By Pearl Gumapos
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on Monday (Jan. 10) said those responsible for the overpricing of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test kits, as well as the selling of self-test kits, may be held liable.
“Doon sa mga nakukuha nating reports ng overpricing, pareho kami ng posisyon ng DOH. Puwede silang huliin,” DTI Assistant secretary Ann Claire Cabochan said during the Laging Handa public briefing.
“Doon sa mga self-test kits na, [it] hasn’t been given proper certification from the FDA to be sold in the Philippines kaya hindi dapat siya binebenta. Puwede nating habulin iyong mga nagbebenta niyan online,” she said.
Meanwhile, as for the supposed lack of stock of medicine, Cabochan says there is still more than enough supply.
“On the part of manufacturers, we maintain that it is not a supply issue. Alam natin na nagkakaroon ng temporary stock out dahil naman po iyong demand ay medyo mataas talaga towards the end of December. Now that replenishment has been made, there is more than enough supply,” she explained. – bny
