Gas, pump fuel, oil price (Ali Vicoy/ File photo/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Whatever happened to the Department of Energy's (DOE) strategic petroleum reserve program (SPRP)? 

This was the question left on the mind of Camarines Sur 2nd district Rep. LRay Villafuerte, who chided DOE officials for failing to help President Marcos address the ongoing fuel price surge.

“Our energy officials are not helping President Marcos deliver on his ‘walang iwanan (no one gets left behind)’ commitment to improve the lives of all Filipinos by seemingly sitting on their hands on this SFRP, whose purpose is to help cushion, especially for the poor and low-income families, the debilitating impact of spiraling day-to-day transport and food expenses," he said. 

“If the DOE on the watch of Secretary Popo [Lotilla] had only acted on this SPRP with a greater sense of urgency than the department did during the previous government, the proposed fuel reserve meant to enhance the security of fuel supply would be up and running possibly before the yearend or sometime next year,” said Villafuerte. 

The Bicolano had earlier taken to task Lotilla's predecessor, secretary Alfonso Cusi for failing to act quickly on this plan during the previous Duterte administration. 

“But it seems this SPRP is still moving at a turtle’s pace—if it is moving at all—at the DOE, given that we have heard nothing about the progress of this plan ever since it was formally put in motion exactly two years ago this month,” noted the majority leader of the powerful Commission on Appointments (CA).

What's worse is that pump fuel prices have been on an 11-week upswing, with no signs of letting up. 

Last Tuesday, local oil companies hiked pump prices by a hefty P2.50 per lito for diesel and P2.00 per liter for gasoline, 

Villafuerte cited the existence of Department Circular No. 2021-09-0028, issued by Cusi on Sept. 16, 202. It sought to establish the government-run Philippine Crude Oil and/or Finished Petroleum Products and Biofuel Reserve in a bid to, in the DOE's own words, “enhance security of fuel supply". 

“Secretary Popo and his most senior aides need to explain to us why the SPRP right now appears to be stuck where it was when the DOE was still headed by Secretary Al (Cusi) during the then-Duterte administration,” he said. 

“If they believe the SFRP is not a solution, then Secretary Popo and his most senior aides owe it to the public to explain why a fuel reserve facility will not help address our consumers’ woes over their steadily diminishing purchasing power," the Bicolano added.