DOE to Implement Stringent Oil Price Monitoring

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Energy (DOE) is set to issue a policy for the stringent monitoring of the prices of petroleum products as part of its initiative to protect the interest of the consumers.

Targeted to be issued by the end of June this year, the new policy enables the unbundling of the base prices of petroleum products – gasoline, automotive and industrial diesel, kerosene, jet fuel, bunker fuel oil and household and automotive liquefied petroleum gas.

“Identification of the costing for the major components of these petroleum products that may affect the pump prices would provide a higher level of transparency for our consumers, particularly the motorists,” Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi explained.

In preparation for the issuance of the new policy, the DOE, through the Oil Industry Management Bureau, is currently conducting consultations with industry stakeholders.

Initial consultations with various companies were held last May 2 at DOE’s headquarters in BGC, Taguig City.

The DOE has scheduled the conduct of two more focused-group discussions within the month to finalize the new policy.

Under the new policy, the DOE will require the oil companies to provide a weekly notice of the price adjustments (decrease, increase or no adjustment) alongside with the computation of their products’ components based on the elements involved in the international price movement, the biofuels cost and the capital/operational cost recovery.

“The weekly oil pricing updates will also be announced publicly by the oil companies to guide the consumers in making informed decisions in the management of their fuel oil requirements,” Cusi added.

Likewise, the DOE policy will require the oil companies/bulk suppliers and retail outlets to submit baseline data every end of the year for the unbundling of their base price and to comply as well with the mandatory price display board.

The new policy is pursuant to DOE’s mandate under Republic Act No. 8479, or the Downstream Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1998, to monitor both international and domestic price movements of petroleum products.

Roll Out of Crucial Energy Projects to Move Faster Now - Cusi

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Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi announced today that important energy projects will now move faster following the issuance of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Executive Order No. 30 (IRR of EO30)

Signed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte in June last year, EO 30 created the Energy Investment Coordinating Council (EICC) to streamline the regulatory procedures affecting energy projects of national importance.

“With the IRR in place, the stakeholders can now expect the prompt delivery of basic energy services to our people with the realization of vital energy infrastructures, while providing additional economic investments for us to truly compete globally,” Cusi explained.

Cusi said the IRR marks the end of slow-moving energy projects that are impeding the economic development in the country because they are hampered to a large extent by the rigid regulatory processes.

The Department of Energy (DOE) issued the IRR on 25 April 2018 through Department Circular No. DC2018-04-0013 to put into operation EO 30.

It was published in newspapers of general circulation on May 4, 2018 and is taking effect immediately.

Under the IRR, the processing of permits and licenses shall be within a maximum period of 30 days for projects declared as Energy Projects of National Significance (EPNS).

The IRR outlines the scope of EPNS and the general framework for the processing of the EPNS applications.

The 30-day deadline starts from the submission of the complete documentary requirements to the relevant agencies involved in the permitting process.

It likewise highlights the application of the principle of presumption of prior approvals. This means that a holder of the “EPNS Certificate” is presumed to have already complied with the requirements and permits from other government permitting agencies.

The IRR is consistent with the mandate of the EICC to establish a simplified approval process and harmonize the relevant rules and regulations of all government agencies involved in obtaining permits and regulatory approvals to expedite the development and implementation not only of EPNS but  other energy projects as well.

Rome Trinidad Taps Filipino Legend’s Services in Second ONE Championship Outing

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Filipina warrior Rome “Rebel” Trinidad will walk to the ONE Championship cage on Saturday, May 12 with a mixed martial arts legend by her side.

Andrew Benibe, a household name in the established local mixed martial arts scene in the Philippines, will be part of the entourage of Trinidad as she is scheduled to square off with hometown hero Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol on the undercard of ONE: GRIT AND GLORY in Jakarta, Indonesia.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for a young and dedicated cage competitor like Trinidad when she yielded to Thai standout Rika Ishige in her promotional debut this past December.

Trinidad suffered a second-round submission loss to Ishige at ONE: WARRIORS OF THE WORLD in the Thai dynamo’s homebase of Bangkok, failing to ace her maiden assignment under the ONE Championship banner.

Although the thrilling atomweight bout against Ishige put fans at the state-of-the-art Impact Arena on the edge of their seats, Trinidad was left disappointed with the outcome of the match.

“I believe that I could have done better in that match, but I came up short. I just realized that there was something missing,” she admitted.

“It was my first time to fight internationally, and I lost. It gave me motivation to keep going, get better, and be more aggressive. Most of all, it taught me to be humble in all aspects of my life,” Trinidad added.

The submission defeat to Ishige forced Trinidad to reassess on how she handles her training camp when she prepares for an upcoming bout.

During her time of contemplation, Trinidad found a much-needed help in Benibe, a former Philippine bantamweight champion who currently works a mixed martial arts trainer at Maic’s Gym in Marikina City.

“Right now, I have a tremendous support system in my training, especially with the help of my coach Andrew Benibe. He knows how to bring out the best in me,” Trinidad said of Benibe.

Having 17 professional bouts under his belt, Benibe has been a staple of the Philippine mixed martial arts circuit since 2006 and has shared the stage with the industry’s notable figures such as Mark Eddiva, Jessie Rafols, Will Chope, Reysaldo Transmonte and Mark Striegl.

Moreover, Benibe made a one-off appearance inside the ONE Championship cage when he took on Team Lakay’s Honorio Banario at the organization’s first event on Philippine soil in August 2012.

Now sitting on the coach’s stool to oversee Trinidad’s training, Benibe claimed that his pupil is ready for anything as they have been working on all elements of the game in preparation of her cage encounter with Gaol.

“We have trained her for both stand-up and grappling in anticipation of anything,” he shared. “But whatever the condition, Rome Trinidad’s best bet is a stand-up game and finishing the match with striking.”

The partnership between Trinidad and Benibe will be tested for the very first time as the Filipina combatant returns to action on Saturday to face the hot-streaking Gaol at ONE: GRIT AND GLORY.

Gaol has won two-straight matches to kick off her 2018, defeating Malaysia’s Audreylaura Boniface via first-round stoppage last January before submitting Filipina newcomer Krisna Limbaga a month later.

The 21-year-old Marikina City resident seeks to make an astonishing statement in her second ONE Championship outing as she battles Gaol at ONE: GRIT AND GLORY.

“I want to win so bad. I have dreams and aspirations as a competitor. In order to turn those into a reality, I have to win first. This is the first step,” she stated.

With the desire to reinsert her name into the winner’s column, Trinidad is confident that her support system has geared her up splendidly for her three-round clash with Gaol on Saturday

“I have the best coach in my corner. I trained with the most talented athletes in the sport for this bout. With that said, I’m oozing with confidence coming into this match because I have my team behind me,” she concluded.

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