DTI says price of face masks shouldn’t exceed P8, warns sellers vs. increasing prices

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez on Friday advised retailers of face masks and disinfectants against taking advantage of the novel coronavirus scare and increasing prices, as consumers flock to stores amid the threat of the virus.

“In terms of supply, huwag po tayo mag-panic. Kasi kapag nag-panic, mauubusan kahit sinong tindahan. Nagre-reorder naman lahat ng tindahan. Pero dapat din hindi magtaas ang presyo, kasi hindi naman tumaas ang cost of production,” Lopez said during the National Press Club’s Report to the Nation forum in Manila.

Following the confirmation of the Department of Health (DOH) that a Chinese woman tested positive of the novel coronavirus, people started to flock pharmacies to buy face masks and disinfectants causing some drug stores to post “out of stock” signages.

With this, the Trade chief advised retailers to reorder more stocks “para 'di kayo maubusan.”

“Pangalawa, dapat hindi sila magtaas ng presyo. Kasi kung hindi naman tumaas ang manufacturing cost niyan, hindi dapat tumaas ang presyo,” Lopez said.

“Hindi po ito agriculture products na supply and demand driven,” he emphasized.

The Cabinet official also urged the public to report any incidents of sudden price surge.

“Ang N95 [mask] dapat hindi lalampas sa P100. Ang surgical mask dapat P8 lang,” he said.

The “out of stock” situation of face masks and disinfectants in several retail stores, however, is temporary, according to Lopez.

The Trade chief noted that the country has enough manufacturers of the essential products.

The DOH confirmed the first case of novel coronavirus in the Philippines on Thursday.

Meanwhile, 56 suspected cases of novel coronavirus were recorded a few hours before Friday noon, almost double than the previous day's record of 29.

The death toll in China ballooned to 213 on Friday morning while almost 10,000 have been infected as the virus spreads to 18 other countries.

The World Health Organization already declared the outbreak as a global health emergency. — MDM, GMA News