CEBU, Philippines — Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supplier Republic Gas Corp (Regasco) is looking to boost its distributorship in Cebu.
Jan Yaun, the firm's general manager in Cebu, said they kept a bullish outlook on demand for LPG in Cebu.
In an interview over the weekend, he said the company's refilling plant in Barangay Cogon in Compostela, Cebu produces as much as 3,000 to 5,000 kilos of cooking gas tanks daily.
These are distributed by its around 20 partner distributors in Cebu which sell these to both household and commercial consumers.
He noted the LPG firm is likely to increase the number of its distributors to as many as 100 in the future.
He added Regasco's sister firm South Pacific Inc., is also building a storage depot in Mandaue City, which is expected to be completed within this year.
The storage facility is seen to boost its production in Cebu, he said.
As demand for LPG grows, safety remains an issue in the industry.
In a related development, the Department of Energy (DOE) has warned consumers on the emergence of illegally LPG-refilled butane canisters that circulate in provincial markets particularly in Cebu.
The DOE had been coordinating with the police to eliminate the proliferation of LPG-refilled butane canisters in the province.
The proliferation of this illegal practice is becoming even more pronounced given that 63,055 LPG-refilled and 150,821 empty butane canisters were confiscated in Cebu from early 2017 until August 2018.
DOE further urged the police to intensify their campaign against illegal traders of energy products.
DOE is mandated to ensure the safety of consumers by monitoring the quality and quantity of LPG being sold in the market.
The DOE assured the public it would continue to monitor illegal activities in the energy industry. (FREEMAN)