Bohol Gov. Edgar M. Chatto’s unrelenting efforts in rallying for the reduction of fuel costs in the region finally paid off. Fuel prices are now lower by P2 per liter in Region 7. Right after the consultative forum on oil prices last March 23 in Bohol which was left hanging despite the presence of representatives from the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other stakeholders and consumer groups in Region 7, Chatto immediately brought the matter over to the sala of the Regional Development Council (RDC) Monday in Siquijor. Chatto came across as very strong on his appeal to the RDC to help Boholanos in their fight against the ever-increasing oil prices in the region which has already reached very “alarming” levels.

“The P8 disparity in oil prices among the provinces of Bohol, Siquijor, Negros Oriental and others has given way to the likely perception that these same provinces are subsidizing the oil companies and other provinces and cities whose oil prices are comparatively lower,” Chatto informed the RDC. “This, he continued, “is possibly the effect of price wars and the proliferation of ‘white stations’ in other provinces and cities in the country,” he added. During the March 23 consultative forum in Bohol, blood pressures rose higher and tension made the venue almost reach the boiling point when Atty. Victor dela Serna asked grueling questions of the Big 3. The obstinate refusal of the Big 3 representatives to discuss the mechanics of oil pricing and to answer dela Serna’s query of “ Are you losing in your business?’” so as to avoid incriminatory statements further inflamed dela Serna.

The situation further thickened when Atty. Toby Nebrida of Caltex/Chevron repeatedly denied that his company or other oil companies do the pricing of oil products and set up the Suggested Retail Prices (SRPs) which was readily rebutted by retailer-distributor Vito Racho. It can be recalled that Cebu found itself in a similar situation two years ago, until the Province, together with Cebu’s Chambers of Commerce and various business groups, filed a case against the Big 3 oil companies, namely: Petron Corporation, Caltex/Chevron Philippines, Inc., and Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, for violation of Section 11 of Republic Act. 8479, otherwise known as the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1998. For this reason, the Province of Cebu expressed its solidarity with the other three provinces of Region VII in a Joint Manifestation, even if Cebu now enjoys a much lower price range in petroleum products than the other three provinces, on the basis that it is still, for its part, unfairly situated with regard to fuel prices in Metro Manila.

Chatto underscored the fact that this particular situation placed “undue, unwelcome and unnecessary” pressure on the labor sector of the region, as their purchasing power is seriously diminished by the rapid increase in the prices of petroleum products, while their wages and salaries continue to stay at their current low levels; and, the tremendous impact it will have on the ongoing deliberations of the Regional Wage Board because of this unexpected deviation from the normal statistical patterns on the basis of which wages in the Philippines are regularly computed. But just in a matter of four days, the Joint Manifestation of Governors Chatto, Gwen Garcia of Cebu, Orlando Fua, Jr. of Siquijor and Roel Degamo of Negros Oriental immediately paid off. Atty. Kat Nicdao of Petron sent a text message to Gov. Chatto informing of their company’s response to the public clamor to lower the high prices of petroleum products in Bohol effective Tuesday morning. As expected, Pilipinas Shell and Caltex/Chevron immediately followed suit. “The whole region is quite thankful of the initial reaction from the Big 3. However, we would still be pushing for what is actually the reasonable level of oil prices in Bohol,” Chatto beamed. (jlv/EDCom)