Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

4301

House Bill No.

Introduced by GABRIELA Women's Party Representatives
EMERENCIANA “EMMI” A. DE JESUS and .UZVIMINDA C ILAGAN
Bayan Muna Representatives TEODORO CASINO and NERI COLMENARES
Anakpawis Representative RAFAEL MARIANO,

Kabataan Representative RAYMOND PALATINO and
ACT Teachers Representative ANTONIO TINIO

Explanatory Note

The Ptulippine Constitution affirms the responsibility of Congress to “give highest priortty to the
enacument of measures that protect and enhance the right of all the people to human dignity, reduce
social, economic, and political inequalities, and remove cultural inequities by equitably diffusing
Wealth and political power for the common good” (Section 1. Anticle XIll).

Thus duty’ is especially inviolable during periods when prices of basic commodities rise beyond the
economic seach of a large percentage of our marginalized population. The 2009 Famuly Income and
Expenditure Survey of the NSO showed that 10% of the Filipino population belonging to the lowest
income groups barely have enough resources, whether through income or savings. to fund their
various expenditures as a family

In another 2009 survey", 48.73% of mothers come from famulics without any form ol
15.23% come from families who ean onfy a maximum of PhP 100.06 a day, Under these
circumstances, 36% of the mothers surveyed cope by reducing thetr food budget, while 21.72% of
mothers and their family cope by having only one or two meals a day, and another 19.19% survive on
noodles and dried fish, the prices of which have also skyrocketed.

ome. while

Meanwhile, wages continue to be depressed for workers earning minimum wage income at P4O4 04
in the face of increasing prices of basic commodities as well as the actual cost of hving. [BON. an
independent economic think tank, estimates a cost of living, of PhP 983.00 for a family of sx hiving in
the National Capital Region.

‘Survey on the Economic and Living Conditions of Urban and Rural Poor Women, CWR, January — tune 2009


Over the years, consumer groups and a growing percentage of the population have repeatedly sounded
out the clamor to freeze price increases on basic commoditics,

Hastoncally. price control or price stabilizanon was first enacted in 1980. under Presidential Decree
(PD) 1674. which provided a mechanism far price regulation, ercatcd a price stabilizauon council. and
prescribed the powers and responsibilities of the said council. This was subsequently repealed by R.A
7581. oc An Act Providing Protection to Consumers by Stabilizing the Prices of Basic Necessities and
Prime Commodities and by Prescribing Measures Against Undue Price Increases,

Under RA 7583. the National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC) was created to stabilize the prices
of basic necessities and prime commodities by advising the President and other concemed agencies on
general policy matters for promotion and improvement in productivity. distribution and stabilizanon
of the said products. The NPCC assumed the funchon of the Price Stabilization Council which was
created under PD 1674. In the process, the following important functions of the Price Stabilization
Council were no longer assumed by the NPCC:
+ The sctung of price ceiling on key and essential commodities. particularly thase purchased by
low income groups after verification through surveys, studies and various other means. and
Recommending to thc President the grant of subsidies to cenain sectors in order to hasten
production of certain items

‘The NPCC's present mandate apparently falls short of what it is expected (0 do. Its un thus lnght and
amudst clamor and protests of various women and consumer's groups that this bill is being proposed

This bith socks to enforce and strengthen the functions of the National Price Coordinaung Council. 1»
iving rehet and dependable safety net measures to the consumers amidst increases in the prices of
baste necessities and prime commodities.

In view of the abave. the iramediate passage of this bill is carnestly sought,

JA ema hee
EMML A. DE'JESUS LU:

Aiki
IMINDA C, LAGAN

Gabriela Women’s Party wali ficla Women’s Part
TEODORO CASINO MEN
Bayan Muna Party Bay i

.FAEL MARIANO RAY ies PALATINO
Anakpawis Party Kabaibah Representative

—“ Gf,
RTONIOTINIG’ —

ACT Teachers Pany


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

4301

House Bil No.

EMERENCTANA “EMMI” A. DE JESUS and LUZVIMINDA C, ILAGAN
Bayan Muna Representatives TEODORO CASINO and NERI COLMENARES
Anakpawis Representative RAFAEL MARIANO,

Kabataan Representative RAYMOND PALATINO and
ACT Teachers Representative ANTONIO TINIO

AN ACY AMENDING SECTION TWELVE, FUNCTIONS OF THE PRICE
COORDINATING COUNCIL, OF REPUBLIC ACT 7581 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
AN ACT PROVIDING PROTECTION TO CONSUMERS BY STABILIZING THE
PRICES OF BASIC NECESSITIES AND PRIME COMMODITIES AND BY
PRESCRIBING MEASURES AGAINST UNDUE PRICE INCREASES DURING
EMERGENCY SITUATIONS AND LIKE OCCASIONS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
asseanbled

1, Section 12 of RA 7581 otherwise known as “The Price Act” is hereby amended as follows.

Sec 12 Functions of the Price Coordinating Counct -The Price Coordinating Council shall
have the following functions

(1) 1 shall coordinate the productivity, distribution and price stabilization programs.
projects and measures of the government and develop comprehensive strategies to
effect a genera} stabilization of prices of basic necessities and prime commodities at
affordable levels;

(2) It shall report to the President and to the Congress of the Philippines the status and
progress of the programs, projects, and measures undertaken by each implementing
department, agency or office as well as the comprehensive strategies developed by the
Council to stabilize the price of basic necessities and prime commodities;


(3) It shall advise the President on genera! policy matters for promotion and
improvement in productivity, distribution and stabilization of prices of basic
necessities and prime commoditi

{4] 1¥ SHALL RECOMMEND TO THE PRESIDENT TRE SETTING OF PR!
CEILINGS ON KEY AND ESSENTIAL COMMODITIES, PARTICULARLY
THOSE PURCHA‘ BY LOW INCOME GROUPS, AFTER VERIFYING
THROUGH SURVEYS AND TECHNICAL STUDIES AND/ OR HEARINGS
THAT TRE PRICES OF THESE. ITEMS HAVE RISEN TO
UNREASONABLE DEGREE;

[5] Tf SHALL RECOMMEND TO THE PRESIDENT THE GRANT OF
SUBSIDIES TO CERTAIN SECTORS IN ORDER TO HASTEN
PRODUCTION OF CERTAIN ITEMS AND THEREBY ASSURE STABLE
PRICES FOR CONSUMERS;

14) [6] It may require from its members or any other government agency such information
as it may deem necessary, and conduct public hearings for purposes of assessing the
supply, distribution, and price situation of any basic necessity or prime commodity

(5) [8] ~000%—

Approved;