Piddig inaugurates new municipal hall

Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Angelo Marcos Barba leads the ribbon cutting ceremony on Wednesday, September 3 during the inauguration of Ilocos Norte's newest green building and latest tourism landmark. Also in photo are: Piddig Mayor Eddie Guillen, Father Lorenzo Torreflores of St. Anne Parish, Piddig Vice Mayor Generoso Aquino, ABC president Gina Guillen (also the mayor's wife), and members of the municipal council.

Shows the before and after transformation of the old and new municipal hall of Piddig.

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

Piddig, Ilocos Norte—A two-storey multi-functional building on a hill side surrounded by tall trees overlooking the Dingras river and sprawling rice fields and majestic mountains became the latest addition to Ilocos Norte’s tourism landmark, this time located in the eastern portion of Ilocos Norte.  

Attended by local officials and heads of national agencies, the new and modern municipal hall building of Piddig was inaugurated on September 3. It features a one-stop shop gallery of various offices including sub-offices of national agencies such as the Bureau of Internal Revenue, Commission on Audit, and postal office including a museum, eco-library, an FM station with a 40-kilometer radius and a coffee shop to open soon at the second floor of the old building, the municipal government rehabilitated to preserve its original structure and parts of the old flooring.

“This is a dream come true for the people of Piddig. It took us a hard time to realize this green building,” Piddig Mayor Eduardo “Eddie” Guillen quipped, citing the chimney-type municipal hall naturally catches the breeze and let the light in through its white roofing and dome was inspired by Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos who envisions that all municipal and city buildings in the province becomes a tourist spot.

Funded by the Department of Finance, the project was worth more than P40 million and was acquired through a borrowing agreement payable for a period of 10 years, the newly-inaugurated municipal hall building is expected to become a tourist destination particularly when the 10-hectare initial coffee plantation here will become fully operational.

Inside an open quadrangle at the municipal hall lobby leading a stairway to the mayor’s office is a water fountain using clay jars pouring water into the basin.

“We are happy that we have a new work place with a good ambiance. So, it is expected for us also that we become more productive in our respective functions and responsibilities,” said Mario Tejada, municipal secretary to the Sangguniang Bayan of Piddig.

In 1922, the first municipal building was erected on the same site but it has become dilapidated over time.

During the rainy season, some employees said they could hardly concentrate on their work as water drips from the ceiling.