Airline boss flags possible fuel rationing in Philippines as supplies dwindle
A person on an electric scooter passes a jeepney at a transport terminal in Quezon City, Philippines, on March 19.
Photo: EPA The head of the Philippines’ flag carrier said the Southeast Asian country may need to resort to fuel rationing amid tight supplies due to the war in Iran. “We have countries saying, ‘we need to ration our fuel, we want people to tank fuel in and out.’ The reality is we’re going to have to do the same thing probably in the Philippines,” Philippine Airlines president Richard Nuttall said in an interview on Wednesday.
Speaking at the Aviation Festival Asia conference in Singapore, Nuttall said the airline has “been able to secure fuel that will take us until the end of June”, which is around normal levels. “Beyond that, we don’t have visibility.” Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said in an interview on Tuesday that grounding planes due to a shortage of jet fuel is a “distinct possibility”, as the country continues talks for additional fuel supply from nations such as China and Russia. “At the end of the day, we’re going to need people to work together to make sure that everybody has access to fuel,” Nuttall said.
Marcos on Tuesday declared a state of national energy emergency that will be in force for a year to help stabilise the country’s energy supply, the first Southeast Asian nation to do so as risks from the war increase.
The Southeast Asian nation, which imports nearly all of its oil from the Middle East, said it had 45 days’ worth of oil supplies as of March 20.
Under a state of emergency, the president will form a committee that will ensure the availability of fuel, food, medicines, agricultural products and other essentials.
It will also oversee energy management measures, as well as support for consumers and affected sectors.
The Department of Energy is directed to take measures to conserve energy and prevent hoarding.
State energy firms are authorised to procure fuel and petroleum products and advance a payment exceeding 15 per cent of the contract amount, the Presidential Communications Office said in a statement.
The Department of Transport could subsidise fuel and commuter fares, extend rail operating hours and suspend toll and aviation fees, the statement said.
Other departments will also expedite the release of social welfare, monitor unreasonable price increases of basic goods and the repatriation of migrant workers in the Middle East.
There was no mention of imposing a price freeze.
The Philippin
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