By CHRIS V. PANGANIBAN
SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — Around 1,000 tricycle drivers in this progressive town received three liters of fuel each from Vice Mayor Ramil Pulvera during the grand opening of his new Ramp Fuel station and 7-Eleven convenience store.
Pulvera said he personally handed out gasoline to help drivers struggling amid the global energy crisis, calling it a way of sharing his blessings.
“In these hard times, we should help one another to ease the burden of the people,” he said.
The fuel subsidy, which began on Tuesday, will continue until Saturday. At least 150 tricycles per day, all members of the Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association and other municipal-franchised transport groups, are set to benefit.
Wilfredo Estopia, a tricycle driver ferrying passengers from the town center to Sitio Damilag, said the three-liter fuel subsidy was a significant boost to his daily earnings since he no longer needed to pay out of his own pocket.
“With gasoline prices skyrocketing, my take-home now is only around P400 a day, compared with P700 before the crisis,” he said.
Like other independent stations in town, Ramp Fuel has generally kept its prices lower, with diesel ranging from P144 to P146 per liter. In contrast, multinational oil companies have posted significantly higher rates, with some diesel prices nearing P170 per liter, although at least one major brand has maintained a P144-per-liter rate.
As of the latest monitoring, Shell in San Francisco sold diesel at P167 per liter and gasoline at P103–P108 per liter. Caltex charged P161 per liter for diesel, while Petron maintained diesel at P144 per liter and gasoline at P99.30 per liter.
Gerry Bleza, owner of the local Caltex station, said the higher prices reflect both rising global oil costs and the brand’s premium formulation.
“Caltex products contain Techron, an additive that cleans and protects engines by removing harmful deposits from intake valves, fuel injectors, and combustion chambers. It also prevents new deposits from forming, which can improve fuel economy, reduce emissions, and promote smoother vehicle performance,” Bleza explained.
Meanwhile, three local gas stations under Supreme Fuels, owned by Wilmar Sabaña, were temporarily closed since Monday after their fuel supply ran out. Operations are expected to resume Wednesday once new deliveries arrive from Cagayan de Oro City.
Sabaña said he could not confirm whether the incoming supply would come at higher prices but noted market trends suggest another double-digit increase may take effect next week.
“I wonder why Malacañang still did not take action to regulate fuel prices even as the situation has already worsened,” he said.
At Jireh station, a gasoline attendant said prices remained unchanged after a fresh fuel supply arrived Monday night.
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