Senate President Pro Tempore Ping Lacson backed the Department of Energy (DOE)’s move to mandate fuel price adjustments, provided these remain reasonable.
Lacson said such intervention – enabled by the DOE’s authority to impose price adjustment limits during a state of national energy emergency – is far better than leaving the fuel prices to the oil firms.
“Mas makakabuti sa mas nakakaraming Pilipino ang ganitong patakaran o polisiya kesa naman ipaubaya sa oil companies ang pagtatalaga ng presyo.”
“Dapat lang gamitin ng pamahalaan ang pagdeklara ng state of national energy emergency. As long as reasonable ang gagawing computation ng DOE sa pag adjust ng presyo – pagbaba man or pagtaas ng presyo ng pump prices, mas makakabuti sa mas nakakaraming Pilipino ang ganitong patakaran o polisiya kesa naman ipaubaya sa oil companies ang pagtatalaga ng presyo,” the veteran legislator said.
“Companies are free to offer bigger discounts, but any adjustment less than the prescribed amount will trigger legal action.”
The DOE recently set a minimum rollback of P24.94 per liter for diesel, P3.41 for gasoline, and P2.00 for kerosene. DOE Secretary Sharon Garin was quoted as saying that companies are free to offer bigger discounts, but any adjustment less than the prescribed amount will trigger legal action.
Also, DOE Oil Industry Management Bureau director Rino Abad was quoted as saying violators will be charged under Section 24 of the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1998, with penalties including three months to one year imprisonment and a fine ranging from P50,000 to P300,000.
The DOE also warned it may revisit or revoke the business permits of any firm that resists the prescribed price ceiling.
Lacson pointed out that Republic Act 8479, or the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act, allows the DOE to take over temporarily or direct the operation of any person or entity in the oil industry.
“Kung tutuusin, binibigyan pa nga ng karapatan ang estado sa ilalim ng RA 8479 or Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act (Under RA 8479 or the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act), to quote – ‘when public interest so requires, the DOE may, during the period of the emergency and under reasonable terms prescribed by it, temporarily take over or direct the operation of any person or entity engaged in the industry,’” the senator concluded.
