Press Release September 14, 2020 Gatchalian seeks transparency in the oil industry to protect consumers Senator Win Gatchalian raised the need for transparency in the downstream oil industry in the pricing mechanism for pump prices of fuel products. The Chairman of the Senate Energy Committee made the call following a Supreme Court ruling barring a Manila trial court from directing the Bureau of Customs (BOC), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and Commission on Audit (COA) to open and examine the books of accounts of Petron Corporation, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, and Chevron Philippines for alleged monopoly and collusion. The SC even ruled that under Republic Act No. 8479 also known as the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1988, the Department of Energy and the Department of Justice (DOE-DOJ) Task Force is mandated to investigate and file the necessary complaints with the proper court against erring oil companies. "I'm planning to file a bill that will give more teeth to existing laws in the downstream oil industry and we are studying ways to strengthen the anti-trust safeguards in RA 8479 and how it can interact with the Philippine Competition Act," Gatchalian said. The Anti-Trust Safeguards stipulated in RA 8479 ensures fair competition and prevents cartels, monopolies, and predatory pricing in the industry. Many consumers have been complaining that whenever world crude prices increase, these major players instantly hike prices despite the fact that they had purchased their inventories at a much lower price long before the scheduled increase, prompting the senator to look into the uniform price adjustments of the 'Big 3' oil companies. The lawmaker hit the lack of transparency in the pricing mechanism that is why the doors are wide open to speculations of possible collusion among the 'Big 3' to manipulate pump prices. Based on the DOE's Oil Industry Management Bureau (OIMB) year-end comprehensive report for the fiscal year 2019, the three major oil players continue to have a stronghold of the country's petroleum product market share cornering 50.65 percent of the total demand. Of the three oil giants, Petron Corporation enjoys 24.59 percent of the market share followed by Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation with 18.49 percent while Chevron Philippines comes in third with 7.57 percent. "The promise of the law is to provide reasonable prices, encourage competition and investments. The cut-throat competition among oil companies leading to lower prices, which was envisioned when RA 8479 was enacted, is simply not happening," Gatchalian ended. ### Suriin ang book of accounts ng 'Big 3' oil companies para sa makatarungang presyo -- Gatchalian Iginiit ni Senador Win Gatchalian ang pagpapatupad ng tamang presyuhan ng mga produktong petrolyo sa merkado. Para magkaalaman aniya, mainam na buksan ang books of accounts ng tatlong higanteng kumpanya ng langis. Kamakailan lamang ay nagpasiya ang kataas taasang hukuman na baligtarin ang kautusan ng Manila Trial Court noong 2019 sa Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Commission on Audit (COA), at Bureau of Customs (BoC) na pabuksan sa Petron Corporation, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, at Chevron Philippines ang kanilang books of accounts. Sabi ng Korte Suprema hindi raw ito mandato ng mga nasabing ahensiya ng gobyerno. Bagkus, sa ilalim ng Section 14 ng Republic Act No. 8479 o ang Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1988, ang Department of Energy at Department of Justice (DOE-DOJ) Joint Task Force ang may mandatong magsagawa ng mga imbestigasyon at magsampa ng kaukulang kaso laban sa mga pasaway na kumpanya ng langis. "Balak kong maghain ng panukalang batas na magpapaigting sa kasalukuyang batas sa industriya ng downstream oil. Pinag-iisipan ko na rin ang ilang mga paraan para mas patatagin ang anti-trust safeguards na nasa RA 8479 at kung papaano ito iuugnay sa Philippine Competition Act," ayon kay Gatchalian. Ang probisyon ng anti-trust safeguards sa RA 8479 ay may layong panatilihin ang patas na kumpetisyon at maiwasan ang kartel at monopolya na siyang nagdidikta ng hindi makatarungang presyo sa merkado. Maraming mga mamimili ang umaalma sa kalakaran ng pagtataas ng presyo ng mga produktong petrolyo. Nagtataka sila kung bakit sa tuwing tumataas ang presyo ng langis sa pandaigdigang pamilihan ay agaran din ang sabay-sabay na pagatataas sa presyo ng tinaguriang "Big 3"kahit na nauna na silang mag-angkat ng langis bago pa tumaas ang presyo sa world market. Kaya minarapat ng chairman ng Senate Committee on Energy na busisiing mabuti ang galawan sa presyo. Mariing sinabing ng senador na dahil sa kawalan ng 'transparency', umiingay ang ispekulasyon na may monopolya o sabwatang nangyayari sa pagitan ng tatlong malalaking kumpanya para manipulahin ang presyo sa merkado. Sa kasalukuyan, ang downstream oil industry ay patuloy na pinangungunahan pa rin ng mga tinaguriang 'Big 3' oil companies kahit na mahigit tatlong dekada nang naisabatas ang Oil Deregulation Law. Base sa 2019 year-end comprehensive report ng Oil Industry Management Bureau (OIMB) ng DOE, pinakamalaki ang market share ng Petron (24.59%), pumapangalawa ang Shell (18.49%) at pangatlo ang Chevron ( 7.57%). "Kailangan ng transparency. Sa maraming pagkakataon na inakala nating mangyayari nuong maisabatas ang Oil Deregualtion Law, tulad ng pagbunsod ng kumpetisyon sa industriya at makatuwring pag-pepresyo ng mga produktong petrolyo, hanggang ngayon ay suntok sa buwan," pagtatapos ni Gatchalian. |
Wednesday, April 17
Tuesday, April 16
|