More than 150 “bote-bote” fuel retailers in Catanduanes affected by the recently approved provincial ordinance prohibiting the unsafe and illegal practice could be put off by the high cost of fuel retail vending machines proposed as an alternative.
According to an equipment manufacturer promoting its product on social media, its Technology Solution Retail Outlet (TSRO) equipment costs anywhere from P210,000 for the single-hose tank with a capacity of 1,000 liters to as much as P610,000 for the 3-hose tank with a combined capacity of 6,000 liters.
Based on the seller’s promotional pitch, the cost per tank could go up if the Value Added Tax for the purchase is included and the investor would need to provide the building that would house the machine as well as the 20 to 30-square meter lot required for the operation.
The funding needed for setting up the TSRO could be beyond the reach of most “bote-bote” retailers who are either private individuals or sari-sari store owners.
A list obtained by the Tribune from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) shows that there were at least 152 retailers in the province selling gasoline, diesel or kerosene by the bottle in the 11 towns: Bagamanoc, 8; Baras, 14; Bato, 19; Caramoran, 7; Gigmoto, 7; Pandan, 8; Panganiban, 7; San Andres, 26; San Miguel, 7; Viga, 13; and Virac, 36.
The list indicated that, except for the capital town where only nine were in the población area, most of the “bote-bote” fuel outlets in the other 10 towns were in or very near the town centers.
It may be recalled that during the recent campaign, Governor Patrick Alain Azanza pushed for the ban on the small retail fuel outlets, accusing a fuel company of being behind the proliferation of sidewalk outlets especially in the capital town.
In the ordinance authored by PBM Arnel Turado and PBM Giovanni Balmadrid noted that while the oil industry is deregulated, the sale of fuel in small containers is prohibited under Department of Energy (DOE) Department Circular No. DC-201-11-011 as it may expose the consuming public to fire, security, health and environmental risks.
The measure encourages the use of fuel vending machines or TSROs as an alternative solution for marginal retailers and provided guidelines for its establishment.
It requires that the TSRO shall be protected with a concrete firewall that could resist a fire for not less than two hours, with the machines protected by a roof and installed over a concrete floor at least 10- inches thick.
To be protected by an explosion-proof mesh inside, the TSRO outlet shall be located not less than six meters from any building opening or public right-of-way.
The establishment would be required to comply with electrical safety, fire protection and other operational requirements of various agencies such as the BFP and local government unit.
The TSRO operator must secure a Certificate of Compliance (COC) from DOE, location clearance and fire safety inspection from BFP, environmental clearance from the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO), and business permit from the LGU.
On the other hand, the provincial government is mandated to provide assistance in identifying a credible and accredited supplier of fuel vending machines in coordination with DOE.
The PLGU is tasked with the mandatory registration of informal fuel vendors, assisting in the processing and release of DOE application forms for TSRO applicants, securing endorsements from PLGU and municipal governments, and assisting in the organization of marginal fuel vendors to enable access to credit facilities with a guarantee from the provincial government.
Likewise, the TSRO shall be accredited by the provincial government through a committee to be headed by the provincial governor or provincial administrator as chairman, the SP chair of the Committee on Energy, and representatives from the provincial treasurer’s office, PPDO, BFP and ENRO as members.
The TSRO ordinance will take effect 15 days after publication and posting in public areas pursuant to the provisions of the Local Government Code of 1991.
Records of the DOE’s Oil Industry Management Bureau (OIMB) as of June 30, 2025 show that there is only one TSRO operating in Catanduanes: the Arkie Fuel Station on Urgel St. in barangay Salvacion in Panganiban town, which has an existing permit until April 2030.
The other 25 fuel outlets are classified as Liquid Fuels Retail Outlets (LFRO), of which 10 are operated by Powerzone Petroleum Products Corp.
The other LFRO establishments are Silangan Trading (2 stations), Island Gasoline Station (2), Virac Gasoline Station, Citizen Ultragas Corp., Gelo’s Go Fuel, Manuel A. Noceda Enterprises, Archer’s Fuel Station, 2J Gasoline Station, Caramoran Gas Station, Orno Corp., Golden Gass Fuel Station, and Save Fuel Gas Station.
Virac has the most fuel stations with 12, followed by Bato and Pandan with three (3) each, and San Andres and Baras with two each. Caramoran, Panganiban (TSRO) and Viga have one each while San Miguel, Gigmoto and Bagamanoc have none.
The same DOE records also state that Catanduaned has a single oil depot – Powerzone Petroleum Products Corp. with a fuel working capacity of 2.58 million liters.
Powerzone provides supply to eight (8) independent retailers in addition to its 10 stations while Bicol Petroleum Distributor supplied to three (3) stations.
The DOE data did not indicate where the other four remaining fuel stations in Catanduanes source their fuel.