LOCAL government units should start monitoring gas stations in their localities, an executive of the Department of Energy’s Oil Industry Management Bureau (OIMB) said yesterday.
OIMB Director Zenaida Monsada said that while they are mandated to monitor prices, the LGUs hold a critical role in consumer protection.
“We have been doing some random monitoring in the past as well as conduct inspections upon receipt of complaints. Recently, we have this focused inspection on selected localities with LGUs,” Monsada said.
This was proven effective, she added.
The DOE is encouraging LGUs to regularly monitor gasoline stations and specifically check if their gas pumps are correctly calibrated.
“It’s the same as what they do with calibrating the weighing scales in public markets. This will actually add revenues for the LGUs,” she said.
She said that penalties for violators include P10,000.
Quarterly monitoring
Monsada added that monitoring can be done every quarter. They also provide assistance to the LGUs by training their staff how to do calibration.
Also, they donate calibrating equipment to LGUs that cannot afford to secure their own equipment.
Gas retailing: A no no
Meanwhile, Monsada made it clear in yesterday’s briefing that “bote-bote” or retailing of gasoline and other petroleum products is prohibited since it poses health and fire risks to the community.
“The LGUs can confiscate these because it is not safe for everyone that is why we prohibit this business,” Monsada said.
Price monitoring
In terms of prices, Monsada said they are currently developing a website, langis.org which they hope to go live within the year.
The website aims to empower consumers to help monitor prices of petroleum products in their area.
“We don’t regulate the prices but we monitor them. The prices are affected usually with the international rates and the global supply and demand movement.”
The country’s average daily petroleum demand is 303,000 barrels per day. Of this 165,000 barrels are produced in the country and the rest are imported directly by oil companies. The transportation sector consumes 70 percent of the country’s petroleum stocks.