Philippines to embark on fuel marking program in 2010

The Philippine Department of Finance said it will officially start its fuel-marking program in January 2010 to reduce the unauthorized sale of imported fuel by local retailers. The program has been in the pilot testing stage at the ports of Subic and Clark since December 2008 and January 31, respectively, and is being done in cooperation with Societé General de Surveillance SA (SGS). So far, the pilot test has found at least three positive results that indicated the presence of tax-exempt fuel in gasoline stations that were not authorized to sell it. (July 27, 2009)