By Myrna Velasco
In a focused inspection carried out by the Department of Energy (DOE) in Batangas province last week, it apprehended a total of 354 gasoline stations and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) outlets that have been in breach of the industry rules of the downstream oil sector.
“Inspection findings showed that 198 gas stations have violated the ‘retail rules’; while 156 LPG outlets have breached LPG Industry Rules,” the energy department has stipulated in a media statement.
The department noted that a common offense of the oil stations had been “operating without a certificate of compliance.”
No definite numbers were given how many stations had committed this particular violation.
For the LPG players, the department emphasized that infractions include “operating without a standards compliance certificate, selling cylinders that are non-compliant with Philippine National Standards, as well as few cases of under-filling.”
For the LPG players, the department emphasized that infractions include “operating without a standards compliance certificate, selling cylinders that are non-compliant with Philippine National Standards, as well as few cases of under-filling.”
As of press time, the DOE noted that it has yet to make formal announcements on the penalties or sanctions enforced against these industry violators.
The DOE, along with various agency-partners, surveyed and had inspected 442 oil players across 30 towns in the province of Batangas within one-week stretch from July 9-13.
The department explained that such had been anchored on the initiatives of its Oil Industry Management Bureau (DOE-OIMB) “to guarantee that petroleum products, such as liquid fuels and liquefied petroleum gas being sold in the market, are in accordance with international and national standards on quality and quantity.”
As stressed by Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, “the DOE stringently monitors businesses to ensure that our people are not shortchanged on the petroleum products they purchase.”
The energy chief added that “this is very important because people pay with their hard-earned money.”
Cusi noted that the focused inspection of petroleum products being retailed to Filipino consumers is also taken as a form of empowering end-users – because this ensures product quality commensurate to the pesos being paid to the commodity sellers.
The energy chief expounded “we empower consumers by upholding right quantity and quality petroleum products, while strengthening our collaboration with industry stakeholders for proper guidance on running an energy business.”
The DOE contingent in the inspections had been backed by the city and municipal business permits and licensing offices of Batangas province, the Department of Trade and Industry-Bureau of Philippine Standards, the Department of Interior and Local Government-Bureau of Fire Protection and the Philippine National Police.