MANILA, Philippines — A price freeze on basic goods has been imposed in areas placed under a state of calamity due to Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, according to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) .
The price freeze means basic necessities will be sold at prevailing prices for 60 days.
As of Tuesday, Albay province and Magpet town in Cotabato have been declared under a state of calamity due to widespread floods and landslides.
Business establishments that violate the price freeze will face imprisonment for a period of one year to ten years, or a fine ranging from P5,000 to P1 million or both.
Consumers can report retailers, distributors and manufacturers that sell basic necessities above their prevailing prices by calling the One-DTI (1-384) Hotline or sending an email to [email protected].
QRFBudget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said yesterday that government agencies at the frontline of disaster such as typhoons can now use their Quick Response Fund.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released the QRF on Tuesday amid the fury of Kristine, which started pummeling the Luzon provinces, Pangandaman told the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum.
The Department of Public Works and Highways has a P1-billion fund, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also has P1 billion and the Department of Education has P800 million, she said.
Meanwhile, the DSWD assured the public that it has more than enough stockpiles of family food packs to be distributed to families who were victims of Kristine that inundated a large part of Bicol region.
The DSWD will send more than 100 buckets of water filtration kits to Kristine-affected areas in the Bicol region. Water filtration kits could provide clean water to 100 individuals per bucket in one day.
For his part, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa told Marcos that he plans to send a 30-man international medical team – complete with water, sanitation and hygiene facilities for outpatient care – to Bicol, Northern and Central Luzon.
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development will extend P30,000 cash assistance to typhoon victims whose houses were totally damaged and P10,000 for partial damage.
The initial damage of Kristine to the agriculture sector has reached P9.75 million and it is expected to swell amid the impact of the cyclone in the Bicol region, the Department of Agriculture said yesterday.
In another development, the Department of Information and Communications Technology has received help from the Japan International Cooperation Agency to tap a smart artificial intelligence-assisted disaster alert tool to bolster the country’s disaster response. — Bella Cariasobalato8, Mayen Jaymalin, Delon Porcalla, Jose Rodel Clapano, Elizabeth Marcelo, Rainier Alan Ronda, Mayen Jaymalin, Brix Lelis