By Victoria “NIKE” De Dios
The call for regulating the domestic liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) industry to ensure consumer protection against industry malpractices has become very strong given the various incidents of explosion and fire due to the proliferation of both substandard liquefied petroleum gas and counterfeit LPG tanks.
In the recent raids conducted in Sto. Tomas and San Juan La Union, the authorities captured 32 illegally refilled and distributed Solane LPG tanks. The confiscated cylinders reportedly amount to almost PHP 70,000.
Last January 25, five tanks worth PHP 11,150 were busted in In Sto. Tomas from suspect Almario Perito y Delinila in Barangay Patac, where four Solane cylinders were illegally refilled and one was emptied. Meanwhile, 17 tanks worth PHP 39,950 of which 16 were illegally refilled and one was emptied were confiscated from suspect Andrea Ramos y Amurao in Barangay Namboongan. Along with the cylinders captured, each raid also seized marked money amounting to Php1,000.
Then there were 10 tanks of which three were illegally refilled and seven were emptied were captured from suspect Romualdo Flores y Co in Barangay Urbiztondo, San Juan. The tanks were worth PHP 18,050.
Trusted LPG brand Solane reiterates its strong commitment to protect the safety of LPG consumers and their households. Through the recent raids in Northern Luzon, the company also renews its call for LPG buyers to be vigilant against unlawfully refilled and marketed cylinders.
According to Solane, only authorized and branded LPG dealers are guaranteed to supply genuine LPG products. These suppliers can be found in physical branches bearing the LPG brand’s name and government certifications inside their stores.
Buyers can also verify if dealers are authorized by checking if the LPG tanks are Verified Solane – which would carry the important markings of an authenticated cylinder including the embossed brand name and trademark of manufacturer that prove they’re registered; the specific standards used; the date the cylinder was tested; the serial number or code number; as well as the tare weight in kilograms, which is around 13 to 15 kgs for AS or de salpak and 11.5-14kgs for POL or de roskas.
To ensure that only Verified Solane products will reach home, customers may locate authorized Solane stores or order Verified Solane by sending a text to 0918-887-5555 or by sending a private message in Solane’s Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/solane.ph )
As the year opens, the fight against malicious suppliers of unauthorized LPGs continues. While the government and its attached agencies team up with local LPG players to protect the public’s safety, LPG consumers are encouraged to join their efforts by doubling their vigilance against the fakes, and starting to verify their LPG products now and in the long run.