Open books to gain sympathy, oil firms told
A MALACAÑANG official yesterday oil companies should not expect to gain public sympathy unless they open their books.
Gary Olivar, deputy presidential spokesman for economic affairs, said oil companies should quit hiding behind the Oil Deregulation Law and be more transparent, more cooperative and comply with the policies of government.
"You cannot have your cake and eat it too," he said.
Olivar and deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said no oil company is exempted from Executive Order 839, signed last Oct. 23, which calls on industry players to revert prices of petroleum products to the Oct. 15 level due to the destruction by typhoon "Pepeng."
Both officials said there is no basis to include the Visayas and Mindanao in the covered area since the state of emergency is limited only to Luzon.
"EO 839 stands on its own. It is a specific and short-term response to the state of calamity situation in a specific part of the country which is the island of Luzon," Olivar said.
Prices of fuel products in Visayas and Mindanao have gone up by as much as P6 to P7.
The Energy department said prices of oil sold in Luzon would have gone up by about P2 had EO 839 not been issued last week.
Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera asked media and motorists to monitor compliance by oil companies with EO 839 and report any violations to her department.
"As far as documentary requirement is concerned, they (oil firms) have complied with the EO, but I don’t know if this compliance is really being practiced. That’s why I ask for the help of the media to help us gather information from the man on the street on the actual compliance of prices displayed," she said.
Devanadera said the DOJ-Department of Energy Task Force is considering the opening of a hotline where the public could report violators.
She said documentary reports submitted to the DOJ-Department of Energy Task Force showed oil companies have been complying, but this does not necessarily translate to actual implementation.
Devanadera shrugged off claims of oil companies that the EO 839 might result in a supply shortage because the companies would be operating at a loss.
"Sana ay huwag na natin pahirapan ang sarili natin, huwag na tayo magtakutan. Kung mawalan man ng supply ang mga firms, maraming pwedeng gawin ang pamahalaan under the Oil Deregulation Law. We can always go into inquiry, investigation or opening of the books. We can also take cognizance of supply and world market prices," she said.
The Pinag-Isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytors Nationwide (Piston) transport group urged government to set a nationwide uniform price for diesel prices using the P28 per liter price in Metro Manila.
Piston said it is concerned about reports that oil companies have hiked pump prices in Visayas and the Mindanao region to compensate for the price cap in Luzon.
Piston secretary general George San Mateo said the price hikes imposed in the Visayas and Mindanao regions have led to the upsurge in diesel prices from P37 to P39 per liter.
The militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) said pump prices are still overpriced by P5.48 a liter.
The alleged overpricing translates to extra profits of about P212.38 million daily on top of oil companies’ regular profits, Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes said.
Broken down, Reyes said Petron is earning extra profits of around P82.19 million daily; Shell P63.5 million; Chevron, P29.94 million; Total, P9.56 million; and other players, P27.18 million. – With Evangeline de Vera and Ashzel Hachero
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