In time for the opening of classes on June 5, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regional office released the Suggested Retail Price Tables (SRP) of various school supplies.
DTI Regional Director Judith Angeles said this SRP table would guide consumers in buying various school supplies such as notebooks, writing pads, crayons, ballpens, pencils, erasers, and sharpeners.
Angeles said that the price of an 80-page composition notebook range between Php12.50 to Php15.75, while spiral notebooks range from Php13.75 to Php15.75.
Pad papers for Grade 1-4 cost Php9.00 to Php12.00 while intermediate pad papers range from Php14.00 to Php25.00.
Prices of ballpens range from Php4.00 to Php22.75 per piece, while a three-pack set of ballpens have SRP ranging from Php13.75 to Php30.75.
Similarly, a pack of pencil may cost Php10.50 to Php37.50, depending on the hardness and brand.
For crayons, a box of eight-range from Php12.00 t0 Php34.75 while a 24-piece box has prices ranging from Php37.75 to Php49.25.
Prices of erasers range from Php5.75 to Php12.75; sharpeners—Php5.75 to Php17.75; 6-inch ruler – Php9.75 to Php19.75; and 12-inch ruler—Php14.75 to Php29.75 each.
SRP will serve as guide to consumers in comparing different brands and will also serve as a deterrent for over-pricing.
Angeles also reminded consumers to carefully read the labels of products to check if the school supplies have toxic or hazardous ingredients.
“Labeling regulations require markings like number of pages, weight, size, hardness (for pencils), type classification (for ballpens), brand name, trademark manufacturer’s name and address,” she said.
She furthered that as part of their initiatives to help parents avail of discounted prices, DTI-3 partnered with suppliers in setting up Diskwento Caravans in all provinces of the region.
Complete SRP list for school supplies may be accessed online at www.dti.gov.ph/e-presyo. (Marie Joy L. Simpao, Georgia Galang)