The Price Act of the Philippines declares the policy of the State to ensure the availability of basic necessities and price commodities at reasonable prices at all times without denying legitimate business a fair return on investment. It is also a declared policy of the State to provide effective and sufficient protection to consumers against hoarding, profiteering and cartels with respect to the supply, distribution, marketing and pricing of said goods, especially during periods of calamity, emergency, widespread illegal price manipulation and other similar situations. In this regard, government is mandated to: (1) develop, adopt and promulgate measures to promote productivity in basic necessities and prime commodities; (2) develop an improved and efficient transport and distribution system; and (3) develop, adopt and promulgate measures to stabilize prices at reasonable levels.
Under the Plan, government will intensify and expand programs that will maintain the affordability of basic necessities and prime commodities. A review of the supply chain will be implemented to determine effective points of interventions to make enhancements and eliminate deficiencies. This requires infrastructure support and logistics mechanisms that shall result in lowering of price with the elimination of middlemen and other barriers to bring the goods and services to the market. Producers, manufacturers, traders, retailers, and consumer organizations shall be consulted so that the supply chains of basic goods and services may be improved, reducing costs in production and distribution and thereby checking rise in prices.