Prices of writing materials showed a price increase, days before the opening of classes, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) confirmed on Saturday.

In a Viber message, the DTI Consumer Protection and Advocacy Bureau (CPAB) said a total of 22 stock-keeping units of writing materials sold in book stores in malls showed price surges.

“Only 22 SKUs increased (prices), all writing materials. We don’t evaluate their price. This is just a price guide, not SRP (suggested retail price),” the bureau told DAILY TRIBUNE.

Amid this, consumers can have another choice where to buy school supplies, as the DTI said almost all vendors of school supplies in thrift shops in Divisoria, Manila and Baclaran, Pasay City, follow the SRP released by them.

During her inspection on Saturday in Baclaran, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said prices of school supplies remain accessible and competitively priced.

Roque was accompanied by Fair Trade Group Assistant Secretary Regino Mallari Jr. in checking the availability, quality, and prices of essential school supplies sold by retail stores, public markets and ambulant vendors.

The DTI team verified inventory levels, product information, and retail costs of high-demand items, including notebooks, pad paper, pencils, ballpens, crayons, rulers, erasers and sharpeners.

The inspection also showed sufficient stocks, and even lowered prices of school supplies, particularly in Divisoria, with all monitored items priced within the suggested ranges in the DTI’s “Gabay sa Pamimili ng School Supplies.”

Secretary Roque emphasized that these lower market prices reflect the broader and continuous efforts of the government and the Marcos Jr. administration to ease the financial burden on Filipino households, ensuring that quality education and necessary learning tools remain highly accessible and affordable for everyone.

“There are a lot of cheaper school supply options for students this year. Our monitoring in Divisoria confirms that prices have gone down from last year, and many items have also retained their old prices. This gives parents and students excellent, budget-friendly choices as they prepare for the opening of classes. We encourage everyone to check the DTI’s official website and social media platforms to be guided by our Price Guide so they can maximize their budget and make informed purchases,” Secretary Roque said.

According to the DTI, the monitoring aims to enforce compliance with consumer protection laws, verify correct price tags and labeling, and protect consumers from deceptive sales practices.

Under Republic Act 7581, or the Price Act, school supplies are classified as prime commodities.

This mandates the DTI to monitor their cost and availability to safeguard consumers against unfair trade practices.

As part of its consumer protection efforts, the DTI earlier released a price guide listing the suggested prices of essential school items on the DTI website.

The DTI reiterated that it will continue its nationwide market monitoring to ensure that school supplies remain available and that businesses comply with fair pricing and consumer protection laws.

The agency also warned businesses against unjustified price increases and other unfair trade practices.

The DTI advised that consumers who encounter pricing violations may report them through the DTI Consumer Care Hotline 1-DTI (1-384) or by emailing ConsumerCare@dti.gov.ph or ReportToSec@dti.gov.ph.