Panic buying in Metro Manila

I've been to a few supermarkets lately (last time was yesterday evening in ISETANN Recto), and it's seems that many Filipinos nowadays are buying products by the twenties or thirties... like twenty cans of sardines, thirty bars of soap, thirty cans of Pepsi. Makikita mo na hindi na sa shopping bag inilalagay ang mga binibili nila kundi sa mga karton.

I think we are in the midst of a panic buying spree. But you won't know that when you watch or read the news or listen to Malacanang.

(BTW, yung Coke Lite 1.5L na P29 pesos last week sa dalawang tindahan na pinupuntahan ko ay tumaas na ng P33 sa Store A and P34 sa Store B. I think simula this year, magtataasan na naman ang presyo ng bilihin.)

More from PCIJ: Mini-size me

AS the disposable income of millions of Filipinos continue to shrink every day, many families are now reduced to buying food commodities and other consumer goods in ever smaller quantities. Nearly 90 percent of Filipinos, mostly from the D and E classes, according to the marketing research firm Synovate’s Global Omnibus Survey in 2004, now buy products in sachets and mini-sizes. A considerable segment of the more affluent A, B and C classes are also opting for mini-sizes, buying mainly food items in smaller sizes.