DOH: Price freeze for 148 medicines in areas under state of calamity

The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday announced a price freeze for a total of 148 medicines in areas under a state of calamity.

Consumers are encouraged to report cases of overpricing to the DOH Hotline (02) 8651-7800, and the DTI Hotline (1384).

As of Thursday, 40 areas had declared a state of calamity due to the effects of tropical cyclones Crising, Dante, and Emong, as well as the Southwest Monsoon, or Habagat.

Under the Price Act, a 60-day automatic price freeze is implemented when a state of calamity is declared, covering goods such as rice, corn, bread, fresh vegetables, root crops, pork, beef, poultry, eggs, milk, coffee, sugar, cooking oil, salt, laundry soap, detergent, firewood, charcoal, candles, and certain medicines classified as essential by the DOH. —Jiselle Anne Casucian/VBL, GMA Integrated News