Philippine DTI Says No Need for Price Freeze on Bottled Water as Supply Stays Stable
Key Takeaways
- •The Philippine Department of Trade and Industry has ruled out a price freeze on bottled water for now, judging that prices and supply of basic necessities are stable.
- •Trade Secretary Maria Cristina A. Roque said consumers have no reason to panic-buy or hoard, based on the agency's discussions with manufacturers and retailers of basic goods.
- •The DTI intends to step up price monitoring of bottled water and work with manufacturers and distributors to ensure the market remains adequately supplied during the dry spell.
- •Nature's Spring maker Philippine Spring Water Resources is extending production hours and building reserve inventories to prepare for higher demand tied to the Super El Niño.
- •The state weather bureau expects the dry spell could intensify into a very strong El Niño from September to December and potentially continue into the first months of 2027.
The Philippines' Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said there is no need to impose a price freeze on bottled water, as supply remains stable despite a potential surge in demand driven by the El Niño dry spell. Price freezes, which cap the cost of essential goods at prevailing levels, are typically considered when emergencies or supply disruptions threaten access to basic necessities, making the agency's stance a gauge of how officials view current market conditions.
"The prices of basic necessities and prime commodities, bottled water included, are all stable," Trade Secretary Maria Cristina A. Roque told reporters on the sidelines of an event on Thursday. "So, for now, there's no need [for a price freeze,]" she added.
Citing the agency's recent discussions with manufacturers and retailers of basic goods, Ms. Roque said consumers have no reason to panic or hoard, as supply remains steady.
The DTI had earlier moved to reassure the public, saying it would intensify price monitoring of bottled water products and coordinate with manufacturers and distributors to keep the market adequately supplied — a step aimed at keeping drinking water affordable as consumers typically stock up during prolonged dry spells.
Separately, Philippine Spring Water Resources, Inc., the maker of Nature's Spring bottled water, said recently that it is extending production hours and building reserve stocks in anticipation of the higher demand expected due to the Super El Niño.
The state weather bureau has said the dry spell could intensify into a "very strong" El Niño from September to December, and may persist through the first months of 2027. Consumers and retailers alike will be watching whether supply and prices hold through that window, and whether the DTI's intensified monitoring turns up grounds to revisit its position on a price freeze.
In other remarks, the Trade chief said she leaves her fate to President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. amid recent Cabinet changes. Asked whether she was confident of keeping her position at the DTI, Ms. Roque said: "We all serve as the pleasure of the President, so anytime he needs us, it's up to him." — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz/BusinessWorld
Source: BusinessWorld
