DTI eyes putting SRP on gadgets that will be in demand among students

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, September 2) — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is looking into putting a suggested retail price on gadgets that will most likely be used by students.

In an interview with CNN Philippines’ Newsroom Ngayon on Wednesday, Trade Undersecretary Ruth Castelo said that nothing is final yet but the DTI is in talks with the Department of Education (DepEd) regarding gadgets that will most likely be in demand due to distance learning.

“Right now, mayroon tayong engagement with DepEd and the DICT kasi we need to know kung ano ba yung pinaka basic na requirement nila doon sa device,” she said.

[Translation: Right now, we have an engagement with the DepEd and the Department of Information and Communications Technology because we need to know their basic requirement with the device.]

According to Castelo, this information will lead them to identify the gadgets that will be on demand in the market and put an SRP on them.

She added that the DepEd already has an arrangement with other distributors and manufacturers that allow students to avail of a discount. According to her, they just need to present their school IDs.

A number of city local government units like Pasig and Manila have raised funds to provide gadgets such as laptops and tablets to their students as the new school year approaches.