(Photo Courtesy, Juanito Calibo)
PALO, Leyte— The Leyte provincial government is seeking stronger support from local government units (LGUs) to fully implement the QGas application, a digital platform designed to provide the public with real-time updates on fuel prices across the province.
During the official launch of the application, Leyte Governor Carlos Jericho ‘Icot’ Petilla urged municipal mayors and members of the provincial board to pass ordinances requiring gasoline stations to regularly upload updated fuel prices through the QGas platform.
“Can you pass an ordinance requiring the gas station to post their prices every time they change, and perhaps the province can also make an ordinance along that way,” Petilla told local chief executives during the launching activity.
QGas is a real-time fuel monitoring application that allows consumers to access updated gasoline and diesel prices from fuel stations throughout Leyte. Information is gathered by personnel from municipal agriculture offices, extension service providers, selected provincial government employees, and municipal police officers using whitelisted Android phones. The data are then uploaded to a cloud-based server accessible to application users.
Provincial officials said the initiative aims to help consumers, farmers, and transport operators cope with fluctuating fuel prices while also promoting transparency and accountability among fuel retailers.
The launching activity was attended by officials from the League of Municipalities of the Philippines–Leyte Chapter led by Remedios Petilla, Leyte Vice Governor Leonardo Javier, Board Member Carlo Loreto, Leyte Police Provincial Office Director Celerino Sacro Jr., Department of the Interior and Local Government Leyte Provincial Director Johannes Dorado, and Department of Trade and Industry Regional Director Celerina Bato.
While waiting for the proposed ordinances to be approved, Petilla called on LGUs to begin assisting in the weekly monitoring and updating of fuel prices. He said designated personnel from local governments would undergo a one-hour training session on how to operate the application.
The governor also appealed to the Philippine National Police to help expand monitoring efforts beyond Leyte so that more motorists and consumers could benefit from access to updated fuel price information.
For her part, DTI-8 Regional Director Celerina Bato pledged support for the project by assigning personnel from Negosyo Centers in different LGUs to assist in monitoring and updating fuel prices through the app.
Based on provincial government data, Leyte currently has 241 gasoline stations.
The QGas initiative forms part of the provincial government’s broader effort to digitize public services and improve consumer access to essential market information.
Fuel prices in the Philippines are subject to weekly adjustments influenced by global oil market movements, often affecting transportation costs, agricultural operations, and the prices of basic commodities. By centralizing and updating fuel price data in real time, provincial officials hope to help residents compare prices more easily and encourage fair competition among fuel retailers.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
