The prices of some Noche Buena items already increased three months before the Christmas celebration, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reported.
DTI Undersecretary Ruth Castelo, quoted by a GMA News report said that “we observed this week that the price of some products like ham, mayonnaise, and pasta already increased.”
She said around 20 manufacturers have notified DTI that they already increased the price of their products, GMA News reported.
She added the DTI advised manufacturers that the increase should not exceed 10 percent of the price to ensure that customers will still be able to afford the Noche Buena items.
Castelo also discouraged the public from buying Christmas lights that did not undergo the assessment of the DTI.
The official said Christmas lights cost around P300 to P400 as she warned the public against buying those that cost only P50 to P100 as these might be substandard.
Castelo further advised customers to check for the Philippine Standard (PS) Quality or Safety Mark as well as the Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) Sticker to determine if the items were approved by the DTI.
“These cheap Christmas lights did not undergo the certification process of the DTI. It causes fire. These are dangerous to use,” the official said.