No fuel shortage in Iloilo City this April

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Iloilo City government assured residents that fuel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supplies across the city will remain stable through April, easing concerns amid a national energy emergency.

Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu said fuel firms and LPG distributors have assured the city government that there is no anticipated shortage despite wider energy concerns affecting the country.

“Supply of fuel and LPG remains stable and sufficient in our city […] Our stakeholders assure us that there should be no cause for concern in our supply and that they will continue to operate and deliver services,” she said in a statement on Saturday, March 28.

Treñas-Chu called on residents to stay calm and refrain from panic buying, stressing that hoarding is unnecessary given the current supply situation.

Last week, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of national energy emergency via Executive Order (EO) No. 110, to address global oil supply disruptions stemming from the Middle East conflict, including tensions involving the US, Iran, and Israel.

In response, Treñas issued her own EO No. 35, series of 2026, creating the Iloilo City Crisis Management Council.

The council is tasked with overseeing the supply and distribution of essential goods, including fuel, food, and medicines, and ensuring the continuity of public transport, utilities, and health care services.

It will also monitor price movements, safeguard vulnerable sectors, and craft medium- to long-term strategies to reduce petroleum consumption and promote renewable energy adoption.

Among its key functions are coordinating with national agencies and private stakeholders, consolidating reports for the mayor, and convening weekly to assess developments and response measures.

In the order, the city government also encouraged government offices, businesses, and households to adopt austerity measures.

These include energy conservation practices, flexible work arrangements such as work-from-home and compressed workweeks, and reduced electricity use during peak hours.

“This crisis cannot be solved by the local government alone — everyone of us has to help each other,” she said, maintaining that the city government is “on top of the situation” and prepared to respond to potential disruptions.

The creation of the council cites Sections 7 and 8 of Marcos Jr.’s EO No. 110, where the former strongly urged local government units (LGUs) to undertake measures in actively supporting the national government’s policies and agency directives in relation to the looming oil crisis.

Meanwhile, the private sector, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders are also urged in Sec. 8 to partner with the national government and LGUs to provide logistical support, interventions, and critical services to affected sectors and vulnerable communities, among others.