Lawrence Casiraya
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines – Eighty-eight Petron gas stations will offer free service check-ups, as the oil firm kicks off its annual summer motorist assistance program, according to a statement from the company.

Petron’s “Lakbay Alalay” program is on its 23rd year and is the biggest yet in terms of area covered, the statement said.

For the first time, the company has expanded the program outside of Luzon, with 13 stations in the Visayas and 10 stations in Mindanao, it said.

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By Edd Snyder

THE financial storm that has swept across the globe since late summer has touched virtually every segment of the economy. It has hit millions of homeowners and affected thousands of small businesses as well as major corporations and even sovereign governments.

It has had a devastating effect on the auto industry, which has encountered a sales slump unlike any other in more than two decades and 2.5 million jobs in the U.S. are at risk.

The financial crisis is affecting the auto industry because the car business runs on credit, and the credit markets are not functioning as normal.

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