The labor group, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines, urged the Department of Justice through its press release to investigate Petron Corp. for what it called extreme acts that have hampered smaller rivals from freely conducting business.
“At the expense of consumers, it seems that Petron now wants to enjoy superior pricing power at the pump by suppressing fair competition,” former Senator Ernesto Herrera, secretary-general of the TUCP said in the press release.
We’re afraid Petron has become the new bully in the local oil markets, considering the way it has been tormenting much smaller competitors, Herrera added.
Herrera was responding to reports that Petron has blocked independent player Eastern Petroleum Corp.’s launch of a new “megastation” at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, the press release said.
Petron is already facing a complaint for “restraint of trade” filed by Eastern, the leader of the Independent Philippine Petroleum Companies Association that excludes the Big 3 – Petron, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., and Chevron Philippines Inc. (formerly Caltex Philippines Inc.).
Cebu Rep. Eduardo Gullas earlier also complained that owing to Petron’s “unusual dominance” of the liquefied petroleum gas market, the oil firm sells its cooking fuel in the Visayas and Mindanao “at prices that are 14 percent higher” compared to those prevailing in Luzon, the press release said.
Petron has emerged as the dominant player in the LPG market, following its acquisition of Chevron’s cooking fuel business, it added.
Herrera assailed Petron, Shell and Chevron for using their business group, the Federation of Philippine Industries Inc., to “harass” independent re-fillers grouped under the LPG Marketers’ Association.
“It is wrongful for FPI to single out and attack LPG/MA, simply because independent LPG refillers happen to be direct business competitors of Petron, Shell and Chevron, which are all FPI members,” Herrera said in the press release.
FPI has asked the Supreme Court to compel the Commission on Elections to discredit LPG/MA, one of the sectoral groups duly recognized by the poll body for purposes of the party-list system, for supposedly not representing any marginal citizens, the press release said.
Like TUCP, LPG/MA has a representative in Congress through the party-list system, it added.* –The Visayan Daily Star
March –
IT’S WOMEN’S MONTH!
“Respect and support women
every day of the year/s!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands
#Report Corruption #SearchPosts #TakePicturesVideos
Monthly Observances:
Women’s Role in History Month
Weekly Observances:
Week 1: Environmental Week;
Women’s Week
Week 3: Philippine Industry and “
Made-in-the-Philippines Products Week
Last Week: Protection and Gender-Fair Treatment
of the Girl Child Week
Daily Observances:
March 8: Women’s Rights and
International Peace Day;
National Women’s Day
March 4: Employee Appreciation Day
March 15: World Consumer Rights Day
March 18: Global Recycling Day
March 21: International Day for the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination
March 23: International Day for the Right to the Truth
Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations
and for the Dignity of Victims
March 25: International Day of Remembrance of the
Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
March 27: Earth Hour
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