Charles Teves
Former actress Dionne Monsanto was left feeling disgusted after finding out businesses are increasing the prices of goods after the visit of Typhoon Odette.
Odette displaced over 600,000 families and wrecked over 28,000 homes in Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Southern Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental and Palawan.
Those affected are struggling even just to survive, and unfortunately for them, it’s going to get much more challenging as the prices of necessities seemingly skyrocket.
According to netizens, kerosene and various produces are now expensive in the areas destroyed by Odette.
Monsanto couldn’t believe that some people had an exploitative mindset at a trying time.
Sa mga nagtataas ng presyo ng gas at pagkain pagkatapos ng kalamidad, you have a special place in hell.
— Dionne Monsanto Stalder (@DionneMonsanto) December 20, 2021
A netizen also claimed that a businessman in Cebu was selling five liters of water for P2090, while others said a gallon of mineral water in Kabankalan City goes for P200.
The Department of Energy, meanwhile, has imposed a price freeze on household liquified petroleum gas (LPG) and kerosene in areas that have been declared a state of calamity.
“Pursuant to the 17 Dec. 2021 declaration of a State of Calamity (SOC) in certain areas, the price freeze on household LPG and kerosene is now in effect. This means that for 15 days following the SOC, prices shall remain at the prevailing levels on the date of the declaration,” the Department of Energy said in a statement.
“In anticipation of typhoon Odette’s impact in the Mindanao and Visayas regions, [we] had earlier called on all concerned downstream oil industry stakeholders to begin their monitoring activities and activate their respective disaster risk preparedness and response protocols,” it added.
Construction materials have also gone up, prompting the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to declare a 60-day price freeze on all necessities in the Southwestern Tagalog Region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Caraga Region in the aftermath of Odette.
Netizens share Monsanto’s sentiment on the issue of overpricing.
https://twitter.com/ninarome0/status/1473305065368682498?s=20
became thrice the original price, a galloon of water is 120 pesos na which only cost 25 pesos before… and some families were spending the holidays on streets esp. umuulan na naman sa Cebu right now. Typhoon Odette is the worst nightmare that left behind our, both, hearts (3)
— ⌗ ace (@joonieecrt_) December 24, 2021
Malacañang also asked business owners to stop overpricing goods.
“Ang sa akin na lang siguro, isang pakiusap sa ating mga kababayan lalong lalo na sa panahon ngayon ng Pasko, please let us not take advantage of our fellow Filipinos who are suffering right now,” Cabinet Secretary and acting presidential spokesman Karlo Nograles said.
