LPG prices to go up December. Workers arrange empty Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) tanks at a refilling warehouse in Quezon City on Thursday, November 28. LPG prices are expected to go up by P10 per kilo— more than P100 per 11kg tank—starting December due to high winter demand for LPG in other countries. Asti Flores
According to a report by GMA News reporter Micaela Papa aired on “24 Oras” Saturday evening, some retailers are now selling 11-kg. tanks of LPG for around P870 against prevailing prices of approximately P720 to P760 per tank.
LPG retailer Grace Tabo said in the report that LPG refiller Republic Gas Corp. (Regasco) has already raised their prices.
“Hindi naman nasusunod yung effective December 1 (ang increase). One week ago, nagtaas na sila. Halos araw-araw,” she said.
Regasco owner Arnel Ty, who sits at the House of Representative for the LPG Marketers’ Association party-list, said the higher prices may have been caused by an artificial shortage.
He said retailers got less than the usual number of LPG tanks because refillers did not get enough LPG from retailers.
“Sa amin, tinaasan kami ng mas maaga, pero di naman namin ito maipasa ng ganoon kabilis. Kaya, normally po, ang mga dealer, nakikita nila na nagkakagipitan na sa produkto, nagtataas na po sila ng (presyo ng) kanilang mga produkto,” he said.
Ty said he has asked the Department of Energy to check the stocks of two oil companies who have not released enough LPG to dealers. He added that it will be difficult to prove an artificial shortage.
“Ang pinaka-mainam diyan ibalik ho natin sa regulated,” he added.
According to its website, LPGMA is an advocate for “the need of the consuming public to have access to lower-priced LPG and for them to choose to purchase any LPG brand.” — Jonathan De Santos / KDM, GMA News
