country under a state of calamity.

An issuance of a state of national calamity, under the law, will automatically impose a price freeze on identified basic goods.

According to Ventura, the Price Act is effective no longer than 60 days, “but the law did not indicate the duration of the effectivity of the mandated price ceiling.”

She also clarified that the automatic price freeze will only cover basic commodities. Based on the list furnished by DTI, this includes coffee, processed milk, laundry soap, salt, canned sardines, and bread.

The mandated price ceiling, on the other hand, will cover prime commodities like fresh fruits, flour, dried, processed and canned pork, beef and poultry meat and construction materials, among others.

Ventura said a public hearing is set to be conducted in the next few months with regard to the mandated price ceiling.

In relation to the imposition of the price freeze in Cebu, Ventura noted no disparity in the prices of goods here. “It seems that retailers here have strictly adhered to the directive,” she added.

In a separate interview, PRA-Cebu President Melanie Ng said member-companies and the organization Board of PRA will yet have to make an official statement with regard to the mandated price ceiling, but this early she assured that it will strongly comply with government orders.