ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Philippines (PIA) – Be the first to complete the trail as the Region-9 office of the Department of Tourism (DoT-9) invites tourists for the Rizal@150 tours. It said everyone is invited as the DoT-9 launches the sequel of Rizal@150 project on June 19 at the Rizal Shrine in Dapitan City to commemorate Rizal’s sesquicentennial milestone.

Ludy Silorio of the DoT-9 said the project is aimed at identifying all heritage structures and sites all over the country that has relevance to Dr. Jose P. Rizal, creating a heritage and tourism promotional campaign centered on Rizal’s 150th birth anniversary celebration and ultimately encouraging people to visit Rizal places of interest.

Job opportunities

BUTUAN CITY – The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) on Tuesday announced that job opportunities are available to Filipinos who want to work in eight foreign countries. The POEA in the Caraga Region also said job contracts are available for those who wish to work in Qatar, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Hong Kong, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia.

The POEA said these eight foreign countries needed engineers, skilled workers, medical services, and helpers. The government’s foreign employment agency also said these job contracts will be presented to interested job seekers during a series of week-long jobs fair. (Mike Crismundo)

Rural development

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The poverty alleviation program implemented by the Department of Agriculture (DA) through its Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) benefited thousands of villagers in the 225 towns and cities in Mindanao. The DA also said that its MRDP project already uplifted lives of villagers in Southern Philippines, particularly increasing their livelihood.

The DA also said that several infrastructure projects, local governance reform, environmental program and protection, and livelihoods are being availed by the local communities. (Mike Crismundo)

Tourism project

ISLAND GARDEN CITY OF SAMAL, Davao del Norte (PNA) – At least 28 settlers in a shoreline community at Purok Maanyag, Poblacion Kaputian, this city, voluntarily dismantled their houses to give way for tourism development in this province.

City engineer Darwin S. Arig said this voluntary action of the settlers came after a series of consultations and notices made by the Task Force on Relocation and Resettlement with the families residing along the foreshore area near the Kaputian Beach Park. Arig said the demolition was peaceful and the settlers cooperated and supportive of the development plan of the city government.

‘Gecko’ alert

DAVAO CITY (PNA) – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) has warned the public against buyers of “tuko” – Philippine gecko – in the Davao Region. NBI Regional Director Max Salvador said they are now looking into reports of “tuko” selling in the region, and to launch crackdown on buyers, not on sellers to finally stop the capture of this endemic creature.

Salvador said anyone caught will be charged with violation of Republic Act 9147, or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, which provides for the “conservation and protection of wildlife resources and their habitats.”