DOE, DTI urged to consider price cap on LPG
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian on Saturday urged the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to impose a price cap on liquified petroleum gas (LPG) as its price may increase amid the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.
Gatchalian noted the impending price increase of LPG and warned of its impact on households and small business owners.
Arnel Ty, founder of LPG Marketers Association Inc. and Regasco president, recently said the price may surge by at least P30 per kilogram.
Citing a recent survey, Ty said the Philippines consumes 150,000 metric tons of LPG monthly. About 50 percent of Filipino households rely on LPG, while the remaining half use other cooking fuel, like wood, charcoal and kerosene.
DOE price data showed that LPG prices in the capital region ranged from P825 to P1,135 per 11-kg cylinder this month and the expected price increase could be “the highest in history.
But gas companies did not expect a supply shortage, even as the government and oil companies are scrambling to secure more supplies of petroleum products.
“I call on the DOE and DTI to ensure adequate supply, strictly monitor market pricing, and, if price increases are unwarranted, consider imposing a price ceiling on LPG as a prescribed measure against undue price increases during emergency situations provided under RA (Republic Act) 10623, an act amending certain provisions of the Price Act (RA 7581) to protect consumers,” Gatchalian said in a statement.
“Any unreasonable price increase will add to the burden to livelihoods and prices of food for ordinary Filipinos,” he added.
Ongoing oil talks
At Thursday’s Senate ad hoc committee hearing on addressing the effects of the Middle East conflict, Gatchalian asked the DOE and the Philippine National Oil Company to submit a list of current government-to-government negotiations for oil procurement. He then called on the officials to expedite the process of finding alternative oil sources.
President Marcos on Friday said that the country has enough supply of crude oil until June 30 and directed the DOE to secure additional fuel sources even though Energy Secretary Sharon Garin earlier said the country has enough supply for 40 to 45 days.
The Philippines has been seen as the second-largest LPG importer in Southeast Asia, think tank Fitch Solutions reported in August 2023.
The country had close to 14,000 LPG refilling stations that year, up from 7,655 in 2020.
As of September 2025, based on DOE data, the overall demand for LPG stood at around 2,774.43 million liters. The total LPG demand for household use, on the other hand, stood at around 2,269.64 million liters.
The DOE listed Australia, Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Malaysia, Qatar, Singapore and Vietnam, as sources of imported LPG in 2025.
