Unioil cuts gas price by P7, diesel by P4

Unioil Philippines Inc. yesterday rolled back its gasoline prices by P7 per liter and diesel by P4 per liter as part of its “big-time Christmas gift” to consumers and motorists.

Seaoil announced a smaller price cut of P1 per liter.

The price cuts, which came after a further drop in global crude costs, put Unioil prices on the same level as other oil firms’. The other oil companies slashed their prices by P2 last Dec. 19.

In a media advisory, Unioil said its diesel price now stands at P30.97 per liter from P34.97. Other oil firms have already been selling their diesel products at P29 per liter.

Unioil’s unleaded gasoline prices are now at P31.49 per liter from P38.99 per liter.

“This is just our company’s simple gift to the Filipino people this Christmas as our

‘Big-time Pamaskong Handog’ to the public and motorists, especially those who are going to the provinces this week, and a fulfillment of Unioil’s commitment to sell to the public high-quality petroleum products at affordable prices,” UPPI general manager Chito Medina-Cue Jr. said.

With its latest major price cut, Unioil beat other competitors to the draw by as much as P1 to P2 per liter for diesel and gasoline.

Unioil last rolled back pump prices by P6 per liter last Nov. 26. In September, it implemented “big-time” cuts of P3 per liter for diesel and P2 for gasoline.

“Unioil will continue this commitment to the public to have fair and competitive pricing,” Medina-Cue added.

Seaoil, meanwhile, said its P1 rollback “brings pump prices to P31.98 for diesel; P31.50 per liter for unleaded and P32 per liter for premium gasoline.”

Earlier, industrialist Raul T. Concepcion said a P2 rollback should be implemented before the end of the year.

High cost of spare parts hit

A transport group called on President Arroyo to order the Department of Trade and Industry to take action against traders and dealers who kept the prices of vehicle spare parts high despite the steady drop in oil prices.

Efren de Luna, president of the Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations (ACTO), lamented that the DTI has not done enough to keep spare parts prices at reasonable levels.

“We are asking President Arroyo to wake up DTI Secretary Peter Favila to order dealers and suppliers of car spare parts to roll back prices which had gone up by as much as 50 percent,” De Luna said.

De Luna said vehicle parts dealers and suppliers had attributed the steep increase in car spare parts to the skyrocketing price of oil.

“But the price of oil has already fallen. The pump prices of diesel and unleaded gasoline have already dropped. We have already rolled back jeepney fares,” De Luna pointed out.

He said cheaper spare parts would greatly help drivers and operators because maintenance costs eat up a considerable portion of their earnings. – With Rainier Allan Ronda