Alliance of Concerned Consumers in Electricity and Social Services (ACCESS) Wennie Sancho is calling on all elected officials to activate and convene the local price coordinating councils (LPCCs) in the midst of the unprecedented increase in the price of petroleum products which will consequently spike the prices of basic goods and services resulting in another economic squeeze for the consumers.
As a consumer advocacy group, ACCESS believes that the local price coordinating councils that were created thru Republic Act No. 7581, or the “The Price Act”, aims to protect consumers by stabilizing prices of basic necessities and prime commodities, and prescribing measures against undue price increases during emergency situations such as the extraordinary increases in the prices of petroleum products, his statement said.
Sancho said LPCCs can be activated in response to calamities or emergencies, such as natural disasters, state of emergency, or widespread illegal manipulation of prices by unscrupulous businessmen who take advantage of the situation. Also, in order to prevent significant changes in the prices of basic necessities and prime commodities that may harm the consumers, including market irregularities such as unjustified price hikes, hoarding, profiteering or cartels that affect the supply and price of essential goods and services.
ACCESS urged LGUs to reactivate these councils to prevent businesses from taking advantage of the oil price hikes to increase prices of basic goods and services.
The LPCC is tasked with conducting regular market inspections to monitor prices and supply of essential commodities, including price monitoring by analyzing commodity price fluctuation and addressing unjustified price hikes in coordination with national agencies, private sector stakeholders and consumer groups to address price-related issues for the protection of the consumers, Sancho added in his statement.
The LPCC can be convened by the local chief executive, the provincial governor, city or municipal mayor who serves as the chairperson of the LPCC. This Council plays a crucial role in monitoring prices, conducting market inspections, and analyzing commodity price fluctuation, he added.
The Price Act provides guidelines for the implementing agencies including the LGU to freeze prices during emergencies or calamities, impose price ceiling when prices rise to unreasonable levels, and to monitor and penalize acts of price manipulation and profiteering, Sancho said.
However, how can we implement the consumers protection program when until now, no LPCC had been convened? He asked. That is the problem, we have a law for consumer protection, unfortunately, it is not implemented, his statement added.*
