Trade Chief Encourages Consumers to Buy Local and Provides Christmas-Saving Tips

Christmas holidays traditionally bring Filipino families, relatives, and friends together. But how do we celebrate this special occasion without overspending on food or groceries for Noche Buena amid rising prices?

"To provide necessary guidance to our consumers and help them make informed choices, the DTI will continue to monitor the prices of basic necessities and prime commodities this Christmas season. We want to ensure that Filipino families have access to reasonably-priced goods and be able to have a bountiful celebration despite the current global development affecting prices of commodities", Trade Secretary Fred Pascual said during the pilot run of the Ikot Palengke Program of DTI held on 23 November 2022 in select supermarkets and public markets in Marikina City.

"It is important to keep track of your budget, spending habits, and know where to look for the best deals", he added, before offering some tips on how consumers can spend wisely this holiday season.

Tip No. 1: Plan what you will purchase ahead of time. Prepare a budget before you start shopping. Determine how much you can afford to spend on Christmas to avoid overspending, and then make a list of all your holiday commitments, including gifts, decorations, and travel.

Tip No. 2: Take advantage of the holiday season's sales, promos, and discounts. Select groceries and supermarkets usually offer promos, discounts, and sales during the holiday season. Taking advantage of this will help you save up and even acquire cashback offers.

Tips No.3: Use the DTI Suggested Retail Price (SRP) Bulletin and Noche Buena Price Guide found on the DTI website to help you find the best value for money. There are brands that are cheaper and more affordable to meet your budget and needs.

Tip No. 4: Patronize the Diskwento Caravan (DC) or Rolling Store Caravans (RSC), which is still being conducted nationwide to bring quality BNPCs to consumers at a lower cost. DC or RSC is a DTI initiative in partnership with manufacturers and retailers of basic necessities and prime commodities. Through RSC, producers and manufacturers can sell agricultural and manufactured BNPCs directly to consumers at a lower price. This initiative lowers prices by 10% up to 15% from the SRP. Truly, it is “Presyong Panalo para sa Mamimiling Pilipino”.

Tip No. 5: Visit and participate in the Kadiwa ng Pasko (KnP) Trade Fairs, which aim to provide cheap and affordable agricultural products such as rice, sugar, vegetables, fruits, fresh meat products (pork, beef and chicken), fish and other seafood products, coffee, processed milk, instant noodles, condiments, local bags and footwear.

Secretary Pascual stressed that, “By shopping at the Kadiwa ng Pasko Centers, you are also supporting our local farmers, fishermen, manufacturers, and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).” Further, he announced the following schedules of the KnP Trade Fairs where producers and manufacturers will be selling essential foods at low prices in the NCR and across different regions as shown below:

The Trade Chief has pledged his full support to President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s efforts to permanently establish Kadiwa rolling stores in every barangay across the country. This project is a revival of the original KADIWA program from the early 1980s, which was a farm-to-market supply chain and food distribution program that benefited low-income families.

"These rolling stores will help many consumers buy basic necessities like food products at lower prices, so keep an eye on the DTI Consumer Care Facebook page for the updated schedules of Kadiwa ng Pasko Trade Fairs and Rolling Stores Caravans which will be sustained until 2023", Secretary Pascual added.