Cooking gas price cut by P4 per cylinder

MANILA, Philippines - Cooking gas retailers reduced prices by nearly P4 per cylinder this month following a downtrend in the international contract price for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

In a text advisory, Petron Corp. said it implemented a P.35 per kilogram rollback in Gasul and Fiesta prices effective 12:01 a.m. yesterday.

It also decreased the price of Xtend autoLPG by P.20 per liter.

“These reflect movements in the international contract prices of LPG for the month of March,” Petron said.

Isla LPG Corp. also implemented a P.32 per kilogram rollback on Solane branded LPG starting 6 a.m.

Based on the international price monitoring of the Department of Energy (DOE)-Oil Industry Management Bureau, the contract price for March amounts to $564 per metric ton, which is $9 lower than the contract price in February at $573 per MT, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi said in a statement yesterday.

DOE estimated the rollback of $9 per MT could translate to a P.36 per kilogram or around P4 reduction per 11-kilogram LPG cylinder, Cusi said.

He urged the public to ensure that every LPG cylinder they buy is of the right quantity and quality.

Based on DOE guidelines, consumers should buy LPG cylinders with proper markings – brand name, tare weight, etc. – from authorized outlets.

Consumers should also check the cylinder for rust and dents, collar and foot ring are smooth and properly welded and the seal is intact and firmly affixed to the valve.

Cusi urged the public to take extra precautions, as March is Fire Prevention Month.

“We encourage the public to regularly check the cylinder for leaks, keep it away from electrical switches and outlets and ensure that it is always in an upright position,” he said.