Bakers told: Show basis for planned P1 pandesal price hike

The Department of Trade and Industry asked bakers on Thursday to present documents that would justify their plan to raise prices of pandesal by P1. DTI Undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya said there is no basis for such a price hike at least for now, as prices of ingredients such as flour and sugar are stable. "Kung meron silang kadahilanan, kami ay nag-aantay ngayon ng kanilang official communication dahil stable naman sa ngayon ang presyo ng arina ayon sa monitoring namin," she said in an interview on dwIZ radio. She cited "verbal" reports reaching the DTI that bakers are planning to hike prices of pandesal by P1, supposedly because prices of flour had gone up. But Maglaya said DTI's own monitoring efforts showed prices of flour had remained at a maximum of P920 per sack. "Kung meron silang new price list galing sa flour millers maganda ipakita sa amin para malaman ang pinagbabatayan nila sa kanilang statement na mag-increase sila June 1," she said. Maglaya said the DTI uses a formula of raising prices of 10-piece pack of pandesal by 50 centavos for every P40 increase in a sack of flour. Besides, she said that during their last dialogue, bakers had said they will not increase bread prices, except for Pinoy Tasty — whose prices went up this week. "We always have consultation with them dahil ayaw nating magkaroon tayo ng di magandang pagkakaunawaan. We have to talk to them they have to come to us pag-usapan ang presyuhang ito," she said. Meanwhile, Maglaya said their price monitoring shows retailers of basic goods have not raised prices since March despite rising prices of fuel. "Sa basic goods very matumal ang bentahan, it's not a good time to raise prices (Sales of basic goods are poor. It's not a good time to raise prices now)," she said. — LBG, GMA News