Manila - Four people were killed and more than 40 are missing when a motorized wooden boat sank in the eastern Philippines on Tuesday, police said.

The boat was believed to be carrying some 100 people when the accident occurred off Dimasalang town in Masbate province, 420 kilometres south of Manila.

Fifty-four survivors were rescued from the waters, said Senior Superintendent Reuben Sindac, Masbate provincial police commander.

Sindac said the boat was struck by a sudden gust of wind shortly after leaving the port of Dimasalang, causing it to capsize.

"This was just five kilometres from the shoreline," he said.

Police and local fishermen were helping search for those still missing from the accident.

Manila - The Philippine government on Tuesday expressed confidence that its relationship with the United States would remain strong whoever wins the presidential race.

Manila - Two communist rebels were killed in a clash with government troops in an eastern Philippine province, an army spokesman said Tuesday.

Colonel Romeo Brawner said six other guerrillas were injured when soldiers raided their encampment in Las Navas town in Northern Samar province, 510 kilometres south-east of Manila.

Brawner said government troops seized the rebel camp which consisted of 30 bunkers and four thatched huts.

Manila - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Tuesday it has approved a 70-million-dollar loan for a new project to improve the lives and incomes of poor farmers in the conflict-wracked southern Philippines.

The Manila-based bank said the Agrarian Reform Communities Project II will allocate 135.2 million dollars for rural infrastructure projects and 25.2 million dollars for agriculture and enterprise development.

Cotabato City, Philippines - At least nine Muslim rebels were killed in two days of fighting in the southern Philippines, a regional army operations officer said Monday.

Captain Louie Aguinaldo said the fighting erupted Sunday afternoon and lasted until Monday morning in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town in Maguindanao province, 960 kilometres south of Manila.

Aguinaldo said Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels attempted to return to their camp that was occupied by soldiers, triggering an intense firefight.

"There were many bloodstains in the MILF position, which was hit by our cannons," he said. "We got reports that at least nine MILF rebels were killed in the fighting."

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