The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) revealed on Sunday that vendors in Manila’s Divisoria market are adhering to the DTI price guide for school supplies for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year.

Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said that following the DTI’s monitoring of school supplies on Sunday morning, some items were even priced lower than indicated in the guide.

“The school supplies are fairly cheap,” Roque said.

The agency is prepared to issue warnings to vendors who price products above the guide. While the guide does not impose strict price ceilings, Roque cited that vendors generally do not sell school supplies at higher prices due to market competition.

“Because if their prices are too high, no one will buy from them. There’s a lot of competition also,” Roque said.

Meantime, Trade Assistant Secretary Agaton Uvero added that the department could also engage with vendors’ suppliers if prices are excessively high.

Roque advised consumers to consult the price guides to understand the expected cost of school supplies.

“Sometimes it’s better if we pay a little bit more for something that’s better-looking for us. But in general, let’s try to follow the price guide that’s set by the DTI,” said the Trade chief.

She also assured consumers that prices of basic and prime commodities are expected to remain stable before the start of the new school year.

“There’s no price increase. We haven’t had a price increase for a long time, and there’s still no price increase for basic necessities and prime commodities,” Roque said, which includes items such as cup noodles, sugar, bread, coffee and sardines, for which the DTI issues Suggested Retail Prices.