The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) warned retailers not to take advantage of the eruption of Taal volcano to jacked-up the prices of face masks and gas masks.
DTI Secretary Lopez suggested the retailers ‘to ration or limit purchase per customer’ to ensure that the public will have an adequate supply of N95 masks.
Lopez told GMA News that complaints of sudden hike on prices of N95 masks have been reported to them.
The complaints prompted the DTI to deploy their monitoring teams to check the supply as well as to observe if the sellers are strictly following the prices of N95 masks.
In a statement released on Monday, DTI remind all retailers that the process of manufactured basic necessities and prime commodities shall remain unchanged.
Lopez warned that retailers will face the consequences should they be found liable on unreasonably increasing their prices for gas masks, face masks and other similar items.
Those who are found to violate will be fined from 500 pesos to 10,000 pesos or face imprisonment of 5 months up to a year under the Section 52 of the Consumer Act.
