Stop fuel price hikes, gov’t told

THE Department of Energy (DoE) and Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) should look at preventing fuel price hikes in parts of the country under a state of calamity after being battered by Severe Tropical Storm Trami (Local name: Kristine), a congressman said on Monday.

The DoE and ERC could suspend the administrative and regulatory fees being charged to oil companies to temporarily halt the increase of fuel products in typhoon-affected regions, Quezon Rep. Reynante U. Arrogancia said.

“We call upon the Department of Energy and Energy Regulatory Commission to stop by whatever legal means available the imposition of any fuel price increases in the areas under state of calamity devastated by Typhoon Kristine,” he said in a statement.

Typhoon Trami inundated Bicol and Calabarzon regions with flooding last week, affecting 6.7 million Filipinos nationwide and leaving 97 dead in its wake, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s (NDRRMC) situational report published on Oct. 28.

A total of 160 cities and municipalities have declared a state of calamity due to the typhoon, the same NDRRMC report stated.

“It would be the height of corporate callousness and inhumanity for the oil companies to inflict higher fuel prices on the provinces, cities, and towns flooded by [Typhoon] Kristine,” Mr. Arrogancia said.

He urged consumer groups to file a petition before Philippine courts, calling for a temporary restraining order against any fuel price increases by at least 30 to 60 days. “If a constitutionality case can be made to force the oil firms to stop their fuel price hikes, then that legal path must be pursued.” — Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio