DOE conducts random inspections on gas stations

MANILA -- Department of Energy (DOE) personnel on Wednesday, May 23, conducted random inspections on 13 gas stations along Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong and Pasig in an apparent bid to ensure compliance with government policies.

The DOE representatives were deployed in order to check both the quality and quantity of petroleum products being sold to the consuming public from these stations, Retail Market Monitoring Special Concern Division head Renante Sevilla said in a press conference.

Sevilla said the inspection teams managed to verify that the quantity of fuel dispensed from the gas stations were “okay,” while some even dispensed more than what was reflected in the meter. The products dispensed also passed the DOE’s quality standards, he added.

“It is our mandate in the DOE to conduct routine inspections at gas stations to ensure that they are compliant,” he explained. It may be recalled that earlier this month, the DOE said it will demand greater transparency from the oil firms, especially on the issue of price adjustments.

The agency also announced that beginning June this year, it will be checking the unbundling of base prices of petroleum products from the port up to the retailing. “We need to ensure the public that the petroleum products they buy have the right quality and quantity, “Sevilla added.

DOE spokesperson Felix William Fuentebella earlier told the Philippine News Agency that the stricter policy aims to ensure that consumers get the right quality of oil products at the right price. (PNA)