Screengrab of a video tutorial posted by the Department of Energy on Facebook involving the eGovPH Complaint Center (DOEgovph via Facebook)
The government has launched an initiative allowing the public to report complaints about petroleum and fuel pump prices, amid rising concerns over fuel hoarding and unauthorized price hikes.
The Department of Energy (DOE) said that Filipinos can submit reports on cases such as panic buying, fuel hoarding, gas stations that violate pricing rules, unauthorized price increases, refusals to sell fuel and fuel shortages through the eGovPH Complaint Center.
The agency advised the public to document each instance before submitting a report through the app.
According to the DOE, the following situations are subject to reporting:
Panic Buying — Gasoline stations experiencing unusually long queues.Fuel Hoarding — Individuals purchasing excessive amounts of fuel at gas stations.Non-Compliace With Fuel Pricing — Rapid or large price increases per liter within a week at gasoline stationsUnauthorized Price Increase — Fuel price hikes that do not follow set or agreed pricing.Refusal to Sell Fuel — Gas stations turning away customers who want to purchase fuel.Fuel Shortage —Gas stations having low or depleted fuel supply.
The DOE also reminded the public to report responsibly, ensuring that all information submitted is accurate and verified for benefit of the wider community.
The DOE, together with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), launched the complaint submission initiative following recent developments in the Middle East that have affected the global oil supply.
The DOE said the program aims to strengthen monitoring and ensure fair service and a sufficient supply of petroleum for all Filipinos.
The agency has imposed price caps on petroleum products nationwide, warning oil companies and retail stations that any domestic pump prices exceeding limits through March 9 will face severe administrative and criminal penalties.
It noted that the next regular fuel price adjustments are scheduled to take effect tomorrow, Tuesday, March 10.
According to reports, major petroleum firms, including Shell and Petron, have proposed incremental price hikes for the week to cushion the impact on consumers.
For Shell, the proposed price increase per liter for diesel is as follows:
March 10: P14.55 per literMarch 11: P7.30 per literMarch 12: P2.40 per liter
On the other hand, Petron has proposed incremental price hikes for diesel as follows:
March 10: P11.60 per literMarch 11: P3.80 per literMarch 12: P3.80 per liter
Diesel fuels heavy-duty engines, including sports utility vehicles, buses and trucks, among others.
The ongoing tension in the Middle East is affecting the global oil supply, with the United States and Israel engaging in military attacks against Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway south of Iran through which about a fifth of global oil and seaborne gas tankers typically pass, has been closed for a week.
The conflict has also caused production slowdowns in several oil- and gas-producing nations in the Middle East.