Thursday, November 06, 2008 LPG prices remain at P650 per tank
THE P60 per 11-kilo tank rollback of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices over the weekend remained nothing but news in Davao City as no implementation has been made.
Shell and Petron rolled back LPG prices by P4 per kilo or P44 per 11-kilo tank effective midnight of November 3.
Earlier on November 2, the LPG Marketers Association in Metro Manila announced a P3 per kilo rollback for LPG. This should have brought down the LPG prices to P590 per 11-kilo tank.
Last weekend too, Energy Undersecretary Zenaida Monsada said they expect prices of LPG to go down by as much as P150 per 11-kilogram tank by mid-December.
But the prices have not budged a single centavo in Davao City and the neighboring areas.
The Davao City Council wants a strict monitoring on the implementation of the rollback of gasoline and LPG prices and eventually, fare rates.
In a resolution proposed by Energy Committee Chair Pilar Braga and passed under suspended rules Tuesday, the City Council pinpointed agencies, including the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Energy (DOE), Task Force Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) of Davao City, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Price Watch and other consumer groups, to undertake the monitoring and ensure that the rollback is implemented fair and square for the sake of consumers.
"While oil companies are quick to increase prices of oil during times of crisis, they are not, however, quick to reduce prices when there are price rollbacks. A case in point is the slow pace of fare adjustment especially of taxicabs and other public conveyances," Braga said in her privilege speech earlier Tuesday.
Braga said it has also been observed that LPG price in the city practically remain the same. Thus, prices of basic necessities have also remained the same.
"The current price is P650 and this has not yet changed. Based on consultation, the prices would lower down to P500-plus na lang pero hinay-hinay. The first phase according to the LPG dealers will start bukas pa," Braga said Wednesday.
She added that the cited agencies have the responsibility to look out for the interests of the buying public, especially in these times of financial crisis so that consumers can actually purchase more out of their money.(GLP)
