Pardo is one of 2006 winners of search for "Huwarang Palengke"

The Pardo Public Market received P500T worth of prizes for being one of the five top national winners this year of the "Search for Huwarang Palengke" initiated by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

DA-7 chief of the agribusiness and marketing assistance division Geraldine Franza disclosed that the Talamban Public Market was also a finalist while the search only covers public markets in urban centers.

Franza said the criteria of the contest involved observance to consumer protection laws with 25 percent and another 25 percent for the prices of goods and structure, hygiene and sanitation with 50 percent.

The DA-7 is daily monitoring the prices of wage goods that specifically covers four products namely rice, meat, vegetables and sugar.

The DA-7 is in constant coordination with the local price monitoring and coordinating councils (LPMCC) of local government units (LGUs) to monitor the stability of prices in public markets in their areas while only the LPMCC of Cebu City is very active, according to Franza.

Franza was one of the guests of the recent Kapihan sa PIA that tackled the 'Pamilihan ng Lalawigan' Contest of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) with the basic objective of adherence to fair trade laws by public markets nationwide.

DTI-Cebu provincial director Nelia Navarro claimed that the contest aims to protect consumers so that they could get the best value for every peso they spend in the public market.

National Meat Inspection Service regional director Dr. Romeo Capa on the other hand, said prices of meat in Cebu are basically lower compared in Manila. The price of beef in Manila costs P238/K and in Cebu, P171/K while pork in Manila is P142/K and P141/K in Cebu and dressed chicken is P104/K in Manila and P101/K in Cebu, Capa bared.

Since the monitoring of hot meat is primarily devolved to the LGUs, Capa said they are urging the LGUs to form the 'Task Force Bantay Karne' to monitor the entry of hot meat in public markets in their areas.

National Food Authority (NFA-7) chief of the licensing division Ernesto Lariosa said common complaints reaching their office is on mislabeling of rice where a certain quality of rice is sparsely mixed with an inferior quality.Lariosa said sanctions involved a fine of P1,000 to P4,000 to cancellation of license depending on the gravity of the offense.

For this year, over 100 retailers/wholesalers have been found guilty of violations ranging from expired or operating without a license, overpricing and mislabeling. (PIA)