The Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Trade Commerce and Industry on Monday announced the holding of a joint committee, with concerned SP committees inviting agencies and stakeholders on the rise of prices of oil amid the Middle East tensions.
SP Trade, Commerce, and Industry Committee Chair Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz told the media on Monday that while they had inquired from oil depot terminal managers on the session the same day, they need more explanation on pricing not just on the availability of supply.
The main purpose of the hearing will be on pricing and supply.
“First question ma control ba ang pricing, wala ba sanang hoarding, yung ang gustong ma-establish ng committee that they can assure the committee na walang mga ganoon na pangyayari dito sa Davao (Our first question is whether pricing can be effectively controlled. We also seek to ensure that no hoarding is taking place. The committee would like to obtain assurance that such practices are not occurring here in Davao),” Ortiz said.
During the Monday session, depot terminal managers from five oil companies- Insular Oil, Petron Group, My Gas, Chevron Phils, and Phoenix- assured that they still have supply for April which could extend up to May or up to June for some.
“They can let’s say assure the public na may supply sila until April, huna-hunaon nato we are now March 30 we can say may scarcity na ng supply should that happen. Pero maka-extend pa daw sila up to 30 days and ang iba they can extend up to June (They can, let’s say, assure the public that they have sufficient supply until April. Considering that it is now March 30, we can say there may already be a shortage of supply should that situation arise. However, they said they can still extend it for up to 30 days, and others can extend their supply until June),” she said.
Ortiz expressed that these did not answer some questions and that the public are concerned about the situation, which calls for another committee hearing to discuss further the effect of the oil crisis.
“Ang specific topics na gusto kong malaman today during the plenary, the key inquiries are the pricing and its specific components, and yung kaning response during emergency situation at ano yung strategic plans nila kasi if nagkulang tayo ng supply, there might be chaos (The specific topics I would like to learn about today during the plenary are the key inquiries on pricing and its specific components, as well as their response during emergency situations and their strategic plans, because if we experience a shortage in supply, there might be chaos),” she said.
Ortiz said that aside from oil companies, the joint committee hearing set after the Holy Week
will be participated in by the Committee on Energy, Committee on Agriculture Food and Animal Welfare, Committee on Transportation and Communication, Committee on Labor and Employment, and Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management.
Invited are concerned city offices, and other government offices and agencies such as regional offices of the Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, Department of Trade and Industry, Davao Light, Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Chamber of Commerce. CIO