Proposed safety code for LPG consumers filed

July 2, 2017 Opinion Sideglance

It is necessary for the local government unit concerned to ensure the safety of consumers and protect their general welfare through the establishment of safety standards that should be followed by dealers, sellers or refillers of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) products in the City of Baguio.

This is the reason underlying the proposed legislative measure introduced by City Vice Mayor and Sangguniang Panlungsod ng Baguio Presiding Officer Edison Bilog entitled “Liquefied Petroleum gas (LPG) Consumer Safety Code of the City of Baguio.

Under pertinent provisions of the said proposed ordinance dealers, sellers and/or refillers are forewarned on certain practices which are deemed detrimental to the welfare of LPG consumers in the City of Baguio and provides for penalties in case of violations.

In Section 8 of the  proposed measure the following instances have been enumerated which shall constitute illegal refilling of LPG cylinders to wit: (a) Refilling of LPG cylinder by a person or entity other than the brand owner thereof, unless an express permission is granted by the brand owner for such refilling as evidenced by a written contract or similar instrument; (b) Refilling of LPG cylinder with a brand, trademark, trade name or registered business name other than that of the brand owner indicated on the LPG cylinder tank, otherwise called “pirate filling” or “cross filling”; (c) Refilling of LPG cylinder bearing defaced, tampered or illegible markings contrary to the mandatory labelling and stamping requirements by authorities; (d) Refilling of LPG cylinder  which is due for repair, re-qualification or scrappage or is subject to the recall or prohibition order of the Department of Energy (DOE); (e) Filling of LPG cylinder directly from LPG tank trucks without the use of approved filling machines; (f) Refilling LPG from one LPG cylinder to another without using the prescribed equipment; (g) Backyard refilling of LPG cylinder other than in properly designated LPG refilling plants; (h) Filling LPG cylinder with products or substances other than LPG in an effort to achieve the correct net weight; and (i) Any other refilling of LPG cylinders in violation of the mandatory requirements or prescribed standards.

Other acts also deemed prohibited under the said proposed measure are found in Section 11 thereof which include, (a) Sale and distribution of LPG cylinders considered to be substandard as may be determined by the DOE and the DTI-CAR; (b) Manufacture of LPG cylinders using substandard or non-industrial steel plates; (c) Manufacture or sale of LPG cylinders carrying a brand name, logo, mark or distinction without the express approval of the registered brand owner; (d) Wrong or misleading information stamped on the LPG cylinder such as the tare weight; and (e) Knowingly selling illegally-filled or refilled LPG cylinders by marketers, dealers or retail outlets.

Further, any person or operator of a business establishment who shall violate the provisions of the said proposed ordinance shall be subject to the penalty of a fine of two thousand and five hundred pesos for the first offense and a fine of five thousand pesos for the second offense as well as the cancellation of the business permit.

Relative to this, the Task Force Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) organized under Administrative Order No. 145 series of 2006, as amended by Administrative Orders Numbered 213 series of 2007 and 59 series of 2009 shall ensure the implementation of the said proposed ordinance after its approval and likewise prepare the implementing rules and regulations as may be needed.