DAVAO CITY (April 14) — Fuel supply in the city is expected to last until May, with additional shipments already in transit, a city official said, even as authorities roll out conservation measures to manage demand.
Councilor Louie John Bonguyan, chairperson of the City Council Committee on Energy and Water, said local oil companies reported inventories of gasoline, diesel, and LPG sufficient for about 60 days.
“Two weeks ago, naa tong mga oil player sa atong siyudad, and at the time, ingon nila muabot pa up to May ang ilang supply,” Bonguyan said, referring to earlier consultations with fuel industry representatives.
He added that updated data presented by the Department of Energy to the city’s interagency task force showed that, as of March 27, supply levels could cover up to two months.
“There are supplies still coming,” Bonguyan said during an April 10 radio guesting, noting that shipments are already en route to both the Philippines and Davao City.
Despite this, the city government continues to closely monitor the situation. Bonguyan acknowledged reports of closures among smaller, stand-alone gasoline stations, citing limited capital as a possible reason.
Based on monitoring by the Police Regional Office XI, at least 16 gasoline stations in the city have temporarily ceased operations.
Conservation measures rolled out
In response to the broader fuel situation, the city’s Interagency Task Force on Socio-Economic Crisis Response has approved a set of conservation measures aimed at reducing consumption and prioritizing essential services.
Under the first resolution, all offices of the Davao City Government are urged to cut fuel use by 15 percent, with exemptions for critical sectors such as emergency response and health services.
A second resolution calls on the city’s Business Bureau to temporarily deny requests for motorcades during the duration of the fuel crisis.
The third resolution adopts recommendations from the city’s planning office to strengthen energy efficiency practices across local government operations.
Officials said the measures are meant to ensure that available fuel supplies are managed effectively while awaiting incoming deliveries.
