Tuesday, September 13, 2016

DOE commits to go after illegal LPG tank refillers



by Lenie Lectura - September 12, 2016

THE Department of Energy (DOE) has committed to go against illegal liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) refilling activities, the Independent Philippine Petroleum Companies Association (Ippca) said on Monday.
The group added that it found an ally in its fight against illegal LPG refillers who refill the branded cylinders owned by other companies. 
Ippca said Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi acknowledged the DOE could be held administratively and criminally liable if it does not protect the interest of consumers and industry stakeholders.
Ippca added that Cusi also attributed the proliferation of illegal refillers to the deregulation of LPG refilling, which allowed anyone to just set up and open shop anywhere. 
Ippca said Cusi also proposed to revisit existing regulations and work on improving the standards industry stakeholders should subscribe to, which includes penalizing and preventing refillers from refilling other companies’ cylinders. Fernando L. Martinez, Ippca president, said the group has always been willing and committed to helping the government address the issue.
Industry players invest heavily in these LPG cylinders, but eventually end up losing their cylinders to unscrupulous players, who lure consumers with lower-priced refill packages. However, consumers are usually shortchanged as their cylinders are either underfilled or replaced with substandard cylinders. 

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