The so-called "Big Three" oil companies are being bombarded by appeals from both the government and the public to explain why they cannot implement rollbacks in pump prices the way independent oil companies have done in the past days.

At the start of the National Price Coordinating Council meeting Monday, Vice President Noli de Castro asked the Department of Energy for an explanation why major oil players did not cut petroleum prices, similar to the P3.00 rollback implemented by independent players Flying-V, Unioil and Seaoil.

"Everytime na tatanungin [sasabihin nila] 'lugi kami, hindi kami kumikita.' Pero tingnan mo ang negosyo tuloy-tuloy for several years," de Castro said.

De Castro said the price of Dubai crude has consistently dropped in the world  market last week, yet the so called “Big Three” oil companies only managed to slash prices by P1.00 per liter for diesel, gasoline and kerosene.

According to de Castro, major oil players Petron, Pilipinas Shell and Caltex  must reflect the considerable reduction in international prices to benefit the ordinary motorists.

"'Wag naman yung profit pa rin ang nasa isip nila. Kaya nga nagkagulo ngayon ang mundo dahil sa profit, dahil sa greed ng mga negosyante. 'Wag naman sanang ganoon," de Castro said.

Pilipinas Shell said the company is willing to sit down with de Castro to explain their pricing scheme.

As de Castro was lambasting the oil majors, President Arroyo lauded Pilipinas Shell for implementing a P1.00 discount for tricycle drivers until the end of 2008.

Shell country chairman Edgar Chua said a price rollback in petroleum is already in the offing before the week ends.

"The way things are going I think there is a high likelihood for further reductions," Chua said.

But as far as Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) is concerned, even if this week's price slash amounts to P2.00 per liter, it is still not enough.

Bayan's computation shows that oil firms need to rollback petroleum prices by as much as P11.00 per liter due to the consistent drop in international crude prices.

Transport group Fejodap said once oil companies drop diesel prices to P40.00 per liter, jeepney drivers will be ready to rollback the minimum fare.

"Alisin na muna nila yung pagkita. Kung medyo lugi sila, leave it. Mababawi naman nila yan nang hindi nahahalata eh," Fejodap president Zenaida Maranan said.

Joining Malacañang, militant groups and ordinary motorists  in calling for bigger price rollbacks are some members of the Senate.

Senator Francis Pangilinan proposed a 48-hour boycott against the “Big Three” oil firms whom Senator Benigno Noynoy Aqunio called “abusive” after continuously refusing to implement a big time rollback in fuel prices. With a report from Alvin Elchico, ABS-CBN News