THE Bacolod City Council has approved a resolution requesting Mayor Greg Gasataya to examine possible fuel contamination and to strictly enforce an existing ordinance prescribing the calibration and sealing of dispensing pumps in all retail outlets in the city.
The resolution was authored by Councilor Wilson Gamboa Jr., chairperson of the City Council committee on human rights.
Gamboa said the City has an existing Ordinance 601, Series of 2012, which prescibes the “calibration and sealing of dispensing pumps of liquid petroleum products retail outlets in the City of Bacolod imposing fess in the registration, sealing of dispensing pumps, providing penalties in violation thereof, and for other purposes.”
As provided in the City Ordinance, he said all fuel dispensing pumps in the city must be regularly examined and spot-checked to ensure compliance with regulations.
He added that controlling fuel contamination of impurities through proper sealing and calibration of dispensers protects consumers from over-charging and under-dispensing, saving them from significant fuel loss and upholding safety standards and fuel efficiency.
Gamboa noted that City Ordinance 601 applies to all businesses engaged or intending to engage in the business of retailing liquid petroleum products in the City and it clearly and comprehensively provides regulations for calibration and sealing of dispensing pumps, fees and penalties, among others.
He said the existing ordinance calls for its strict implementation by calibrating and sealing fuel dispensers to ensure accurate fuel measurement, which not only safeguards consumers’ vehicle performance and safety, but also prevent financial losses among fuel retailers caused by inaccurate dispensing.
Amid the Middle East tensions causing sudden rise in fuel prices, he added that the call for the strict enforcement of the calibration and sealing of fuel dispensers ordinance ensures that every liter delivered must be accurately measured and free from impure contamination. This, he said, is not just a regulatory duty but a moral obligation as well. (MAP)
