Oil Cartel? Winnie Monsod and Ralph Recto should try gassing up in Batangas City

On Tuesday, September 15. 2009, we found in Minnie Monsod's blog site -Is there an oil cartel in the Philippines? http://blogs.gmanews.tv/winnie-monsod/

MANILA, Philippines - Former socioeconomic planning secretary Ralph Recto appeared yesterday before a court to reaffirm an earlier pronouncement that oil products are overpriced by as much as P8 per liter.

By Sandy Araneta (The Philippine Star) Updated September 19, 2009 12:00 AM http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=506615&publicationSubCategoryId=63 During the BPCCI Meeting held at the Hotel La Corona de Lipa this Sept. 17, 2009, one of the issues raised is the hiGHHH price of gasoline and fuels in the vicinity of Batangas City. This prompted me to look at the receipts BPCCI has on file and this is what we found. In Batangas City Petron Station last Sept. 12, 2009 the price for XCS is P45.64 per liter, while on the same day at the Rico Shell Station in Lipa City, it is priced at 41.00 per liter, and in Metro Manila it is around P38.00 to P39.00 --- Php4.64 difference from Batangas to Lipa City. On Sept. 6, 2009 at the Diversion Petron Station, it is 46.62 per liter. Oct. 8, 2009 at the Shell Station, Unleaded was 44.520 per liter. Bauan Petron on August 2, 2009 it was 43.45 per liter. On Aug. 16, 2009 at San Pascual Caltex, Silver was 46.550 per liter. August 19 at the Shell Station, Unleaded was 46.55 per liter. All these when prevailing prices in Metro Manila was way below P40.00. It is a supply-and-demand economy anyway. What we, and we found out that so many of our friends have been doing, during the last few months is gas up just enough to get to Lipa or to Turbina / Calamba to save P5.00 per liter, gas up enough there to get to Manila or Makati to save another P2.00 or more per litter and fill her up where it is much cheaper. Maybe the Batangas City stations haven't noticed their diminishing sales yet. Anyway, the issue has been officially raised. I am here to let you know what is happening. The action belongs, really to the people.