Manila, June 6 -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) - Negros Occidental is ensuring fair and affordable options in buying basic school supplies for Negrense learners ahead of the school opening on June 16.

As of Friday, personnel of the Consumer Protection Unit, together with Provincial Director Lynna Joy Cardinal, already covered six major mall-based retail stores in this highly urbanized city in monitoring school supplies and their prices.

"All school supplies checked were within the prices indicated in the price guide," Cardinal said in a statement.

The DTI personnel checked the prices of such items as notebooks, pad paper, intermediate pads, pencils, ballpens, crayons, erasers, sharpeners, and rulers.

During the inspectio...