InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
MANILA, Philippines -- As heavy rains continued to pound Metro Manila on Wednesday, Senator Francis Pangilinan appealed to oil companies and dealers of food and other basic commodities to observe a “price hike holiday” in areas affected by massive flooding.
"Baka po pupuwede tayong magkaroon ng pansamantalang 'price hike holiday' para bigyan ng pagkakataon ang taumbayan na makabangon muna mula sa kalamidad na ito bago magpataw ng panibagong presyo ang mga kumpanya (Maybe we could have a temporary ‘price hike holiday’ to give our people the chance to recover from this calamity before companies raise their prices),” he said.
Pangilinan also hoped that prices would return to normal “once the market stabilizes.”
"Maawa naman ho tayo sa taumbayan sa mga panahong ito. Naiintindihan namin na kailangang mabuhay ng mga negosyo, pero sa panahon ng krisis tulad nito, sana ay ipagpaliban muna ng mga kumpanya -- lalo na yung may mga 'buffer', ‘ika nga, sa kita nila -- ang pagtaas ng presyo. Lubog na nga ang mga tao dahil sa grabeng pagbaha, ilulubog pa ba natin sa pagtaas ng presyo mga bilihin (Have pity on the people in these times. We understand that businesses need to survive, but in this time of crisis, companies -- especially those with buffers in their incomes -- to hold back from raising their prices. The people are inundated in floods, do we need to drown them with an increase in the prices of good as well)?" Pangilinan said.
