Government agencies, business sector to discuss LPG issues, concerns

By Danilo E. Doguiles

Wednesday 30th of May 2012

KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) -- Representatives from several government agencies and the business sector will gather in General Santos City on Tuesday, June 5, to tackle problems concerning the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) sector.

In a letter to PIA 12, Director Manuel Llaneza of the Department of Energy – Mindanao Field Office said the discussions during the Mindanao LPG Summit will focus on issues and concerns, “particularly on the proliferation of refilling/selling LPG using Butane canisters as containers and the unauthorized refilling of LPG containers at Auto-LPG dispensing stations.”

“The activity is designed for the participants to the come up with a common stance to deter the proliferation of the said illegal and unsafe practices to ensure the safety and welfare of the consuming public,” he continued.

Government agency representatives will convene in the morning. These include participants from the DOE, Department of Trade and Industry, Bureau of Product Standards, Bureau of Fire Protection, and local government units.

They will be joined in the afternoon plenary session by representatives of the business sector, “composed of LPG cylinder manufacturers, LPG bulk suppliers, LPG refilling plants, LPG dealers and retailers, and the consumers.”

Several presentations are also slated in the afternoon session including LPG cylinder standards by a representative from the DTI-BPS, LPG facilities standards by Alvin David T. Lim of the Retail Market Monitoring and Special Concerns Division-OIMB (RMMSCD-OIMB), household LPG rules by Alex Rayos of RMMSCD-OIMB, and Robert Cardinales of LPG Section-RMMSCD.

The Mindanao LPG Summit will be held at Phela Grande Hotel along Magsaysay corner Atis St. in Gensan. Registration will start at 9:30 a.m. (DED-PIA 12)