Two Filipinos $500,000 Richer, thanks to US Reward Program!

Today, two Filipinos became richer by a sum of $500,000, around PHP25m, thanks to the US Rewards for Justice campaign!  The two Filipinos had earlier given a tip that lead to the arrest of terrorists in the Philippines:

At a press conference, US Ambassador Kristie Kenney said, “Washington evaluated the information and the importance of information given out.”

Kenney praised the “two very brave patriots for their actions and information,” which led to the arrest of a “vicious terrorist.”

“They deserve the reward…This is to encourage citizens to come forward with information that would lead to the arrest of terrorist,” she added.

Kenney refused to comment about the background of the two, when asked if they were law enforcers.

The US embassy had said that the two tipsters were responsible for information that led to the arrest of Hilarion del Rosario Santos III, alias Ahmed Santos.

INQ7

Santos is a founding member of the Rajah Solaiman Movement, a terrorist group for Muslim converts.  He was also linked to bombings on various dates in different locations around the Philippines.

In an interesting side note, after his arrest, Santos bragged that he had operated a terrorist training camp in the Philippines, and that the camp had been used by an Al Qaeda cell in preparation for the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the USA.  This claim, however, remains unconfirmed.

Santos was arrested in Zamboanga City on October 26, 2005.

Rice blast not a threat, says DA

by JMD Abangan

TAGUM CITY (31 May) — The Provincial Agriculture office here allayed fears over rice blast because its spread is sporadic and controllable affecting less than five percent of the 12,000 rice hectarage.

Provincial Agriculturist Dominador Encarnacion in an interview said rice blast is characterized by early drying of rice stalks and leaves caused by “bacterial lift blight”.

Such bacterial attack on rice is due to high nitrogen content of the soil , he said.

“Affected are those poorly drain areas of Dujali, Carmen and Sto. Tomas but only sporadic,” he said to mention the few affected areas in the province of Davao del Norte.

To do away with such rice infestation, the Provincial Agriculturist Office here has advised rice farmers to shift to high breed rice variety.

The Provincial Agriculture Office gathered rice farmers and informed them of the latest technology through its “Harvest Festival” participated in by clusters municipalities .

“They are also informed on the new rice variety, right application of chemicals and the judicious use of chemicals,” Encarnacion said. (PIA)

DOT opens WoW Philippines Zamboanga regional showcase

By Franklin P. Gumapon

DIPOLOG CITY (31 May) –- “Help make your place become an international tourist destination,” Tourism Undersecretary Oscar Palabyab said during the opening of the WoW Philippines Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Showcase here yesterday.

Palabyab encouraged both the local government units and the private sector to work together for the development of tourism industry in the region.

He cited that there were sluggish places in the country five years ago which are now international tourist destinations like Donsol in Sorsogon and Bohol in the Central Visayas.

“Bohol was just a satellite destination of Cebu before, as tourists went there for a few hours and went back to Cebu. Today tourists go to Bohol as their major destination and stay there for a longer time to enjoy the place,” Palabyab said.

He said tourism industry in Bohol flourished because of the support given by the local government units and the private sector, adding that “this success will be replicated elsewhere in the country.”

Palabyab also pointed out that tourism industry could help provide for economic opportunities to the locals.

Usec. Palabyab was the guest of honor and speaker during the formal opening of the WoW Philippines Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Showcase held in Dipolog City starting May 30 – June 10 with the provincial government of Zamboanga del Norte as this year’s host.

The regional showcase, which is being participated in by the provinces and cities in region 9, is held simultaneously with the “Hudyaka Zanorte festival”, an 11-day celebration commemorating the 54th founding anniversary of Zamboanga del Norte. (PIA)

Pranksters, grudge eyed in bombing of steel plant

A bomb exploded near the concrete fence of Global Steelworks plant on Monday but no one was hurt and no damaged caused, police said.

Inspector Emmanuel Macabecha, station chief of the Iligan City Police Station 2, said the “bomb” which was hurled over the concrete fence of Global Steelworks plant by still unidentified persons did not cause a loud explosion and did not hurt anyone or cause damage.

However, some splinters hit the glass wall of the entrance of the plant’s administration building and pierced some holes, the police said.

SunStar Cagayan de Oro

Iligan conducts barangay disaster preparedness

Cagayan de Oro City (31 May) — Through the Iligan City Disaster Coordinating Council (CDCC) chaired by Mayor Lawrence Cruz, trainings on various stages on Disaster Management System have been conducted at the barangay level to enhance mitigation and disaster preparedness.

“We first conducted an Incident Command System to all CDCC members, developing their capacity and self-reliance in terms of immediate response and coordination,” said Executive Officer Armando A. Edrozo, Civil Defense Deputized Coordinator of Iligan CDCC.

Edrozo said that member-agencies of the Barangay Disaster Coordinating Council (BDCC), Non-Government Organizations as well as volunteers are exposed to drills on fire, earthquake and flashflood preparedness and emergency response.

“We have identified flood prone areas and we intend to equip the community with proper information on what to do in times of disaster,” he added.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo recently ordered the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) to coordinate with Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and other concerned government agencies in conducting earthquake-preparedness drills in schools, business districts and public places nationwide as part of our massive disaster awareness campaign. (PIA 10)