per liter and gasoline products by stocks of petroleum products.

products. ditional P3 per liter was to be at the point of sale to the con- prices to increase by only around these areas were declared under
P0.20 per liter. They will also raise Excise taxes are levied upon im- added to the existing petroleum sumers,” officials said. P0.15 per liter; diesel by around a state of calamity.
the price of kerosene by P0.75 a li- portation and not at the point of excise rate of P4.35. But for the value-added tax, P0.60 per liter; and kerosene by Parts of the Visayas and Min-
ter. Most will be increasing prices sale to the consumers, the DoE The two agencies pointed out, new rates under TRAIN that around P0.55 per liter. danao were struck by back-to-

Nation
at 6 a.m. today, Jan. 2.
TheThe increase comes as the
Department of Energy (DoE) ad-
said. however, that the retailers were are applicable to consumers It also reminded retailers that back tropical storms Urduja and
The advisory by the DoE’s Oil still disposing of the old stocks become effective on  Jan. 1, upon a declaration of a state of Vinta. — Victor V. Saulon with
EDITOR ricky s. torre
Industry
tuesday,Management
january 2, 2018Bureau at the start of the year, and these 2018. calamity, the DoE is implement- News5/interaksyon.com

#nationataglance
“We are at a time when our resolve is being tested by many
trials and difficulties. Corruption, criminality, illegal drugs
and terrorism have impeded our progress in the past year.
However, I remain hopeful that our resilience will enable
us to overcome and rise above these challenges as one
nation. Let us embrace this coming year’s uncertainty with
a glimmer of hope and remain determined in achieving our
vision of a better and more prosperous future.”
— President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s New Year’s Message

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION: CALOOCAN CITY

AFP Boy fights for life after being shot by drunken man in New Year’s Eve rampage
A CHILD injured by firecracker is seen at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Manila early on Jan. 1. A 10-YEAR-OLD BOY is in critical condition at the
Dr. Jose Reyes Medical Center after being shot
NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION during the New Year’s revelry, but police said it
Health chief: ‘Substantial reduction’ in firecracker injuries was not a case of a stray bullet, but of having
HEALTH Secretary Francisco T. Duque III on Monday noted a “substantial reduction” in firecracker injuries been in the crossfire of a drunken man’s rampage
on the heels of Sunday’s New Year’s Eve celebration. “I would say we are relatively pleased. There are still in Maypajo, Caloocan City. The boy sustained a
injuries but pleased because of the substantial reduction or decrease in firecracker injuries from Dec. 31, 2017 single gunshot wound in the arm, but the bullet
to Jan. 1, 2018, compared to the same period of the previous year,” Mr. Duque said in a televised press brief- traveled to his chest, then to his stomach before
ing. He added: “This is…77% lower than the 5-year average.” According to his department, there were 524 exiting through his back, according to a physician. PNP FILE PHOTO
injuries between Dec. 21, 2016 and Jan. 2, 2017, in comparison. Mr. Duque also noted there was “no reported The NCR Police Office (NCRPO) identified the boy as NCRPO CHIEF OSCAR ALBAYALDE
fireworks-related death, no fireworks ingestion, and no stray bullet injuries.” The Department of Health Joven Earl Gaces y Nacorda, adding that another child, Princes Denise Cruzat y Alembol,
(DoH) also reported that majority of the fireworks injuries were from the National Capital Region (NCR), was also injured, though not as seriously as Gaces. — News5/interaksyon.com
with 115 cases or 60% of the total number of cases nationwide; followed by Western Visayas with 15 cases; >> See full story on https://goo.gl/GoWj7q
and 13 cases each in NCR’s neighboring region of Calabarzon, Central Luzon, and the Bicol Region. “The DoH
is certainly most grateful for the strong cooperation of our local government units (LGUs) and the other gov-
ernment agencies for this success,” said Mr. Duque, who also noted President Rodrigo R. Duterte’’s efforts,
in particular, his Executive Order No. 28 on the regulation of firecrackers. — Arjay L. Balinbin

DAVAO REGION: DAVAO CITY

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION
Celebrating 2018
People celebrate New Year’s Eve at Eastwood Mall in Quezon City,
while in Pasay, spectators capture on their cameras a fireworks display
at an amusement park.
MINDANAO
LPA off Caraga
A low pressure area (LPA) was spotted early on
Monday around 300 km east of Surigao City. “This
weather system will bring cloudy skies with moder-
ate to heavy rains and thunderstorms over the Bicol
Region, Visayas, and Mindanao, particularly in the
regions of Eastern Visayas, Caraga, and Davao,” read
a subsequent advisory on Monday morning. The
advisory also said a possible tropical depression is
expected before landfall over the Caraga Region on
Monday night at the earliest or by this morning.
41,164 business permits up for renewal
THE Business Bureau urges business owners
to avoid the rush and penalties by renewing
their business permits within the renewal
period beginning today until Jan. 20. “We
have released a total of 41,164 business
permits this year so that is also more or less
the same number of business permits we
expect to renew in 2018,” lawyer and Busi-
ness Bureau chief Marissa M. Torentera said
in an interview. Applications will be accepted
REUTERS on Jan. 3-5 from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and
on Jan. 8-12 and Jan. 15-19, from 8 a.m. to 9
p.m. Applications submitted on Saturdays
and Sundays during these periods will be
accepted between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. But
the last day of renewal on Jan. 20 will be
until midnight. Representatives of business
owners should present a Special Power of
Attorney (SPA) while corporate secretar-
ies are required to present certificates plus
IDs of their principals and a certified list of
their employees. From today until Jan. 20,
applicants will also be required to submit
barangay clearance, latest cedula for 2018,
a valid fire inspection certificate and other
documents that depend on the nature of the
business. — Carmencita A. Carillo
A MAN grieves next to the coffin of his
daughter, a call center worker killed in the
Dec. 23 fire at the New City Commercial
Center in Davao City.
REUTERS