DPWH honors employee who found bomb near US embassy

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) awarded one of its female employees who found the improvised explosive device (IED) some 300 meters away from the US embassy in Manila last Monday.

Public Works Secretary Mark Villar yesterday gave a certificate of commendation and P20,000 cash to Eli Balabagan, one of the agency’s street sweepers assigned at the south Manila district engineering office.

The recognition was given to Balabagan, who has only been a DPWH employee for six months, for her selfless performance of her duty as a roadside maintenance worker.

Her vigilance and alertness led to the discovery of the IED near the US embassy along Roxas Boulevard.

She found the explosive in a trash can at 6:45 a.m. last Monday.

She immediately reported her find consisting of a cellular phone with black and red wirings connected to a black circular object covered with electrical and packing tapes.

The explosive was later detonated by the Philippine National Police.