DTI constitutes its own monitoring task force through Consumer Protection Group’s Fair Trade Enforcement Bureau and conducts weekly Price and Supply Monitoring on Basic Necessities and Prime Commodities (BNPCs) to groceries and supermarkets in Metro Manila.
In 2015, the DTI launched e-Presyo, an Online Price Monitoring System (OPMS) that serves as a repository of all prevailing prices of BNPCs that are being monitored by the DTI nationwide. It allows the consumers to check the prices and/or price freeze of BNPCs and it serves as a guide in doing their grocery shopping.
Basic necessities – goods vital to the needs of consumers for their sustenance and existence in times of any of the cases provided under Section 6 or 7 of Republic Act No. 10623 (RA10623), but not limited to, rice, corn, root crops, bread, fresh, dried or canned fish and other marine products; fresh pork, beef and poultry meat, fresh eggs, potable water in bottles and containers, fresh and processed milk, fresh vegetables and fruits, locally manufactured instant noodles, coffee, sugar, cooking oil, salt, laundry soap and detergents, firewood;
Prime Commodities – goods not considered as basic necessities but are essential to consumers in times of any of the cases provided under Section 7 of Republic Act No. 10623 (RA10623) such as, but not limited to, flour; dried, processed or canned pork, beef and poultry meat; dairy products not falling under basic necessities; onions, garlic, vinegar, patis, soy sauce; toilet soap; fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides; poultry, livestock and fishery feeds and veterinary products; paper; school supplies; nipa shingles; sawali; cement; clinker; GI sheets; hollow blocks; plywood; plyboard; construction nails; batteries; electrical supplies; light bulbs; steel wire; all drugs not classified as essential drugs by the Department of Health and such other goods as may be included under Section 4 of RA10623;
Monitoring – an activity where DTI observes, checks, and keeps track of the goods, products, operations or services of private business entities to ensure conformance to and compliance with existing DTI laws and regulations.
FAQs
- Basic necessities – goods vital to the needs of consumers for their sustenance and existence in times of any of the cases provided under Section 6 or 7 of Republic Act No. 10623 (RA10623)
- Prime Commodities – goods not considered as basic necessities but are essential to consumers in times of any of the cases provided under Section 7 of Republic Act No. 10623 (RA10623)
To see the complete list of BNPCs, please click the link below: https://www.dti.gov.ph/konsyumer/e-presyo/
DTI regularly conducts price monitoring on a weekly basis to identify and investigate causes of market and price irregularities; determine price trends; provide basis for establishing SRP and price ceiling; and develop database system on prices.
Consumers may see the latest SRP of BNPCs through this link: www.dti.gov.ph/konsyumer/latest-srps-basic-necessities-prime-commodities
A Letter of Inquiry will be issued to the supermarket/grocery to submit an explanation to DTI within prescribed time.
- The Department of Agriculture, with reference to agricultural crops, fish and other marine products, fresh meat, fresh poultry and dairy products, fertilizers, and other farm inputs;
- The Department of Health, with reference to drugs;
- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources, with reference to wood and other forest products; and
- The Department of Energy, with reference to LPG and kerosene
