Filoil launches portable stations to sell cheaper fuels

Independent oil player Filoil has come up with an innovative program aimed at providing substantial discounts to the transport sector which is clamoring for lower oil prices.

The program, dubbed "Gasoline sa Barangay" introduced the Filoil Portagas station, a fully transportable and mobile steel structure that can be easily installed and set up on a maximum lot area of 300 square meters.

Filoil launched its Portagas station in Brgy. San Ramon, Dinalupihan, Bataan last week.

Unlike the traditional gasoline stations, the Portagas station entails lower investment, lower operating and overhead expenses and low rental fees, thus enabling Filoil to sell cheaper fuels.

"The program offers a long-term solution which will address the pressing oil crisis and environmental problems that plague our country by offering a continuing program where transport groups and marginal earners can enjoy monetary and non-monetary benefits," Filoil president Francisco Pasicolan said.

The marginalized transport sector will benefit from Filoil’s Gasolina ng Barangay program. It is a joint project of Filoil, the Liga ng mga Barangay sa Pilipinas and the Kapakanan ng mga Tsuper ng Transportation (2T Kooperatiba Inc.).

Filoil will finance, install, and operate the Portagas stations while the association of barangays will will assist in locating viable public or private stations sites. The 2T cooperative meanwhile, will implement the benefits for the transport sector.

There are two groups as beneficiaries of the program, namely the public transport sector composed of tricycle, jeepney, and taxi drivers organizations and the religious groups like Jesus is Lord, El Shaddai, Iglesia ni Cristo and Couples for Christ.

For the three-year program, Filoil will initially set up 320 units for all the municipalities and 42 units for the cities or a total of 352 Portagas stations in Bataan, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Quezon, Palawan, Cebu and Negros Occidental.

The program will not only offer outright fuel discounts but also non-monetary benefits such as accident insurance, promotional giveaways, and assist the members of the program in facilitating PhilHealth insurance coverage.

"This is the program’s way of translating part of the fuel costs into meaningful benefits that would compensate the consumer’s burden of currently higher prices," Pasicolan said.