Manila City, Philippines—On June 15, eve of the official school opening, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ma. Cristina A. Roque led a focused market inspection on school supplies in Divisoria and Avenida to ensure access to affordable and sufficient back-to-school essentials.

“Under President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s Bagong Pilipinas agenda, the DTI is committed to easing the financial burden on families during the back-to-school season,” stated Secretary Cristina A. Roque.

“Our consistent presence in key commercial hubs like Divisoria, Baclaran, and now Binondo, underscores our resolve to ensure that our ‘Gabay sa Pamimili’ is truly reflected in the market, allowing every student to be equipped for learning,” the trade chief added.

This initiative marks the third leg of DTI’s special school supply monitoring activities, conducted in support of the Department of Education’s (DepEd) Balik Eskwela Program and aligned with the broader vision of Bagong Pilipinas for a more school-ready nation.

This included inspecting a total of 129 school items across six retail outlets. All monitored products were found adequately supplied and compliant with the existing “Gabay sa Pamimili ng School Supplies” price list.

The DTI highlighted the visible posting of the Gabay Price Guide in the school supply outlet, reflecting the establishment’s responsibility to uphold suggested retail pricing and support back-to-school preparedness. END

(Posted 16 June 2025)