Gas price rollback continues

The CNMI saw yet again another fuel price rollback yesterday, bringing gas prices down another 10 cents. (Kimberly B. Esmores)

Just days after oil companies in the CNMI rolled back gas prices from the $6-mark, the CNMI saw yet again another fuel price rollback yesterday, bringing gas prices down another 10 cents.

Mobil Oil Marianas dropped its fuel prices again yesterday afternoon, just a little over two weeks since its last rollback. Shell Marianas and neighboring islands are expected to drop their prices today.

At around 3pm yesterday, Mobil lowered its prices from $5.86 to $5.76 per gallon of regular fuel. Mobil also reduced its Supreme fuel from $6.31 a gallon to $6.21. It continues to charge the same price for diesel at $6.48 per gallon.

The CNMI saw its first fuel increase of the year back on Jan. 5, when local oil companies raised prices from $4.81 per gallon of regular fuel to $4.96.

Following that the CNMI then saw a string of back-to-back increases, with fuel prices reaching an all-time high back in March at $6.06 per gallon of regular fuel.

After hitting the $6 mark, the CNMI finally saw its first price rollback in mid-March, with oil companies bringing regular fuel down to $5.86.

The rollback was followed by yet another increase at the end of March with fuel going back up to $6.01. In the first week of April, fuel was brought back down to $5.86, followed by another rollback yesterday, bringing regular fuel down to $5.76.

A local motorist who works at the Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. was cautiously optimistic yesterday, saying it looks like the CNMI’s fuel dilemma is starting to look up.

“I feel like this good news is only going to continue. After months of continuous increases, I think the CNMI will continue to see fuel prices drop to the normal rate, pre-pandemic,” she said.

Another motorist, a 21-year-old student, hopes the trend only continues. “I feel it’s only right for gas prices to go down since our gas prices reached an all-time-high while still in the recovery phase of COVID-19. I’m hopeful this only continues because I know this is a big help for others like me who are strapped for cash,” he said.

Meanwhile a 24-year-old motorist said she was so excited that she waited to fill up her tank yesterday rather than the day before.

“I was actually supposed to fill up my gas tank on Monday. However, when I got home from work, I decided not to because I was already tired. Then, I was supposed to gas up this morning but I was already late for work. On my way home, I saw that gas prices went down and I was just so happy to full tank my car. It really pays to be patient,” she said.

According to international media outlets, fuel prices in the U.S. mainland continue to fluctuate, however, fuel still remains at an all-time high.