Busay gas station fined for violations

CEBU, Philippines — For failing to recalibrate its pump, a gas station in Cebu City was fined following a surprised inspection conducted by the Cebu City Government amid the continuing worldwide oil price increase.

Representatives from the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO), Business Permit and Licensing Office, (BPLO), Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO), and the Quick Response Team of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CCDRRMO) joined forces to check on the gasoline stations in the city.

As a result, an unnamed gas station in Barangay Busay was caught having failed to re-calibrate in the prescribed period plus other irregularities.

Based on the report from the City’s PIO, the owner of the said gas station was fined P13 thousand for failing to re-calibrate its pumps two months after it was supposed to do it. Its last calibration was dated April 12, 2021. The owner is given five days to settle the penalties.

Based on regulations from the Department of Energy, retail outlet's calibrating bucket/s must be re-calibrated and resealed once every twelve (12) months.

“Bali expire na siya karong tuiga kay June na man ta," said Jomar Ponce, CTO revenue inspector.

The said gas station has 14 nozzles with 13 imposed penalties while the other one was spared since it is defective.

“Naay usa ka pump niya ang nozzle sa regular sa pump one kuan siya, defective ang usa. Ato giingnan di ipagamit,” added Ponce.

Once the said gas station is able to fix its problems, it is expected to report to the City Treasurer’s Office for recalibration.

Recalibration is important to ensure that consumers are getting their money’s worth with the right quantity and quality.

The said gas station was also found to have displayed merely a photocopy of its business permit and under-declared its number of employees.

“Sa atoang balaod, original gyud. Naa gyud na sa business permit, bisa’g ato nang basahon sa ubos, nga i-display gyud ang original. Kung dili man gani original, ang photo copy nga certified thru copy gikan sa atoang BPLO,” explained Ponce.

“Murag kuwang ang gi-declare pero di sad ko ka-sure kay naa man tay kuan nga ang kada-empleyado mokuha og individual nga working permit, mao na di ma-declare sa akoang assessment. Sa akong nakita sa assessment pito ra ka rank and file. Naay tendency nga magkuha sila og individual ang uban nga mayor’s working permit. Mao na pwede ra nila dili nila i-declare didto, pero naa say wa nila gi-declare nga wa sad sila mokuha og (permit),” Ponce added.

Two other stations in the South District visited in the first day of inspection passed the inspection while another gas station was given a notice to comply within five days after lacking some documents.

The city government is deploying a separate team in the South and North District. — JMD (FREEMAN)