CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Energy – Visayas Field Office has recently conducted a compliance monitoring and inspection of liquid fuels retail outlets in the cities of Talisay, Cebu, and Mandaue.
According to DOE-VFO, this is to ensure that consumers get the right quantity of products being dispensed and are not short-changed amidst the rising cost of fuels in the world and domestic markets.
Inspectors from the Energy Industry Management Division conducted calibration checks of the dispensing machines to validate that the quantity of products being dispensed is correct.
“The move is to assure the consumers that every centavo they spent on fuels is well spent,” it said.
The inspectors use a testing instrument, called a calibrating bucket, to verify compliance with the required quantity of petroleum products being sold by retailers.
Also, samples of petroleum products were taken to check their compliance with the quality standards being implemented by the DOE.
DOE-VFO acting regional head Mark Russ Gamallo said they have not found any anomalous as to the pricing of the fuel and its calibration.
“So far, wala tay nakit-an nga nag-overpriced sa ilang nga fuel ug anomaly sa ilang calibration. As to the standards sa fuel, nagkuha pa ta og samples to check if this has complied with the Philippine Standards,” Gamallo told The Freeman yesterday.
Gamallo added that this activity is a continuous one and done all over Visayas from Region 6, 7 and 8.
“The compliance monitoring of petroleum products is a regular activity of the VFO-EIMD that has coverage all over the Visayas. Continuous monitoring will be conducted in other areas as the pandemic level now is lowered in most areas in the Visayas,” part of the statement reads.
There are over 2,000 gasoline retail outlets in the Visayas.
The DOE, meanwhile, assured the public that in spite of the increasing international price of crude oil brought about by geopolitical and technical issues in oil-producing countries, the country has a sufficient supply of petroleum products.
In its latest monitoring, the oil companies submitted stock inventories far exceeding the minimum required inventories as per DOE Department Circular. — GMR (FREEMAN)