THE government has no plans to lift Executive Order (EO) 839 in the nearest time, said National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) chief Augusto Santos.

His statement is based on the result of the cabinet meeting held by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in Loboc, Bohol Tuesday.

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Santos related the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) will still have to determine if the country particularly entire Luzon is still under of state of calamity before the EO will be lifted.

“That it is the legal basis of the EO 839,” he said.

An inter-agency committee headed by the NDCC was tasked to study and determine if the state of calamity be appropriately lifted in Luzon which was hardly hit by the recent calamities.

The group is expected to meet as soon as possible to be able to come out with their decision, added Santos.

EO 839, which capped oil prices in Luzon, has been in effect since October 24 due to wrath of typhoons in the northern part of the country.

Small and big oil companies however have been incessantly opposing the EO noting that price ceiling on fuel could result to supply shortage and huge financial losses.

On Monday, Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes also made a statement that the country’s inventory of finished petroleum products would only last in eight to 13 days.

But the government did not buy these accounts, saying they do not believe that there is petroleum shortage.

“The government does not believe in what the private sector is saying and what is happening to them,” Santos said.

He also said Reyes’s statement should not create panic assuring that the government is exerting all effort to address issues on oil.

Discounts

The palace meanwhile has welcomed the suggestion of oil companies to give discounts to selected areas still coping with the wrath of calamities.

Press Undersecretary Anthony Golez said in a press briefing that compromise talks between the government and oil companies are good indication in building transparency and openness amongst the two bodies.

“The oil companies also expressed readiness to help as long as the benefits of relief would go to those who really need them,” he added.

“This has been an added benefit and hopefully from now on the oil industry will be open to communication with the government,” said Presidential adviser for economic affairs Gary Olivar who was also present in the briefing.

Confidence on Reyes

In other issues, Olivar said the President’s confidence with Secretary Reyes remained despite the chief for several times differed from the stand of the government in oil issue.

The palace official said President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo “has confidence in all of her cabinet members otherwise they would not be on her cabinet.”

He also said that Reyes has been one of the longest seating cabinet members who served the government in more than one position.

“The number of questions is not necessarily a gauge of competence. None of us should try to take it from the president her privilege of conducting her own evaluation which she does all the time of her competence with the official family,” he ended. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)