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MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has directed all government agencies to strictly implement his order to sharply reduce power and fuel consumption, as the country grapples with rising oil prices spurred by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto stressed that compliance with the President’s directive is mandatory, covering the entire bureaucracy, including state-run corporations.
“The policy underscores the President’s message that public officials must set the example, demonstrating restraint and accountability as the nation weathers the energy crisis,” Recto said in a statement released by the Presidential Communications Office.
Marcos’ directive is contained in Memorandum Circular 114 issued earlier this month, directing all government agencies and instrumentalities to strictly adopt energy conservation protocols.
Recto noted that authorities have begun enforcing the policy, with energy monitors inspecting more than 1,000 offices in the first week alone.
The inspections focused on air-conditioning systems, lighting and the use of office equipment to ensure adherence to the new rules.
Recto said the administration wants immediate and measurable reductions in consumption across all agencies.
Under the directive, government offices are required to limit electricity use, including by adjusting air-conditioning levels and reducing non-essential lighting.
Fuel consumption is also being tightly controlled, with most government vehicles ordered off the road.
Only those used for public safety and health services are exempted from the restrictions.
Recto said even modest adjustments in daily operations could result in significant reductions in overall energy use.
He said the austerity program extends beyond offices, covering preparations for the country’s hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian The DOE-Oil Industry Nations summits this year.
Activities tied to the meetings have been scaled down, with spending trimmed and non-essential events scrapped.
Marcos’ order also included the temporary implementation of a four-day workweek in some executive branch offices, which started on March 9.
The Inter-Agency Energy Efficiency and Conservation Committee earlier issued an advisory enjoining all national government agencies, GOCCs, SUCs and LGUs to reduce fuel consumption by at least 10 percent.
Fuel supply extended
In an online briefing late yesterday, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said the Philip pines’ fuel supply has been extended by nearly six days, with the bulk of the government’s new orders set to arrive in April.
The DOE-Oil Industry Management Bureau reported that the country’s fuel inventory could last for an average of 50.94 days as of March 27, up from 45.10 days as of March 20.
“We added six more days despite the fact that we still consume, so we consume and then we add,” Garin said. “What this tells us is clear: we have a supply.”
Inventory for gasoline could last 59.78 days, diesel for 46.93 days, kerosene 107.88 days, jet fuel 62.69 days, fuel oil 57.27 days and liquified petroleum gas (34.02 days).
The increase can be part ly attributed to the government’s efforts to beef up its buffer stock, with the Philip pine National Oil Co. and PNOC Exploration Corp. leading negotiations with other countries.
Both state-run enterprises have already secured 1.042 million barrels of diesel, reaching half of their two-million barrel target. Since last week, 142,000 barrels from Japan have been shipped to ports in La Union and Batangas.
Garin said 300,000 barrels from Malaysia and Singapore are expected to arrive by early April, another 300,000 barrels from India by mid-April and 300,000 barrels from Oman – coursed through Singapore
by the end of April.
“This is a system that we set up three weeks ago already under the instruction of the President to maintain a stable and sufficient oil supply nationwide; this was the first instruction of the President on the first day of the war in the Middle East,” Garin said.
“It is scheduled in phases to ensure sustained domestic availability during a period of heightened external market uncertainty,” she stressed.
Supply has grown, with President Marcos himself announcing that crude oil stocks could last until June 30, and Petron Corp. announcing in a stock exchange filing that it procured 2.48 million barrels of Russian crude oil, enough until June.
Garin stressed that both the government and major oil players have ample time to search for additional supply.
“So, when you see 59 days for gasoline, that means we have almost 60 days to look for replenishment, but most of the orders that are coming from Southeast Asia actually just take about a week or 10 days to get to the Philip pines,” the energy chief explained.
“Our supply gives us a level of assurance in the sense that we have a lead time to order more while we are consuming for the month of April,” she added.
The DOE, with assistance from the Department of Foreign Affairs, has been exploring partnerships with new supplier countries to diversify sources, including Argentina, Australia, Brunei, Canada and Colombia.
The Middle East supplies 98 percent of the country’s energy supplies, so the Philippines has become one of the most vulnerable nations in Asia when Iran blocked traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
PNOC and PNOC-EC are now focusing on procuring jet fuel and LPG reserves. DOE Undersecretary Alessandro Sales said Petron has committed about 19 percent of its crude oil supply to be processed into LPG.
Still, Garin urged the public to be more “prudent” in fuel consumption, as the Mideast war shows no signs of letting up.
Daily demand for diesel, for instance, remains at over 32 million liters, equivalent to about 204 barrels, while gasoline is at over 23 million liters or 146 barrels.
“It is more for us to be extra careful because we don’t know where the war is going. Will it last long? Will the war calm down, or will it escalate? So, as a country, this is our major appeal to our fellow Filipinos – that we support each other,” Garin said. — EJ Macababbad
