Fuel supplies in Leyte and Samar predicted to stabilize by next week - DOE

Supplies of gasoline and diesel are predicted to stabilize in Leyte and Samar by late next week,  or in approximately seven days, said Department of Energy's Oil Industry Management Bureau Director Zenaida Y. Monsada in a phone interview with GMA News Online, Saturday.

 

“Hopefully, next week nabigyan na ng supplies lahat [ng areas]. Kumbaga, close to normalcy na,” she said.

 

Bulk plants of oil companies in Tacloban and Ormoc have already opened on Thursday. 24-hour security has been provided in bulk plants in Tacloban, while security has been augmented in Ormoc bulk plants by the private oil companies. 

 

Gas stations in Samar and Leyte have already been inspected, Monsada said. Some have resumed operations while others are being repaired.

 

Since Thursday, Tacloban's bulk plants have started supplying fuel in towns in northern Leyte, while Ormoc 'sbulk plants have meantime been supplying fuel to southern Leyte. About 120,000 liters have already been delivered to several towns in southern Leyte from Ormoc's plants last Thursday.

 

Delivery affected by gridlock

 

Samar's demand for oil is being supplied by bulk plants in Bicol. These areas are still subject to traffic and are affected by the Matnog port's gridlocked status.

 

“Healthy yung supply,” Monsada said. It is the transportation of these supplies that remains difficult to do both by land and by sea. Barges and tankards from Bicol were even affected by the gridlock in the Matnog port, she said.

 

Eastern Samar will receive supplies Saturday, Monsada said. Continuous dispatches of tankers and barges are also in progress.

 

Security remains one of the biggest obstacles in reaching all the towns of Leyte and Samar, Monsada said. Some companies have prefered to deploy trucks only during the day time when it is much safer, so the time for delivery has also been limited.

 

Moreover, many of the gas stations are still undergoing repairs, and are therefore, not operational. Some of the gas dealers have abandoned their trade or have perished during the onslaught of the typhoon.

However, Monsada assured that the prices of fuel remain at pre-typhoon rates: around 60 pesos for gasoline and about 50 pesos for diesel. But these are being resold at almost triple the price in some areas.

Fuel prices have reportedly risen rapidly in Ormoc City in Leyte, one of the areas hit hard by super typhoon Yolanda. Tricycle fares have also reportedly doubled as of Thursday, dzBB's Glen Juego reported. 
 

One tricycle driver was quoted in the dzBB report saying that fuel prices went up from P55 per liter to more than P100. Because of this, the minimum fare for tricycles has also increased from P8 to P15, the report said.

“Yung presyo na iyan hindi sa gasolinahan. Yung sa black market hindi na iyon maco-control ng companies and dealers,” she said. “Supposedly ang kakargahan lang ay sasakyan, hindi sa bote. Wag naman mag-take advantage sa situation.”

 

“Hindi pa lahat ng lugar [nabibigyan ng supply]. Kahit hindi muna punuin [ang ibang gasoline stations] para mabigyan ang mas marami,” she said.

 

48 Petron stations functioning

 

48 out of 70 Petron service stations are operational in Leyte and Samar, Petron Corporation said in a press release, Saturday. Repairs are still ongoing.

 

Petron is currently serving its retail network through its Tacloban, Ormoc, and Pasacao depots, the press release said.

 

Among the Petron service stations open and able to supply fuel in Samar and Leyte are as follows:

 

- Real, Tacloban City, Leyte

- Real/Osmena, Ormoc City, Leyte

- Magsaysay Blvd., Baybay City, Leyte

- Palo, Tacloban, Leyte

- Maharlika Highway, Campetik, Palo, Leyte

- Marasbaras, Tacloban City, Leyte

- National Highway, Poblacion, Hindang, Leyte

- San Jose, Sogod, Southern Leyte

- Pob., Hinunangan, Southern Leyte

- National Highway, Maasin, Southern Leyte

- Mantahan, Maasin, Southern Leyte

- Jose Rizal Street, Bato City, Leyte

- Sta. Sofia Padre Burgos, Southern Leyte

- L. Regis St., Sogod, Southern Leyte

- Alquino, Hilongos, Leyte

- National Highway, Poblacion Gaas Ba, Leyte

- San Juan, Southern Leyte

- Malitbog, Southern Leyte

- National Highway, Tunga, Leyte

- Bontoc, Southern Leyte

- National Highway, Pasay, Maasin City, Leyte

- Hilongos, Leyte

- Matalom, Leyte

- Poblacion, Silago, Southern Leyte

- Himatagon Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte

- National Highway, Brgy. Lunang, Hilongos, Leyte

- Brgy. Libertad, Ormoc City, Leyte

- National Highway, Mahaplag, Southern Leyte

- Central San Francisco, Southern Leyte

- Brgy. Candadam, Baybay City, Leyte

- Allen Cor San Francisco St., Catbalogan, Samar

- Del Rosario St., Catbalogan, Samar

- Maharlika Highway, Brgy. Capoocan, Calbayog City

- Poblacion 3, Maydolong, Samar

- Brgy. Nator, Taft, Eastern Samar

- Songco, Borongan, Eastern Samar

- Borongan, Eastern Samar

- Brgy. Buray, Paranas, Jiabong, Western Samar

- Salvacion, Lavezares, Northern Samar

- National Road Dolores, Eastern Samar

- National Road, Mondragon, Northern Samar

- National Highway, Kabulihan, Catbalogan, Samar

- Bobon, Northern Samar

- National Highway, San Jorge, Samar

- National Highway, Villareal, Samar

- National Highway, Old Manunca, Sta. Rita, Samar

- National Highway, Gandara, Samar

- National Highway, Dolores, Eastern Samar

 

According to Petron, a temporary station has been set up to augment the operational stations in Tacloban. Eight mobile dispensing pumps will be deployed to Tacloban and nearby areas in lieu of the damaged service stations, the press release also said.

 

These mobile dispensing pumps were donated by Japanese company Tatsuno. These pumps were developed in the wake of the March 2011 tsunami that hit northern Japan.