all of the barangays in the Philippines, with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo hosting a May 4 ceremony to mark 95% electrification in the country.

The American people are proud to be a partner in improving the standard of living for thousands of Filipino citizens through the U.S. Agency for International Development-supported Alliance for Mindanao Off-Grid Renewable Energy (AMORE) Project.

Pictured above at the ceremony with residents of recently electrified rurual areas, U.S. Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney points to an area in Mindanao that has received electricity thanks to the AMORE program. The U.S. Government has provided 340 barangays in Mindanao with electricity already, and by June this year that number will have grown to nearly 400.

“The American people are committed to help our friends in the Philippines achieve the benefits of economic growth and improved standards of living that come with the widespread and growing availability of energy,” says Ambassador Kenney. “Electricity is a significant step forward in the development of communities in Mindanao – one that breeds hope and peace.”

AMORE is a unique public-private partnership that works with the Philippine Department of Energy, local governments, and private firms such as the American company Mirant Corporation-Philippines to achieve 100% electriciation in the country.

Also attending the ceremony were Department of Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla and Mirant Foundation Director Robert Calingo.

and law enforcement, the U.S. Embassy recently organized a seven-day seminar for investigators and prosecutors working on cases of suspected unlawful killings.

Thirty-two Philippine National Police (PNP) investigators, 10 Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors, and four regional directors of the Commission on Human Rights attended the seminar, which provided an opportunity for investigators and prosecutors to work together, leading to better understanding of each other’s roles and cooperation on future cases.

The seminar’s goal was to share experiences, information, and procedures that can be applied to the successful investigation and prosecution of unlawful killings. Visiting trainers offering their experience and insight included personnel from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice’s International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP), U.S. Attorney’s Office, and U.S. Marine Corps Judge Advocate General’s office.

Topics discussed included investigating cold cases and murder for hire; crime scene investigation and analysis; theories of command responsibility; prosecution of military personnel; human rights; and investigator/prosecutor cooperation in major cases.

Pictured above during the seminar’s opening ceremony, PNP Chief Oscar Calderon addresses the participants as U.S. Embassy Senior Law Enforcement Advisor Richard Miller, U.S. Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney, and DOJ Chief Prosecutor Jovencito Zuno (L to R) listen.

During her remarks, Ambassador Kenney encouraged participants to “make sure that the public has confidence in their law enforcement and security officials, and that any instances of perpetrators taking the law into their own hands are addressed – immediately and promptly.

“I am really impressed with the work going on so far,” she said. “I want you to know that we are here to share experiences, advice, ideas, and techniques … ways we have tackled some of these very important issues and continue to do so in the United States.”

U.S. judicial and law enforcement assistance is aimed at strengthening the rule of law, professionalizing law enforcement and judicial authorities, and empowering civil society so institutions can play a more effective role in investigating and prosecuting crime.

thanks to an equipment donation from the U.S. Department of State’s Anti-terrorism Assistance Program (ATA).

During the graduation ceremony for a three-week course on Post-Blast Investigation held in General Santos City, U.S. officials donated $45,000 worth of equipment to Police Regional Office 12 of General Santos City, and Police Regional Office 11 of Davao.

This donation gives police investigators the tools necessary to effectively carry out their jobs and collect valuable physical evidence when investigating criminal and terrorism cases. Pictured above are U.S. Embassy ATA and security officers officially handing over equipment to a Philippine police representative.

The donated equipment includes widescreen laptop computers, portable printers, digital cameras, distance laser rangefinders, and handheld global positioning system (GPS) equipment.

The Post-Blast Investigation course is designed for experienced criminal investigators, bomb technicians, and other explosives investigators who are directly or indirectly involved in the investigation of explosions and/or bombings.

Click here to view a photo gallery of the class.

key information leading to the killings of two notorious terrorist leaders received a total of $85,000 in rewards. (click here for more information)

(click here for more information)

Davao, and Baguio. Sacred Legacy: Edward S. Curtis and the North American Indian features 60 photographs that illustrate the extraordinary diversity among the indigenous peoples of North America. (click here for more information)

Philippine Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) Program at Fatima High School in General Santos City on March 9.

Mr. Timothy Teal, the U.S. Embassy DEA Attaché, urged the students to just say no to drugs. More than 1,000 fifth and sixth graders attended the ceremony and took a pledge to remain drug-free (pictured above).

The DARE program is a worldwide program that gives children the skills they need to avoid involvement in drugs, gangs, and violence. DARE was founded in 1983 in Los Angeles, California and has been implemented in more than 43 countries.

In the DARE program, police officers visit schools to teach classes to children from kindergarten through 12th grade on how to resist peer pressure and live productive, drug- and violence-free lives. Police officers who teach under the DARE program are specially trained in areas such as child development, classroom management, teaching techniques, and communication skills.  

The American people have introduced 400 former combatants of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) from North

Cotabato, Central Mindanao to the production of cardaba bananas, a particular variety of bananas that are in demand by domestic and overseas markets, particularly for banana chips.  Learning these skills helps them create a peaceful, productive life for their families.

The U.S. Agency for International Developmen'ts (USAID) Livelihood Enhancement and Peace (LEAP) program has helped former combatants learn new skills for the past few years. The LEAP program trained 28,000 former combatants in the production of corn, rice and seaweed to enable them to begin earning livelihoods immediately after the signing of the peace agreement that ended hostilities between the Philippine Government and the MNLF.  

From this initial group, USAID's Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) program selected 8,000 "graduates" and assisted them in diversifying their production to higher value crops and marine products. The diversification from corn to cardaba bananas brought substantial benefits for the selected farmers, most of whom have doubled their incomes.

The GEM program provided training and technical assistance and arranged marketing agreements between the farmers and banana chips processing companies.

The annual U.S. State Department “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices” for 2006 were released on March 6. The U.S. Congress requires the State Department to issue this report each year regarding the status of internationally recognized human rights in countries around the world, including the Philippines. (click here for more information)