The Local Price Coordinating Council (LPCC) was officially reconstituted on Monday as part of the provincial government’s efforts to keep prices of fish and other basic commodities in check.

Provincial Aster Caberte said the revamped LPCC will have a “stronger” representation from the agriculture sector though the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA).

“Day in, day out ang atong concern gyud has been the formidable problem on the price of fish, so their [agriculture sector] should come in strongly,” said Caberte.

According to Caberte, the LPCC has also tapped the Department of Agriculture (DA) to carry out a “real-time” monitoring of fish prices across the country for these to be compared with prevailing local prices.

“Like karon, the price of bangsi is P160, we compare it with another city. Because we cannot say na taas or barato og di ta mo engage in real-time comparison,” she said.

The reconstituted LPCC which is led by Gov. Aris Aumentado will prioritize the monitoring of fish prices, which has long been a subject of criticisms from the public for being exorbitant.

However, Caberte noted that the council will also be looking into the prices of other basic commodities.

“The role of this council is to approach through increasing productivity and maintaining reasonable prices. Ang implementing agencies and the provincial government should work together na dili ma-feel sa consumers ang problema as presyo,” she added.

Caberte said the LPCC will hold meetings at least one a month.

It will be joined by representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Interior and Local Government, Food and Drugs Administration, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, BFAR, and OPA.

The LPCC was first established during the administration of former governor Edgar Chatto and continued function under former governor Art Yap.

It stopped holding meetings during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. (A. Doydora)