By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has directed the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to make sure that the price of school supplies is reasonable and affordable, Malacañang said Thursday.
The DTI, upon Marcos’ directive, released a comprehensive guide to enable the consumers to know the price of school items they need for the upcoming academic year, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire said in a press briefing.
“Iniutos ng Pangulo sa DTI na siguraduhin na naaayon ang mga school supplies sa tamang presyo (The President ordered the DTI to ensure the right price of school supplies),” Castro said.
“Mabilis na aksiyon ang nais ng Pangulo para mabantayan at mapanatiling abot-kaya ang mga gamit pang-eskuwela para sa pamilyang Pilipino (The President wants quick action to monitor and keep school supplies affordable for Filipino families).”
Citing the DTI’s price guide, Castro said prices of 29 school items have decreased compared to the previous year.
She advised the public to check the price list of school supplies.
“Nandiyan din po ang presyo ng pinakamurang school supplies per category. So, konsultahin na lang po natin ang listahan na iyan at makikita po sa website ng DTI para makapili ng maayos at murang gamit ang inyong mga anak (There is also the price of the cheapest school supplies per category. So, let’s just check that list and you can see it on the DTI website to choose good and cheap supplies for your children),” Castro said.
The 2025 price guide covers 195 stock keeping units (SKUs) across 12 product categories, including more variations in notebooks, pad paper, pencils, ballpens, crayons, and other writing essentials.
The expansion helps parents and students find products that fit their needs and budget.
Prices of around 101 SKUs or 52 percent of the 195 listed items such as ballpens, erasers, and sharpeners remained the same from last year.
Based on the price guide, notebooks are priced at PHP15 to PHP52, while pad paper costs from PHP15 to PHP48.75.
Pencils are sold from PHP11 to PHP24, while pens are available from PHP3 to PHP33.
Crayons, in various box sizes, can be purchased for PHP12 to PHP114, while erasers in various sizes remain priced between PHP4.50 and PHP20.
Sharpeners are priced at PHP15 to PHP69, and rulers at PHP16 to PHP39.
The guide also introduces 48 new SKUs or 25 percent of the total list, providing consumers with even more options and introducing newer brands and variants. (PNA)
