Prices of basic commodities in Mt. Kanlaon eruption hardly-hit town of La Castellana remain stable after the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) imposed a price freeze following the declaration of a state of calamity on June 4.

As of June 19, La Castellana Mayor Rhumyla Mangilimutan said her office had not received any violation as the DTI continues to monitor daily prices of essential goods in the town.

“The business sector here is cooperative because they know that, under a state of calamity, prices of goods will be controlled to protect the people from overpricing. That is why I immediately got in touch with the Department of Trade and Industry,” she said.

She said her leadership will not allow a situation where the business community will have their way of pricing their merchandise to the disadvantage of the consumers.

As of June 18, the number of affected families due to the eruption is 9,046 comprising 27,596 individuals. Families inside the evacuation areas are 833, comprising 2,823 individuals, while those outside the evacuation center are 27 families comprising 100 individuals.

According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the total cost of assistance provided to internally displaced persons amounted to P22,772,766, which includes family food packs and non-food items, including financial assistance.

Meanwhile, stockpile and stand-by funds stand at P174,382,919.36, comprising family food packs at P95,381,250.76 and non-food items at P70,500.418.60, the DSWD added. (PIA-6 Negros Occidental)