Monday, October 01, 2007

US Hands Over New Projects In Southern Philippines

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 01, 2007) – The United States on Monday handed over two infrastructure projects worth more than P150-million to Filipino officials in the southern island of Basilan.

American Ambassador Kristie Kenney led officials in the ceremony held in the towns of Maluso and Lantawan.

The projects, a port area in Maluso and a bridge in Lantawan towns, were constructed under the US Agency for International Development-Growth with Equity in Mindanao.
Security was tight throughout Kenney’s visit in Basilan, where Filipino security forces are still hunting down Abu Sayyaf militants, blamed for a recent attack that killed two soldiers and wounded over a dozen others in Basilan’s Tipo-Tipo town.

Kenney last week also handed over $3.7 million of development projects in Sulu province on top of the $190 million grant aid to Mindanao.

The $3.7 million will be used for the repair of the Jolo airport and the construction of a potable water system in Sulu.

Aside from the funding, Kenney also handed over to local officials the P27-million Jolo market road and several projects in the province, including computers for the Sulu National High School and aquaculture materials for former Moro rebels now engaged in lobster fattening. (Mindanao Examiner)

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