Philippine consumption of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) typically declines by 30 percent during the summer season, former LPG Marketers Association (LPGMA) representative Arnel Ty said on Monday. 

During the recent Legislative Energy Action and Development Joint Committee briefing, the former congressman noted that the shift of Filipinos to indigenous materials such as firewood and charcoal is mainly driven by the summer season rather than the conflict in the Middle East.

“When these conflicts [in the Middle East] start, the impact on LPG consumers is not that much [affected]. Our LPG consumption was reduced by 30% because many of our users of LPG shifted to charcoal and firewood, especially in the provinces", Ty said. 

He noted that the LPG demand typically declines by 15 percent during the summer months, adding that when the conflict in the Middle East started on 28 February, the country was fortunate to be in the summer season, when LPG demand tends to be lower.

“This next three to four months, from March, April, May, and half of June, we will have less demand for LPG. Because of the summer season, the consumption is lower by 15%,” Ty added in his statement.

According to him, the full nationwide market, based on the Philippine population, is evenly split, with 50 percent of Filipinos using LPG and 50 percent using indigenous materials such as firewood and charcoal. 

Ty specified that in Luzon, about 65 percent of the population used LPG, while 35 percent still depend on firewood and charcoal. In the Visayas, LPG usage ranges from 25 to 30 percent, with the majority continuing to rely on indigenous fuels. 

The lower LPG consumption, however, was recorded in Mindanao, where only 15 to 20 percent of its population uses LPG.

“Our daily consumption for LPG or monthly consumption of LPG during the normal days is 150,000 metric tons”.

"As of now, we are down by 30 percent, and our current supply inventory is around 40 to 45 percent in storage, including stocks in transit”, the petroleum expert added.