Protesters place candles onto a mock birthday cake during a rally Saturday in Manila, on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's 61st birthday. The protesters called for Arroyo's resignation amidst charges of alleged corruption in her government. (AP photo)
MANILA -- The Philippines is targeting 92 percent self-sufficiency in rice this year and 98 percent by 2010, an agricultural spokesman said Saturday.
The statement comes after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced an ambitious multi-billion-peso plan to overhaul the country's agricultural sector to cope with the rising world price of food, particularly rice, the national diet staple.
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- Five young men invaded two houses in a subdivision, hogtied their victims, gang raped a 17-year-old girl and carted away P900,000 worth of belongings between late Friday and early Saturday morning.
DAVAO CITY -- Police and military operatives are on the look out for lady bombers who are said to be the "flavor of the month" of terrorists planning to conduct bombings in buses, malls, churches and other public areas.
