LPG refillers roll back price by P1.50/kilo

MANILA, Philippines - Independent refillers under the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers’ Association (LPG-MA) rolled back their prices of the cooking fuel by P16.50 per 11-kilogram cylinder yesterday, the party-list group said.

“Due to the sustained drop in the international contract price of LPG, we are reducing prices by P1.50 per kilo, or by P16.50 for every 11-kg cylinder,” the LPGMA said in a statement.

The suggested retail price of independent LPG refillers is now down to a range of P640 to P670 per cylinder, the group said.

As a result of the rollback, independent refillers said their prices are now 16 to 20 percent lower than branded cooking gas.

The LPGMA said a survey of LPG retail prices showed that Petron Gasul and Solane (formerly Shellane) are being sold anywhere from P764 to P799 per cylinder.

The Commission on Elections on Thursday re-accredited LPGMA as a party-list group, enabling it to seek congressional seats in the May 2013 senatorial and local polls.

LPGMA party-list Rep. Arnel Ty pushed for the swift passage of a bill proposing to establish a one-time exchange program for the safety of consumers possessing dilapidated LPG cylinders.

The 55-member House committee on trade and industry earlier endorsed the bill for floor debate and approval. “We are totally committed to promoting the safe consumption of LPG,” Ty said.

He said the LPG cylinder exchange, swapping and rehabilitation program contained in House Bill 3976 would systematically remove and replace all defective and substandard drums in the open market.

“This will surely lessen the risk of accidental fires that may be caused by unsafe cylinders,” the lawmaker said.

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

The bill ensures that every LPG cylinder coming out of a refilling plant has gone through rigorous safety tests. Cylinders damaged from normal wear and tear would be promptly detected, repaired and re-qualified, or scrapped, as the case may be.

It also protects LPG consumers as well as legitimate industry players against fraudulent refillers and traders, hoarders, and illegal importers of second-hand and possibly harmful cylinders.