DOE expects LPG prices to fall in coming months

The price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is expected to go down in the coming months, the Department of Energy (DOE) said.

According to Maki Pulido’s "24 Oras" report on Thursday, the DOE said there is an indication of a price rollback due to weak demand in the global market, particularly in Europe, the United States, China, Mexico, South Korea, and Japan.

As of June 1, 2022, household LPG prices in Metro Manila were estimated to range from P879.20 to P1,107.09

“Ang susunod po para sa July, malalaman natin around June 30. ‘Yung trend ng price ang kaya nilang i-project, pero hindi ‘yung amount,” DOE Director Rino Abad said.

(We will know the next price range for July around June 30. The price trend is what they can project, but not the amount.)

The department, however, said that the LPG price is seen to rise again in October ahead of the winter season in the northern hemisphere.

“Diyan bumabalik 'yung surge ng demand dahil nagpiprepare naman ‘yan sa winter time from December up to March,” Abad said.

(That is where the surge in demand returns as they prepare for winter from December until March.)

Meanwhile, carinderia owners turn to firewood to save money amid the rising price of LPG.

“Three hours po bago lumambot [karne] kaya po malaking bagay po is yung ikakahoy muna namin siya then pagmalambot na tsaka po namin ilalagay sa LPG, mas nakakatipid po kami,” carinderia owner Gerald Cajucom said.

(It takes three hours for meat to become tender, so it is better that we cook it using firewood first, and when it softens, we will use LPG, so we can save more money.)

Cajucom expressed hope that the price of LPG will fall in order to make their food more affordable to the public.

“Parang domino effect po, pagkamababa po 'yung gas at LPG na ginagamit ng mga carinderia, 'yung presyo po ng ulam namin is bababa po. Minsan nga po kalahati na lang inoorder ng mga tao pinagkakasya po nila,” Cajucom said.

(It's like a domino effect. When the cost of gas and LPG used by carinderias falls, so does the cost of our dishes. [But now] People will sometimes order half a serving and make do with it.) —Richa Noriega/VBL, GMA News