San jose de buenavista: The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is actively overseeing 79 stores and supermarkets to verify their adherence to the automatic price freeze following the declaration of a state of calamity in Antique on July 25.

According to Philippines News Agency, DTI-Antique Director Mary Jade Gonzales announced during a press conference that daily monitoring is now in place for 77 retail stores and two supermarkets in San Jose de Buenavista. This initiative is an enhancement of the usual monthly monitoring conducted under normal circumstances.

Gonzales emphasized that the monitoring aims to prevent businesses from exploiting the situation by ensuring basic commodities are sold within the price limits set by the DTI. She warned that violators would receive a show cause order followed by a notice of violation.

Businesses found in violation of the price freeze could face fines ranging from PHP5,000 to less than PHP1 million and/or imprisonment from one year to 10 years, depending on the severity of the offense. Gonzales urged the community to collaborate in the ongoing monitoring efforts.