Liquigaz expands in Visayas

Liquigaz Philippines Corp., a new oil player engaged solely in the distribution of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), is expanding its operations in the Visayas.

Liquigaz president Jim Kirby said they hope to provide good competition in the area.

Kirby said they would be investing about P20 million for the company’s expansion program in the Visayas region. "We will be spending more or less, P20 million for this program," he said, adding that they have allotted a substantial amount for the company’s expansion project in Luzon.

"We have already invested about P1.8 billion during the previous administrations. We started out in Ramos, then Estrada," he said.

Kirby said they would be pouring in more investments into the country once they are assured that the present administration will handle the economy well.

"Once we are confident that the new administration will help the economic environment, we will invest more. We are not investing more since the new administration still has to prove itself," he said.

The Liquigaz executive said they want to see good signals before they pour in new investments such as the stability in exchange rate.

Meanwhile, Kirby said they will be introducing new applications for LPG in the next few weeks.

He said they will test the new applications this week. "We are studying new technologies on LPG usage. There are a lot of potentials for that in the Philippines aside from the usual supply of 11-kg cylinder for cooking purposes," he said.

Liquigaz is a wholly-owned company of SHV Energy N. V. of the Netherlands, the world’s biggest market of LPG. — Donnabelle Gatdula