SHOW ME THE RECEIPTS, BEYOND THE ONION-SPEAK

 WE HAVE A THROWBACK HERE FOR THE PRICE WATCHERS.

As I was rummaging through a pile of bills,  novelty keeps, and receipts included, I remembered a task I vowed to make at the height of the “receipts” flaunting trend last holiday season. It was when consumers complained about the rising prices of commodities.

The prices of primary commodities seemed to have taken a bad turn last year when I noticed the prices of cooking oil had gone up to Php 400 per bottle (let’s not name the brand). 

In another grocery shopping anecdote of mine, we were poised to have mungo beans (small green legumes), this mom was about to cook in a hush, where to my surprise, I noticed the packs of mungo beans that we’d been sold with, has become so tiny-- I might need a magnifier (not using “hyperbole” here), to see the actual beans up close.  It almost looked very small when cupped by the hand.

In another, I recall having gotten a pack of a popular candy brand from a mall, which we bought for Php 200.  But alas, upon going home we found out, the contents of the pack were all melted.

What price, and what quality these days do we have to contend with, as ordinary consumers?

Whether we can buy the item for the price we want, or for the quality we can afford, the better know should be-- how much are we paying for the items we usually need at home? And are these fairly affordable for the regular Pinoys?

Receipts can give a footprint on how merchants “categorize” and market their goods.

Is a grocery item made affordable or is it priced exorbitantly,  when there must be food at the table for those thirsty for fairness, in a household of the ordinary?

More on this “keeping tab of food receipts”, in 2010, the prices of LPG were at around

Php 629.00 (March 2010). Today, LPG (based on published estimated prices when rounded off), can fetch between Php 900 to 1100. 

            Still from the same year as a point of reference, onions (sibuyas) can be bought at Php 50.00 per kilo. We all know the price of onions has gone up and even peaked as high as the price of beef meat per kilo.  What absurdity, what highness. 

While the good ‘ole “lomi” noodle from our favorite eatery used to cost Php 68.00 per order in 2010, now its most affordable price is at Php 165.00. Surely, we must “cherish” the times we used to enjoy more affordable food as Filipinos.

Understandably prime commodities have taken a lot of the brunt because of the global pandemic that dramatically affected the economy.  But how long can consumers settle for  such “real as it gets” pompous food prices?

While others can still have a luxury stay at their favorite hotel for summer; or while some can brag about their “vacation” on social media as if to defeat the true trend of consumer spending, many middle-aged moms or even the dad’s themselves, could actually be treasure-hunting for the best, lowest prices to buy their necessities from. We all have to reel the feel, at times!

 

NEWS REVIEW PHILIPPINES 2023