From Rappler

By AJ Alarcon

The Department of Energy (DOE) on Tuesday, April 7, announced that the country’s fuel inventory is adequate for 50.42 more days — until late May — extending the previously reported supply that was only expected to last until mid-May.

This follows growing tensions in the Middle East affecting Iran and the Strait of Hormuz — a globally significant oil chokepoint.

In a press briefing, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin clarified, “Ang ibig sabihin no’n, it’s not like we won’t have any more supply after May or at the end of May. It basically means we have 50 days to replenish what we consume.”

She added that the process of ordering oil for companies such as the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) may take up to 10 days, and deliveries may take a week, as most of the supply comes from Southeast Asian countries.

“So far wala pang disruptions na nare-report. Mayroong mga pakunti-kunti, pero hindi gano’n na it disrupts the whole chain of the country,” Garin stated.

Moreover, fuel companies implemented major pump price hikes, with gasoline prices increasing for 13 consecutive weeks, and both diesel and kerosene for 15 consecutive weeks.

As of Friday, April 3, the DOE said that the country has 75.052 million liters of fuel supply.

As of the same date, the Philippines had diesel stocks enough for 47 days, gasoline for 57 days, kerosene for 106 days, jet fuel for 66 days, fuel oil for 52 days, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) for 33 days.