LAGAWE, Ifugao, Philippines — The 11 municipalities here are beneficiaries of a rice donation program from Thailand which will be used as part of the government’s initiative to provide local residents with staple food to sustain their daily need for rice.

The Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officers (MSWDOs) will give 10 kilos of rice per person a day. The 5,936 sacks of rice will be distributed as follows: Banaue-1,500, Kiangan, Hungduan and Mayoyao with 500 each; Aguinaldo, Alfonso Lista, and Asipulo with-350 each, Hingyon-350 and Lagawe, Lamut, and Tinoc each with 332. (Dexter A. See)

POWER PLANT AUCTION SET

LUCENA CITY, Philippines — The provincial treasurer of Quezon has issued the final notice of public auction sale of delinquent real property tax against Team Energy Corp., one of the country’s biggest independent power producers (IPPs) which supplies 15 percent of power to the Luzon grid, because of their unpaid real property tax amounting to almost P6 billion.

The power plant is situated in Barangay Ibabang Polo in Pagbilao, Quezon. The auction date was set for Feb. 9 at the provincial capitol building at 9 a.m. (Danny Estacio)

ROMBLON SETS POWER CUTS

ODIONGAN, Romblon, Philippines — The critical supply of crude oil has prompted the Tablas Island Electric Cooperative Inc. (TIELCO) to announce a new schedule of electrical power interruptions.

The decision on the new power interruptions, which took effect Wednesday, was made after the National Power Corp. (NAPOCOR) informed concerned Romblon government authorities, particularly in Tablas, the largest island in Romblon, that it might not be able to deliver additional crude oil to TIELCO because of the shortage of crude supply.

TIELCO General Manager, Engr. Orville Ferranco said eight towns in the island will receive power supply from 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. (Ferdinand F. Castro)

QUESTIONS RAISED ON PEACE TALKS

MALOLOS CITY, Philippines — A peace advocate questioned Wednesday the holding of the peace talks between the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front (NDF) in a foreign land and not in the Philippines where the government can save expenses and at the same time bring the peace talks directly to the people.

The government negotiating panel and the NDF are set to resume peace talks in the Netherlands this February. Ernesto Alcanzare, lead organizer of the Yes for Peace-Bayanihan para sa Kapayapaan, asked why the peace talks should be held halfway across the globe at the expense of people’s money and with a third party. (Freddie C. Velez)

29 CHILDREN GET SCHOLARSHIPS

TABUK, Kalinga, Philippines — Twenty-nine children of former rebels from different parts of the province have received scholarship grants under the government’s amnesty program for rebels through the joint project of the Office of Presidential Assistance on Peace Process (OPAPP) and Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) and the local government.

Program Coordinator Eusebia Haddac of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office said OPAPP scholars are given a stipend of P5,000 per semester while those under the province get P2,000. (Dexter A. See)