The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Negros Oriental is closely monitoring big retail stores in the province to ensure that prices of school supplies and other commodities remain at acceptable levels, an official said yesterday.

Krystle Jade Bato, DTI spokesperson and officer-in-charge of the Consumer Protection Division, said in a media interview that they have teams visiting these retail outlets and keeping track of the prices of school supplies.

“As early as April, we already started our monitoring and surveillance of Balik Eskwela items, such as notebooks, ballpens, pencils, and others, to establish a price guide that we will be releasing soon,” Bato said.

The price guide will assist consumers in understanding the potential cost of a specific item and a specific brand, she added.

Bato said they will provide the retailers with the price guide and inform consumers through social media about it.

She said that on May 21, the DTI went to Basay, the southernmost town of Negros Oriental, for a Diskwento Caravan, where certain items, such as noodles and other basic needs, school uniforms and supplies, were sold at discounted prices.

Bato said they timed the activity with the distribution of financial assistance to farmers by the Department of Agriculture.

Instead of the Diskwento Caravan in Dumaguete City, the DTI has partnered with retailers to bring down the prices of certain items for the “in-house discount,” she added.

She said that, so far, they have not received complaints of overpricing as students, parents, and teachers flock to the retail stores for their needs before classes start on June 8.

Bato urged the public to inform the DTI of any unusual activities in retail stores involving the sale of school supplies and related products. (PNA)