Price monitoring in busy areas such as Commonwealth, Fairview, and Quirino Avenue in Quezon City shows stations operated by the three brands posting some of the lowest pump prices in their respective clusters.
Gasoline in some locations is selling for about P52 to P56 per liter, compared with roughly P58 to P62 at other stations in the same areas.
One standout is Flying V Philcoa, where RON 95 gasoline was priced at P53.70, RON 91 at P52.70, and Decivel diesel at P54.90, placing it among the lowest-priced stations nearby.
Flying V is the country’s largest independent gas retailer while Seaoil is sizable independent player. Backed by conglomerate San Miguel Corp., Petron is one of the country’s top 3 operators.
Price controls
The Department of Energy has directed stations to temper price increases as tensions in the Middle East push global oil prices higher, though an industry observer said rising wholesale fuel costs are making it harder to keep prices steady.
Some suppliers are now reportedly selling diesel at around P70-P75 per liter, meaning stations must pay significantly more when buying new fuel to replenish stocks.
For some operators, that can mean selling at a loss, prompting a few stations to temporarily shut down rather than continue operating under those conditions.
—Edited by Miguel R. Camus
