A total of 354 gasoline stations and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) outlets were found in violation of industry rules of the downstream sector.
In a focused inspection by the Department of Energy (DOE), 198 gas stations have violated the ‘retail rules’ while 156 LPG outlets have breached LPG Industry Rules.
DOE with various agency-partners inspected 442 oil players across 30 towns in Batangas province within one-week stretch from July 9 to 13.
“Operating without a certificate of compliance” is the common offense of the oil stations, the department said.
No definite numbers were mentioned on how many stations had committed this particular violation.
DOE has yet to make formal announcements of the penalties or sanctions enforced against the industry violators.
The department explained that such had been anchored on the initiatives of its Oil Industry Management (DOE-OIMB), which is “to guarantee that petroleum products such as liquid fuels and liquefied petroleum gas being sold in the market, are in accordance with international and national standards on quality and quantity.”
“The DOE stringently monitors businesses to ensure that our people are not shortchanged on the petroleum products they purchase,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said.
“This is very important because people pay with their hard-earned money,” Cusi added.
The department’s random inspections had been backed by the city and municipal business permits and licensing offices of Batangas province, the Department of Trade and Industry-Bureau of Philippine Standards, the Department of Interior and Local Government-Bureau of Fire Protection, and the Philippine National Police.
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