By Emmanuel T. Erediano
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
MOTORISTS on Saipan rushed to gas stations Monday evening ahead of another fuel price hike amid the ongoing U.S.-Israel war against Iran.
Those who arrived before 7 p.m. at Mobil Oil stations avoided an additional 35 cents per gallon for gasoline and 80 cents for diesel.
Many motorists, especially those at the far end of the queue, missed the chance. One of them was businessman Steve Jang.
Jang said he heard about the price increase Monday night and drove to the gas station, but by the time he reached the pump, the prices had already changed.
“There is nothing we can change in the global oil market,” Jang said.
To cope with higher fuel prices, he said motorists must be smarter about using their vehicles.
“People have to be creative in conserving,” he said, adding that motorists can save fuel by planning errands along a single route.
What concerns him most, Jang said, is the impact of higher fuel prices on utility bills, especially electricity, as well as food prices.
“It is a domino effect,” Jang said, adding that increases in utility bills and food prices are “inevitable.”
If there is anything the government can do, he said, it would be to protect consumers from possible price gouging.
“I don’t know if businesses are doing that today,” he said.
Nonetheless, he said rising gasoline prices and higher costs for other commodities are “frustratingly unavoidable.”
“That is how our economy works here because everything is imported,” Jang said, adding that he anticipates another wave of price increases.
Regular gasoline on Saipan rose to $5.96 per gallon from $5.61 after last week’s hike. Mobil Oil’s Supreme gasoline increased to $6.41 from $6.06, while diesel climbed to $7.58 from $6.78.
On Tinian, regular gasoline soared to $8.049 per gallon, while diesel rose to $9.989 per gallon.
On Rota, Calvo Enterprises raised gasoline prices to $6.99 per gallon from $6.54, while diesel remained at $9.02 per gallon.
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
