Arnold Padilla

Stories from Arnold Padilla

For Oil Firms, EO 839 Is Not Just About Dip in Profits but Potential Shift Vs. Deregulation
Arnold Padilla
Thursday, November 19th, 2009

MANILA - The big oil players have put their conflict with Malacañang over Executive Order No. 839 to a higher plane through legal maneuver and economic sabotage. The legal move came in the form of a Pilipinas Shell petition before a Makati trial court asking for a temporary restraining order on the controversial directive. Meanwhile, the economic sabotage came in the form of deliberate restriction on supply that resulted in some pump stations temporarily closing down or reducing service hours.

Amid Overpricing by Oil Firms, Repeal of Deregulation Law Now a Must
Arnold Padilla
Sunday, September 13th, 2009

No matter how oil firms deny the allegations that they are overcharging the consumers, the widespread public perception that oil companies are abusive and profit-hungry will remain. This will be the case as long as the oil industry is deregulated and oil companies are allowed to automatically increase their prices and at the same time not compelled to publicly divulge how they compute their price adjustments.