Dealers roll back LPG price by 50¢/kilo

MANILA, Philippines -  Independent refillers and dealers grouped under the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers’ Association (LPGMA) party-list yesterday declared a rollback of 50 centavos per kilogram in the price of cooking fuel.

“LPGMA members are pleased to announce to consumers that effective tomorrow, May 11, LPG prices will be slashed by 50 centavos per kilo,” LPGMA party-list Rep. Arnel Ty said in a statement.

Ty, a member of the House energy committee, said the international contract price of LPG went down by more than $100 per metric ton on hopes of diminished terror threats following the killing of al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden last May 1.

“As of today, the international contract price of LPG is still down by around $90 per metric ton compared to (the price) before Bin Laden was eliminated. Independent refillers are now in a position to lower prices,” he said.

Ty said LPGMA members are reducing prices by only 50 centavos per kilo since they previously raised prices by only P2 per kilo, while the big oil companies increased their prices by P3 per kilo.

On the day bin Laden was killed, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. declared an increase of P3 per kilo in LPG prices, or P33 per 11-kilogram cylinder.

Ty and 18 other lawmakers have filed a bill seeking to establish a cylinder exchange program as one of the strategies to ensure safety in the consumption of LPG, amid the rise in accidental fires caused by defective tanks of the cooking gas.

House Bill 3976 mandates the Department of Energy to set up an LPG Cylinder Exchange, Swapping and Rehabilitation Program for the benefit of consumers who may be in possession of dilapidated and hazardous tanks.

“The cylinder exchange scheme is one of the features of our bill, which basically sets the minimum fair standards of business conduct for all LPG industry participants, from importers to down to neighborhood dealers,” Ty explained.

The bill is co-authored by Reps. Winston Castelo (Quezon City), Randolph Ting (Cagayan) Dakila Cua (Quirino), Lord Allan Jay Velasco (Marinduque), Sherwin Tugna (Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption party-list), Raymond Mendoza (TUCP, party-list) Rodante Marcoleta (ALAGAD, party-list), Pastor Alcover Jr. (ANAD party-list), Sharon Garin (AAMBIS-OWA), Ponciano Payuyo (APEC party-list), Mark Sambar (PBA party-list), Eulogio Magsaysay (AVE party-list), Catalina Leonen-Pizzaro (ABS party-list), Salvador Cabaluna III and Michael Angelo Rivera (1-CARE party-list), and Rodel Batocabe, Christopher Co, and Alfredo Garbin (AKO-BICOL party-list).