Bacolod City, July 28 -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) here imposed a 60-day price freeze on basic necessities in Negros Occidental, which has been kplaced under a state of calamity due to the effects of Tropical Storm Crising and the outbreak of the red-striped soft scale insect in sugarcane farms.

"Prices of basic necessities shall be automatically frozen at their prevailing prices or placed under automatic price control for a period of 60 days unless sooner lifted," the DTI-Negros Occidental said in an advisory on Monday.

The price freeze will end on Sept. 22.

"DTI will be monitoring regularly the price and supply situation of basic necessities and the compliance of the stores with the price freeze," the advisory added....