Amid looming LPG price hike, some Pinoys switch to charcoal

Some households and eateries have switched to using charcoal amid the expected increase in the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by Wednesday.

In Mav Gonzales’ report in “24 Oras” on Monday, vendor Mario Garcia is now using charcoal to prepare his coffee and soup products at the Kamuning Market.

“That’s a huge saving because, just imagine, a tank of LPG only lasts three weeks. It used to be P1,100, but now it’s P1,500. That’s only for three weeks – it’s a massive jump. Meanwhile, charcoal is P70 for one cooking session. We save a lot when we use charcoal instead,” he said. 

Garcia is also making charcoal stoves made out of metal and cement, selling these for P700 a piece to his neighbors.

“My neighbors also cook using this and I made their orders. Especially those who cook sago, they find gas too expensive. And this is durable. This lasts for up to five years, even if you use it every day,” he added. 

However, the price of each bag of charcoal has also increased.

“The price before was P450 per sack. Now, they’ve increased the selling price to us, and it has become P470. Because gasoline is so expensive and gas is so high right now, charcoal is becoming a bestseller,” said charcoal vendor Rose Villela. 

Some businesses relying on LPG are already worrying about the looming price increase for LPG.

“Our gas is almost P1,300 now, whereas it used to be only P900 plus. The increase is just too much, so how are we supposed to earn a decent profit anymore?” said eatery owner Melissa Binondo. 

However, Binondo said she has no plans of switching to other alternatives like charcoal or electric stove. 

"Instead of being able to cook faster, it would take much longer,” she said. “With an electric stove, our electricity bill will just go up. We’re left with no choice.” 

To save on costs, Binondo closes the LPG tank right after cooking their dishes for the day, and ensures that there are no leaks.

The LPG Marketers Association (LPGMA) said the price of LPG is expected to rise on Wednesday, April 1. 

They estimate that household consumers currently spend about P50 per day, assuming they cook three times a day.

“The initial information from their forecast shows an increase of $115 per metric ton. Therefore, we expect an additional cost of around P10 per kilo, or a P110 increase for an 11 kg cylinder, starting this April 1,” said LPGMA President Arnel Ty. 

“The increase of nearly P500 translates to an additional P17 in daily expenses. Therefore, we don’t believe the impact will be that significant for 80% of our consumers, who are household users,” he added. 

The LPGMA cannot say yet if the price of LPG will continue to rise. But should tensions in the Middle East subside, they expect that LPG prices will drop again as early as the following day.

Further, the LPGMA said there are ways to save on LPG consumption. 

“To save 20% on your cooking costs, try cooking everything at the same time. This means having all your ingredients ready so that the actual cooking process is faster,” said Ty. 

“Also, please do not engage in panic buying because we are not experiencing a shortage. The product is still easily available. It’s just that the price is currently quite high,” he added. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/JMA, GMA News