MikeLigalig.com

By Bohol Chronicle

Boholanos were in for a rude awakening when oil companies slapped a hefty price increase on petroleum products starting yesterday.

The price adjustment came as motorists air complaint on why fuel prices in Bohol are higher compared to other provinces even as figures also showed that fuel prices are higher in the city than in the towns.

Consumers will now shell out an additional P2/liter for diesel, P0.75/liter on regular gasoline, unleaded P1.50/liter, special gasoline products from Shell (Premium) P1.50/liter, Petron (XCS) P.80/liter and Caltex (Techron) P1.50/liter and Kerosene P2.00/liter (Caltex), P2.10 (Petron) and P1.50 (Shell)

The latest round of pump price hike implemented by Petron, Shell and Caltex are as follows:
        Petron   Shell    Caltex   
    Diesel/Liter   P41.40   P41.40   P41.40   
    Regular/Liter   48.05   48.75   48.80   
    Unleaded/Liter   50.50   50.50   50.50   
    Special/Liter   50.50   51.50   50.50   
    Kerosene   44.45    45.00    44.75   

Motorists here started to air their complaint on why prices of petroleum products hold different prices, depending on where your friendly gas stations are located.

Reports reaching the CHRONICLE revealed that consumers in some northern towns in the province, notable Ubay and Jetafe are enjoying lower pump prices compared to Tagbilaran even as operators of gasoline stations are mainly getting their supplies from the Tagbilaran depot.

Ubay consumers are reportedly enjoying the fruits of a price war among the four gasoline stations - Shell, Petron, Caltex and one unbranded station or "white station".
         

DYZD-Ubay correspondent Winnie Reyes reported yesterday that diesel is P1.40/liter lower than the price in Tagbilaran, regular gasoline by P2/liter, unleaded P0.75/liter and Kerosene lower by an average of P1.48.

Operators of public utility vehicles plying the Tagbilaran-Ubay route told DYRD Balita that they usually gas up in Ubay rather than in Tagbilaran.

To keep up with the competition, observers suspect that the "big three" - Petron, Shell and Caltex are subsidizing a portion of their operator's profit margin so as not to loose their market share.

The so called "white station" get their supply from sources whose prices are comparatively lower than the Tagbilaran depot.

Bohol has an estimated 65 gasoline stations with Petron and Caltex with the most number of gasoline stations at 26 and 22, respectively while Shell operates 17 gasoline stations more or less not counting several of these unbranded or "white stations".

Meanwhile, consumers are awaiting word from the Department of Energy (DOE) on the price disparity of pump prices here in Tagbilaran compared to neighboring provinces.

Cagayan based columnist Claro Alcordo told the Chronicle that average price of unleaded gasoline in Cagayan de Oro City is P47/liter while premium gasoline retails at P48/liter which is P2 to P3/liter lower than Tagbilaran prices. Aside from the "big three" oil companies, several independent oil players are present in Cagayan de Oro.

Alcordo added that they source their supplies from Davao City.

Gov. Edgar Chatto assured consumers to bring this up with Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras even as queries were raised on why independent oil players such as SeaOil, Flying V, Total and Phoenix are not setting up gasoline stations in Bohol.

The never ending spectacle of pump price increases - the 3rd since February raises the question on the price of gasoline at the pump responding quickly to world oil price increase but slow to adjust with minimal rollbacks when oil prices drop. (CMV)

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