CAUAYAN CITY, Isabela – Following the passage of Republic Act 11592 or the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Industry Regulation Act, the Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a fresh warning to the public not to do business with unlicensed and unregulated liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sellers since their products continue to be one of the main sources of fire in many instances.
Arnel Ty, a former LPGMA party-list representative and president of Republic Gas Corp. (REGASCO), urged industry participants to guarantee the safe use of LPG or cooking gas in accordance with Republic Act 11592.
As part of the ongoing public awareness effort about the LPG Law, Ty organized the LPG Dealer Conference with the DOE to introduce the new REGASCO program and educate dealers and retailers about RA 11592 at Hotel Andrea here on March 13.
The strict implementation of RA 11592 ensures the welfare and safety of consumers as well as the community at large, Ty stressed, as it establishes comprehensive regulations for the handling, distribution, and storage of LPG, creating a setting that actively guards against potential threats.
About the trade-in (swapping) of old cylinders, Ty urges customers to “take note of the various brands, weights, and safety features of the cylinders so that they can avoid problems in the future. We guarantee that the replacement of cylinders is free and available for use. Just approach legitimate dealers.”
“The LPGMA is always here to remind everyone that it is the right of customers to expect safe and high-quality cylinders,” he said. “We may be of assistance to dealers who have not yet completed the necessary steps to obtain a Permit or License to Operate (LTO).”
Ty noted that each operational license has a five-year validity period valued at P3,500 and each trademark has a Certificate of Registration valued at P1,000.
The goal of the campaign, Ty said, is to ensure that all businesses that sell or deal in LPG products, including small retail stores and delivery services, have an operating license (LTO) and that their LPG products are handled, stored, transported, and distributed in accordance with standard procedures.
He underlined that it not only protects citizens but also makes business easier, while guaranteeing the security and welfare of their clientele.
Meanwhile, Robert Cardinales, Officer-in-Charge of the LPG Section of the DOE, said that as early as 2002, the agency discouraged the circulation of generic LPG cylinders in the market that had been circulating prior to the effectivity of the LPG Regulation Law, ones that bore “no trademark or trade name embossed, engraved, or otherwise permanently indicated.”
“It is important to have permanent marking for traceability, maintenance for repair and quality, and to penalize the owner for responsibility should there be an incident,” he said.
LPG firms decided to change the canisters in January and are expected to replace them all in the month of October 2024, the end of the grace period stipulated by the law, Cardinales said.
Ty also disclosed that on March 25, there will be a Memorandum of Agreement between the Philippine National Police and DOE for the uniformed men to assist and take action or catch up to the barangay level with those who violate RA 11592.
In addition to the LPGMA information, Ty stated that DOE will activate the Regional Program Implementation Task Force (RPITF) in the next two months “in a way that we in the private sector, like REGASCO, will be an instrument of the agency as their multiplier.”
“After being elected as mentors of the RPITF, we can open a cylinder swapping center in the area. Next, a task force will visit all of the LPG establishments to remove outdated and subpar cylinders in exchange for better ones,” Ty said.
Isabela and Cagayan provinces have the largest number of distributors of LPG in the region.
The Dealers and Retailers Conference commenced in Tuguegarao City on March 13 and Santiago City on March 15.
Ty reiterated that the adoption of the LPG Law marked a significant advancement in the country’s efforts to encourage safe LPG use.
The law, which entered into effect in 2021, also specifies penalties for non-compliance, including fines and jail time, to maintain public safety.
The Department of Energy is the principal government agency tasked with carrying out and enforcing RA 11592.
The LPG industry and its participants are subject to regulations, supervision, and monitoring to guarantee adherence to health, safety, security, and environmental standards, as well as applicable Philippine National Standards and other recognized codes and standards.