Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia on Monday warned traders against selling overpriced food and non-food products during the Palarong Pambansa from July 9 to 16.

A price monitoring team has been activated since Sunday to ensure that no traders can take advantage of people attending the annual Palaro, particularly athletes and their chaperones.

Garcia noted during his visit to some billeting quarters for Palaro delegations from 17 regions that their pantries were full of food products.

“I just noticed that they bought a lot, whether dry goods or wet goods in the Carbon Public Market. I’m now instructing the city administrator to send our price monitoring people to take a look and check that our prices do not go up or down. That’s the most important thing,” he said in Cebuano.

Although no price increase has been monitored in the city, the acting mayor tasked Lawyer Kristine Joyce Batucan, the city administrator, to check vendors at the Carbon Public Market and souvenir shops to ensure delegates from different regions would not fall prey to unscrupulous sellers.

“You have to face the consequences because we have laws in place. So, of course, we also have permits that have to be issued. And if they do not comply then we can revoke the permits or we will not issue the permits,” Garcia warned.

The acting mayor visited some billeting sites over the weekend, checking on their concerns like low water supply.

He immediately instructed the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CDRRMO) to address the issue. (PNA)