Bacolod steps up fuel price checks

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY — The City Treasurer’s Office has started monitoring gasoline stations across the city to ensure fuel retailers strictly comply with oil price regulations amid continuing increases in global fuel costs.

The monitoring began after the Department of Energy announced significant fuel price hikes and ordered stricter nationwide compliance with pricing rules.

Mayor Greg Gasataya directed authorities to conduct regular inspections of gasoline stations, emphasizing that fuel retailers must not implement price increases ahead of the scheduled adjustment date and must not hoard fuel, which is illegal.

During the initial inspection on Monday, authorities monitored four gasoline stations.

One station was found to have raised its fuel prices before the scheduled adjustment on Tuesday, March 10.

The station said the early increase stemmed from a price hike imposed by its supplier.

A motorist also expressed concern over the continued rise in fuel prices, saying it may force him to reduce the use of his vehicle.

He said he might have no choice but to commute instead, citing the high cost of vehicle maintenance and fuel.

“This is no longer a normal increase. Fuel used to be cheaper,” he added.

City Administrator Mark Mayo urged business owners to operate fairly and responsibly, particularly during this challenging period influenced by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

“We are appealing to business owners to be just and fair in conducting their operations. All activities must remain within the bounds of the law,” Mayo said.

He said the city government is ready to coordinate with the DOE in investigating any reported violations.

Mayo added that the city will submit monitoring reports to the DOE, which has the authority to impose sanctions on establishments found violating fuel price regulations.

In a Tuesday interview, Gasataya said the city had also tapped the Bacolod City Police Office to help with monitoring.

He added that the Department of Trade and Industry is also closely watching the situation.

“We don’t want gas stations to take advantange of the problem. That’s why we tasked the CTO to monitor and calibrate,” he added.

He urged the public to report any illegal activity related to the issue to authorities.

Meanwhile, Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson also called on gasoline station owners in the province to act responsibly as the country continues to feel the effects of the oil crisis.

“The reality is prices have been increasing every week,” he said.

In a media interview on Monday, Lacson acknowledged that while government agencies have explained the situation, many people may still struggle to understand why prices continue to rise.

“I think more than ever, we need to pray very hard as this Middle East situation may get out of hand and even worse, spread all over the world. We hope that will not happen,” the governor said.

The DOE said several oil companies agreed to staggered pump price adjustments beginning Tuesday, March 10, 2026, amid continued volatility in international oil prices tied to developments in the Middle East.