MARIVELES, Bataan — A tipster who told police how two rib boats were being used to smuggle guns urged Friday the Bureau of Customs (BoC) to release his reward equivalent to 20 percent of the loot seized by government, as the law provides.

His identity protected by the government, the tipster told the Manila Bulletin that he is entitled to a P2-million reward after risking his life to help authorities bring down the operations of the gun-smuggling syndicate.

 It will be recalled that the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Region 3, headed then by Senior Superintendent Marvin Bolabola and Chief Inspector Pojie Penonez, seized the two rib boats, worth P20 million, while anchored off Subic Bay.

 The investigation showed that the boats were being used to transport guns from “M/V Captain Ufuk,” a Panamian-registered vessel in which 20 crates of 9mm pistols were found. (Mar T. Supnad)

Cavite Renews Anti-Rabies Drive

The Cavite Provincial Health Office (PHO) renewed and intensified its anti-rabies campaign this week as the country girds toward joining other nations in observing World Rabies Day on September 28.

The PHO led by Dr. Ma. Vilma Diez has lined-up rabies awareness and prevention program, seminars and lectures and other activities during the week-long observance of Rabies Day, which started last Wednesday. Sanitary Inspector Anabelle R. Dilig, citing latest records, said that the Philippines ranked 6th in the world in terms of rabies and animal bite incidences.

The rabies deaths range between 200 and 300 and that there were thousands of other cases in the country in 2009 alone, the record showed. Rabies or hydrophobia is a disease that is transmitted to an individual with the bite of an infected dog, cat and other animals.

 It affects the human nervous system and is fatal if not treated well. Statistics showed that children and young adults are those that are usually bitten by the infected animals.

Dilig said that although there was only one fatality in Cavite, there were some 2,149 rabies cases reported in the province. The lone fatality is a resident of Alfonso, a town in the upland district. (Anthony Giron)

Palace Urged to Review its Tourism Policy

BAGUIO CITY — Representative Bernardo M. Vergara is urging the Aquino administration to review the new guidelines on funding priorities with respect to tourism projects and tourism-related activities in the countryside.

 While the government plans to give priority to the funding of tourism projects nationwide, Vergara, a senior member of the House committee on tourism, said it has become a last priority for the Aquino administration to provide funding for tourism-related activities.

Vergara said the stringent guidelines for the release of their Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allow the utilization of their annual initiatives for hard infrastructure, education and tourism.

However, Vergara cited he could not understand why the least priority is given to tourism-related activities when in fact tourism development is one of the priorities of the Aquino administration.

Because of the conduct of tourism-related activities in the different parts of the country, the veteran lawmaker explained economic activities are strengthened in the said places which eventually translate to increased employment opportunities and sources of livelihood for the people. (Dexter A. See)