LPG SUMMIT. The Department of Energy brings industry participants and partner government agencies together for a two-day Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Regional Summit at a hotel in Iloilo City starting on May 24. The summit aims to educate stakeholders on the new Republic Act 11592 or the LPG Industry Regulation Act. (PNA photo by PGLena)
ILOILO CITY – The Department of Energy on Wednesday said stiffer penalties await those illegally selling Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) under Republic Act 11592 or the LPG Industry Regulation Act.
Rey Maleza, chief of the DOE Visayas Field Office Energy Industry Management Division, said unlicensed LPG sellers still abound in Western Visayas based on previous issuances as well as ongoing monitoring and inspections.
“We call them fly-by-night. They don’t even have fire safety inspection certificate,” he said in an interview at the sideline of the two-day LPG Summit being held in a hotel in this city from May 24 to 25.
He said that they often sell the LPG together with other merchandise or even inside their houses or subdivisions.
“That’s the thing we would like to eliminate because it’s a fire hazard. LPG is not an ordinary product. When you bring this at home, it’s like you are bringing with you a time bomb because there is a chance that when the cylinder is defective, it might result in loss of property or life,” he added.
He said that under RA 11592, anyone caught selling without a license will face a penalty of PHP5,000 per day of operation on the first offense, from the previous fixed amount of PHP60,000.
Retailers failing to comply with the standards and requirements on safety design, safety practices, LPG, and measuring devices will be fined PHP300,000 from the previous warning on the first offense and PHP10,000 on succeeding offenses.
The penalties have been increased because they wanted to protect the end consumers, he added.
Maleza explained that the new law aimed to ensure that industry participants are compliant with regulations.
He called on consumers not to patronize unlicensed sellers because follows that they are also selling non-compliant products.
Meanwhile, LPG Marketers Association Party-list Rep. Arnel Ty said that the LPG regional summit is aimed at educating consumers, industry participants, and partner government agencies about the new law regarding LPG and urging them to abide by its provisions.
Six regional summits have been held in Luzon and two in Visayas. Summits will be also held in Mindanao next month. (PNA)
