Gasoline station owners dealing gas and fuel for three major oil companies have committed to dropping their pump prices by P2.00 in the city and province.
This comes several weeks after Cabinet Sec. Karlo Nograles and local officials called their attention on their “exorbitant” gas and fuel prices.
Patrick Tan, operations sales and marketing manager of William Tan Enterprise, Inc. (WTEI), dealer of Caltex, said during a committee meeting Friday that the price reduction is a result of the series of discussions with the city and provincial governments and at least three major oil companies.
Tan said the P2.00 decrease will be effective next week.
It is also different from the regular rollbacks when global crude prices slump due to slower demands and supply build-ups.
“Napa-approve na ang P2.00 na baba presyo, pumayag naman ang head office basta makita nila na active ang government natin sa i-implement ang batas laban sa mga illegal na nagbebenta ng gasoline. Kung may rollback po ay ibabawas pa itong P2.00,” he said.
Tan said that Petron and Shell also committed to doing the same, but WTEI will already implement starting early next week.
“Ang Petron at Shell naman kakausapin nila ang mga heads nila. Ang good news dito kahit alam ko na kulang pa rin ay bababa ang presyo ng up to P2.00 per liter ang tatlong big companies dito sa Palawan starting next week. Province-wide ito except sa Taytay [kasi mura ang fuel sa kanila],” he said.
Tan explained this is because the municipality has what they call an existing “price war” or those with illegal competitors.
Taytay is one of the areas where other sources of fuel are entering without regulation, which is the reason why prices are cheap.
“Kung napansin ninyo, mababa ang presyo sa Taytay. ‘Yan ang tinatawag namin na may price war, ‘yong may gulo sa area like may mga pumapasok na ibang source of fuel at nagbabagsak presyo doon. Abonado ang company dyan, ina-absorb nila ang loses ng gasoline station. For example, Petron Taytay kahit ibaba nila ng P10.00 ‘yan ‘yong mark up ng retailer ay P3.00 pa rin. Wala talagang mark up ang gasoline station,” Tan said.
Tan also explained that fuel prices are unregulated because they depend on the company. This should be considered, he said, by the consumers.
He added that oil companies also impose fines on gasoline stations that do not follow current gas and fuel prices.
“Sana maintindihan nila na ang may control sa price ay ‘yong head office hindi ang mga nandito sa station. For example, sasabihin nila na P50.00 ang price ng diesel dyan ngayon sa Palawan ay ‘yon dapat ang sundin namin kasi kapag binawasan or sumobra kami ay mumultahan kami. Kaya nga dahil sa paulit-ulit na mga patawag sa amin dito ay kami na ang nag-reach out sa head na babaan na ang price. ‘Yong mga tao kasi nagagalit pero hindi nila alam ang nangyayari,” he added.
City mayor Lucilo Bayron, on the other hand, expressed his appreciation to the gas dealers. He was in the meeting, he said, to ensure that oil companies and gas dealers will follow the price drop.
“Kung bababa lahat masaya at maganda ang takbo ng mga negosyo, sana ganoon lahat,” Bayron said.
“Noong nag-research kami ay P2.00 ang transport cost per liter, kung halimbawa galing ng Manila ay P50.00 naman. Dapat P52.00 lang ang benta pero sobra-sobra doon ang presyo. Naiintindihan namin na hindi niyo control pero puwede ninyong iparating ‘yan, naniniwala kami na maibababa pa ‘yan,” Bayron said.
He said that fuel prices are connected with the different aspects of the economy.
“Talagang malaki ang patong dito. Ang cost kasi nito ay may kinalaman sa lahat sa energy at transport, lahat ay dependent sa fuel. Kapag bumaba ‘yan generally bababa rin ang ibang bilihin dito,” Bayron added.
Libis KANTODA Association Board of Directors Abdel Ambutong also said that it will be an advantage to the transport sector.
“Sa amin ay pabor po ito syempre. Malaking tulong po ito kasi ang habol namin ang lumaki ang kita at puhunan namin ang gasolina. Kapag bumababa ang gasolina ay lalaki rin po ang kita namin,” he said.
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