Kennon Road rehab ongoing

BAGUIO CITY — The continuous maintenance and rehabilitation of the scenic and historic 34-kilometer Kennon road will not only benefit the tourism industry in this mountain resort city and the Cordillera but also ensure the safety of travelers.

This was bared by Engr. Irenoe S. Gallato, district engineer of the Baguio City District Engineering Office of the Department of Public Works and Highways, who underscored that vegetation and control are now being undertaken along the stretch of the road to prevent the occurrence of landslides.

Based on data secured from the agency, more than 300,000 foreign and domestic visitors pass through the scenic zigzag road and visit roadside tourist spots like the Bridal falls, Twin Peaks, and the Bued river among other attrac-tions. (Dexter See)

Strawberry fields open in Benguet

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet (PNA) — Municipal Mayor Greg Abalos led yesterday the formal opening of Strawberry Festival, the main agro-trade-tourism and industrial fair of this capital town.

The mayor said he ordered the suspension of the town's number coding scheme to allow the expected hundreds of visitors coming here free access to all places of their interest.

As of Wednesday, local strawberry growers have readied their farms to be visited by tourists and started to display for sale fresh strawberries as well as processed products like strawberry jams, jellies, candies, wine and soap.

P70 M lost in Benguet fire

TUBA, Benguet — Some P70 million worth of mine and private properties turned into ashes during a four-hour fire that gutted 15 structures inside the Philex Mining Corporation at sitio Padcal, Camp 3 here Wednesday. The burned properties include eight bank houses, five cottages of the company and two private cottages located within the mine camp. Eduardo Aratas, chief of Philex’s legal division, disclosed that 73 families comprising some 450 individuals who are mostly employees of the company, were rendered homeless by the fire.

He said they were already provided temporary relocation as well as relief assistance. (Dexter See)

Anti-poverty drive pushed

TABUK, Kalinga — The government’s Convergence Framework on the poverty reduction program is expected to have a major impact in solving the problems of the country’s poor, said Jeoffrey Garcia of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office.

He said the Convergence Framework will showcase implementation of the department’s three major poverty alleviation programs — the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan (Kalahi) and Self Employment Assistance para sa Kaunlaran (SEA-K).

The programs shall be implemented at the same time in identified beneficiary area, unlike previously, where each program had separate areas. (Dexter See)

Rizal gov't vows housing priority

ANTIPOLO CITY — The Rizal provincial government vowed yesterday to continue prioritizing housing programs for Rizalenos with the assistance of various private and government housing institutions.

To date, the administration of Rizal Gov. Casimiro “Jun” Ynares III has put up more than 5,000 housing units in various housing projects including the Ynares Village situated in various parts of the province. (Nel B. Andrade)