MANILA—The Department of Trade and Industry is expected to release a new and revised list of suggested retail price (SRP) for school supplies.

Trade Sec. Alfredo Pascual said his department is reviewing the SRP list for school supplies, citing lack of details and sometimes vague information on the current list.

He added that the old SRP list may not actually be helping consumers.

"It's no guideline at all," asserted the DTI chief.

• Presyo ng ilang school supplies, uniporme sa Divisoria tumaas

"Pinapa-review ko ang clauses, kasi nakita ko ang suggested retail price, very wide ang range. Palagay mo ito ’yung low price for a certain product. Tapos ’yung nasa high sometimes more than double sa low. Pero hindi ine-explain na ’yung difference is not because of different seller, but different quality."

The secretary said the old list just mentions a generic item with a price range, but there are no specs or details which may even confuse consumers.

"Pinapa-review ko rin kasi nakalagay lang du’n notebook, anong klaseng notebook? spiral?" he said. "Hindi sinasabi ilang leaves. ’Yung pad, pad lang. Anong pad, pwedeng 48 leaves, 98 leaves?"

Pascual said being new to the department, he is offering a new pair of eyes to the agency's works. The SRP list has good intentions but said changes must be made.

He said he has asked his staff to study the prices if there is a need to indicate where consumers can buy them, and check the quality and quantity of items.

"Why are we doing it and whose interest are we serving? And what do we really need to show? Yung high price kasama pa ba natin yun o yung low price lang? Do we need to indicate who is selling in the low price?" Pascual said.

No date has been set, but the agency hopes to release the SRP list before the opening of the full face-to-face classes in November.

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