MANILA, Philippines - Consumer & Oil Price Watch (COPW) chairman Raul T. Concepcion yesterday called for the passage of the LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) bill.
In pushing for the passage of the bill, Concepcion expressed his deep concern as to who will protect consumers from unsafe and underweight LPG cylinders.
“LPG cooking gas is a basic commodity that consumers use particularly those belonging to the C, D, and E economic classes,” Concepcion said.
The major players supplying LPG cooking gas are Petron, Shell, Liquigaz, Total, Petronas, and Pryce Gas. About 30 percent of the country’s requirement is produced locally while 70 percent is imported.
Concepcion is concerned that while six million of the LPG tanks being used nationwide are in good condition, there are three million tanks that are unfit for use and must be condemned as scrap, and another three million tanks that are due for repair and testing by requalifiers accredited by the DOE-DTI-BPS (Bureau of Product Standards).
He noted that Sen. Mar Roxas, chairman of the Senate committee on trade and commerce, Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, and Rep. Rodolfo Plaza unanimously agreed during the Senate hearing on Aug. 3, 2009 on the urgent need to pass the LPG Bill.
For the protection of the consumers, their homes and property, Concepcion urged Congress to pass the pending LPG bill with utmost priority.
“We need a law that will give the necessary powers to our regulatory and enforcement agencies so that they can stop and punish illegal activities that not only cheat Filipino consumers but threaten their lives and property as well,” Concepcion said.
He also suggested that the LPG industry be placed under the supervision of the Department of Trade and Industry and not the Department of Energy.
“Under the Deregulation Law, the accreditation of importers of cooking gas is no longer done by the DOE as they maintain that free market forces should prevail and other government agencies should perform this function,” he said.
Concepcion said, “The LPG bill should include the granting of powers to the DTI to accredit importers and suppliers of LPG and LPG cylinders, set and implement safety and accurate filling standards, and impose sanctions and penalties on erring importers, refillers and marketers.”
“The DTI can perform this function as they have the regional network for monitoring prices of basic commodities including the LPG cooking gas,” Concepcion said.