Saturday, December 20, 2008 Oil firms cut prices by P2 per liter
OIL companies said Friday the prices of petroleum products would be slashed anew by P2 per liter.
Edgar Chua, country manager of Pilipinas Shell, said the P2 per liter price cut that would take effect Saturday midnight is their “Christmas gift” for motorists.
“(The) rollback is because of the appeal of Energy Secretary (Angelo Reyes) for Christmas,” Chua added.
The latest rollback, according to Chua, is already a “full reduction for the rest of the year.” People can expect further reductions next month, he said.
But Chua said they cannot give the P10 reduction being asked by some transport groups.
Raffy Ledesma, public affairs officer of Petron Corporation, echoed Chua.
Since August, gasoline and diesel prices have been reduced by a total of P27.50 per liter and P24.50 per liter, respectively.
Chevron Philippines and independent oil firms implemented the same rollback.
The Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston), the largest transport group in the country, scoffed at the P2 per liter price rollback branding the amount as “measly.”
Piston secretary general George San Mateo said oil companies should lower their pump prices to P26 per liter “considering that the prices of fuel in the international market is now down to $40 per barrel from the $147 per barrel way back in July.”
Piston, along with the Pangkalahatan Sanggunian ng Manila at Suburbs Drivers Associations (Pasang Masda), held Friday a protest caravan from Quezon City Memorial Circle to Makati to demand a P26 per liter oil prices.
San Mateo warned that they would stage more protests starting January next year if oil companies refuse to implement a much bigger price cut.
“We will not stop until our demand is granted,” he said. (MSN/AH/Sunnex)
