Top Line opens eight new fuel stations in northern Cebu

CEBU-BASED fuel retailer Top Line Business Development Corp. said it has opened eight new fuel stations in Northern Cebu, expected to add up to 1 million liters in monthly sales capacity.

The openings follow the completion of renovations on its acquired fuel retail network, which has been rebranded under Light Fuels Express, the company said in a statement on Thursday.

The initiative is part of Top Line’s broader per-cluster renovation and rebranding program covering stations in Cebu, Leyte, Siquijor, and Negros Oriental.

Renovations for three more clusters are slated for completion by the end of the year. Meanwhile, stations that have yet to be rebranded continue to operate and contribute to Top Line’s revenue stream.

“The completion of our Cluster 1 renovation shows how we maintain quality in our acquisitions, reflecting our disciplined approach to optimize each station to operate at full capacity while maintaining efficiency and service quality,” Top Line Senior Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer Brigitte Carmel C. Lim said.

“This cluster-based rollout allows us to scale systematically and capture demand in high-growth markets like Northern Cebu,” she added.

According to the company, around 80% of Northern Cebu’s fuel market consists of two-wheeled vehicles, which fall within the target market of Light Fuels Express.

Last year, Top Line acquired 38 retail fuel stations, a two-million-liter depot facility, and 15 fuel tanker trucks from Total Oil & Gas Resources, Inc. and Ballston Metro Corp.

It has set aside approximately P925 million for the acquisition and renovation of stations in Cebu and new locations, accelerating the rollout of its retail arm, Light Fuels, in the Visayas.

The renovated stations are expected to serve motorcycles and light vehicles in the municipalities of Medellin, Bogo, Daanbantayan, Tabogon, Sogod, Borbon, Catmon, and Carmen.

The rebranding initiative strengthens its market presence by establishing “a consistent and recognizable Light Fuels identity across its retail network.”

Top Line started in leasing and real estate but entered the fuel industry in 2017. It is now active in commercial trading, depot operations, and retail fuel in the Visayas region. Through Light Fuels, the company introduced its first service station in Mandaue City, Cebu, in 2023. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera