As classes resume on June 16, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has assured the public that school supplies remain affordable and stable in price.

According to DTI Pampanga Consumer Protection Division Chief Nathaniel Samson, of the 195 school supply items regularly monitored by the agency, only 17 items showed price increases, while 25 decreased and 101 retained their previous prices.

Samson said price monitoring has been ongoing for two months to protect consumers from overpricing. “Our price monitors are in the market daily. Based on their reports, most school supplies still follow the DTI-Bureau of Philippine Standards price guide,” he added.

DTI monitors prices of eight basic school supply items, including notebooks, writing pads, pens, rulers, crayons, and other classroom essentials. The price adjustments recorded ranged between ₱5 to ₱15, with minor increases attributed to the full transition back to face-to-face classes after years of hybrid learning.

“During the pandemic, many items were sold under promotional pricing. Now that schools have fully reopened, only minimal price increases have been observed,” Samson explained.

He clarified, however, that the prices of school uniforms, bags, and shoes are not covered by DTI monitoring, as these fall under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Accreditation for Procurement.

On product safety, Samson assured that the DTI inspects product standards, such as proper sheet count and binding for notebooks, while the Department of Health (DOH) checks for potential hazards in items like crayons.

The DTI continues to encourage consumers to check official price guides and ensure product safety when purchasing school supplies.