FOR:

            - LPG REFILLERS ASSOCIATION (LPGRA)
            - PHILIPPINE LPG ASSOCIATION (PLPGA)
            - LPG INSTITUTE OF THE PHILIPPINES (LPGIP)
            - SOUTHERN ISLANDS TASK FORCE (SILTF)
            - LIQUIGAZ PHILIPPINES CORPORATION (LPC)
            - PETRONAS ENERGY PHILIPPINES, INC. (PEPI)
            - PRYCE GASES INCORPORATED (PGI)
            - NATION GAS (NATION)
            - TOTAL LPG PHILIPPINES (TOTAL)
            - PETRON CORPORATION (PETRON)
            - PILIPINAS SHELL PETROLEUM CORP. (PSPC)
            - CALTEX (PHILIPPINES), INC. (CPI)
            - ISLAND AIR PRODUCTS (ISLAND)
            - CAPITOL ALLIED TRADING CORP. (CATGAS)
            - MANILA GAS CORPORATION (MGC)
            - PHILIPPINE ASSOCIATION OF LPG CYLINDERS MANUFACTURERS, INC. (PALCMI)
            - ALL OTHERS CONCERNED

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WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2 and Section 5 (k) of Chapter 1 of RA No. 7638, the DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (DOE) shall formulate rules and regulations as may be necessary to guide the operations of both government and private entities involved in energy resource supply and distribution;

WHEREAS, it has come to the attention of this Office that there is a substantial number of LPG cylinders circulating without appropriate distinguishing marks to identify the owner or source for purposes of pinpointing responsibility in cases of underfilling and other violations related to said cylinders;

WHEREAS, with the intensified drive against violators in the conduct of the downstream LPG industry the DOE finds that there is a need to address this problem of proper identification;

WHEREFORE, premises considered, all concerned LPG industry players are hereby directed to strictly comply with the following:

1.         In the manufacture of new LPG cylinders the body shall be embossed with clear markings or signs indicating ownership.

2.         New and locally manufactured cylinders shall conform to the required Product Standard (PS) mark.

3.         For existing cylinders the same shall be marked with the appropriate Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) prior to local circulation.

4.         For existing LPG cylinders without the embossed markings or signs, including all imported cylinders, distinctive collars or collars with distinctive designs or markings of permanent character shall be installed upon requalification or prior to local circulation, as the case may be.

5.         The installation of the required collar or distinctive markings of permanent character shall be made only by government accredited cylinder manufacturers or requalifiers with the date of installation properly indicated thereon.

This Department Circular shall take effect one (1) month after its complete publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Adopted: 26 May 2000

(SGD). MARIO V. TIAOQUI
Secretary