For various projects Israel envoy visits Iloilo

ILOILO CITY, Philippines - — Israel Ambassador to the Philippines Manashe Bar-on is here on a two-day visit and has expressed his desire for more cooperation with the city on various projects.

The Israeli ambassador, in an interview with PNA, said he believed the Embassy should go out of Manila to forge stronger relations with leaders of other places in the Philippines and to bring cooperation projects, particularly on agriculture.

Bar-on said that, for the last five years, the Israel government has been providing scholarships to graduating college students who have been given opportunity to learn modern agriculture techniques on fishery, livestock and greenhouses.

He said the scholarship program started with only 50 students and has now been expanded to cover 450 students who are also given the opportunity to continue their final year of schooling in Israel.

The Israeli government pays for the schooling of the students, who were chosen through their universities here in the Philippines.

Bar-on also took time yesterday to visit two private universities—the Central Philippine University and the University of San Agustin in Iloilo City—so their students could avail of the program.

Of the 450 students who would qualify in the program, 10 will come from Iloilo, he said, adding that the program will start this September.   (FREEMAN)