PGIN halts entry of 'toxic' materials for port project

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

LAOAG CITY—The Ilocos Norte government has stopped the importation of suspected toxic materials from Taiwan meant to be used by a sand exporter for its proposed seaport expansion project in the province.

Atty. Erme Labayog, chair of the Provincial Quarry Council (PQC), said the importation by Omnico Natural Resources Inc. (Onri) of blast furnace slag had been suspended pending a reexamination and validation test if the materials were safe and would not threaten the province’s marine ecosystem.

Blast furnace slag is a nonmetallic byproduct of iron and steel production.

The US-based National Slag Association said on its website (http://www.nationalslag.org/blast-furnace-slag), that during the period of cooling and hardening from its molten state, blast furnace slag can be cooled in several ways to form any of several types of products.

During an inspection on April 8, Mr. Labayog said a team from the PQC and the provincial environment and natural resources office found a stockpile of what appears to be mixed gravel and sand, and blast furnace slag, about 20 meters high, at the northern portion of Onri seaport complex here.

Six of the nine shipments from Taiwan had been delivered here, he said.

Alma Kho, Onri vice president for finance and administration, said several laboratory tests conducted before the importation found the materials safe for backfilling.

Ms. Kho, in a letter to Ilocos Norte Gov. Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos on April 9, attached several photocopied documents about slag aggregates, results of physical and chemical analyses and a guarantee issued by the Taiwan-based China Steel Corp. that the blast furnace slag will not cause mercury pollution.

An analysis conducted by SGS Taiwan has been revalidated by its Philippine counterpart, she said.

“SGS Taiwan and SGS Philippines collaborated to extract water samples from the proposed site [on Feb. 25] to establish a baseline data on the present sea-water condition and the same shall be periodically tested while the project is already on the construction stage,” Ms. Kho said.

She said the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) had certified that the materials do not pose a hazard to coastal waters. The document, signed by Benedicto Molano, environmental management specialist and head of the clearance and permitting division of the EMB, was authenticated by the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines.

Mr. Labayog said there was still a need to revalidate the laboratory tests, noting that the basis of the EMB certification was the company’s test results and not tests on actual samples delivered to Onri’s seaport.

“What we are concerned about is if these are indeed safe …. In the meantime, we requested [Onri] to stop the shipment until we get a confirmation from concerned authorities,” he said.

Comments

Free dormitories eyed for Nueva Era students in LC, Batac

Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Nueva Era , Ilocos Norte—The municipal government here, headed by Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida is planning to establish dormitories in the cities of Laoag and Batac that will exclusively cater to college students from the said cities. “Sapay la kuma ta maituloyen iti mabiit tay ar-arapaapen tayo ken iti munisipyo a maipatakderan kuma dagiti annak tayo a college students nga agbasbasa idiay siyudad iti Batac ken Laoag iti libre a dormitoryo a bukod da ngem inggana nga awan pay ket an-anusan mi paylaeng nga ibaklay kenni apo bise mayor iti pagbayad da iti kasera aggapu iti bukod mi a suweldo malaksid dagitay it-ited iti munisipyo ken iti barangay nga stipend da kada semester, ” Garvida said. Garvida added that the proposed establishment of dormitories would be a big help to the students’ parents as this would shoulder the expenses of their children for rent and likewise they would feel more secured

Empanada festival: A celebration of good taste and good life

By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporters BATAC CITY—If there is one thing Batac is truly proud of, it would be its famous empanada-making business that has nurtured its people over the years. Embracing a century-old culture and culinary tradition, Batac’s empanada claims to be the best and tastiest in the country with its distinctive Ilokano taste courtesy of its local ingredients: fresh grated papaya, mongo, chopped longganisa, and egg. The crispy orange wrapper and is made of rice flour that is deep-fried. The celebration of this city’s famous traditional fast food attracting locals and tourists elsewhere comes with the City Charter Day of Batac every 23 rd of June. Every year, the City Government of Batac led by Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta commemorate the city’s charter day celebration to further promote its famous One-Town, One Product, the Batac empanada. Empanada City The Batac empanada festival has already become an annua

P29 per kilo rice sold to vulnerable groups in Ilocos region

BBM RICE. Residents buy rice for only PHP29 per kilo at the NIA compound in San Nicolas town, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. The activity was under a nationwide pilot program of the government to sell quality and affordable rice initially to the vulnerable sectors. (Lei Adriano) San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte —Senior citizens, persons with disability, and solo parents availed of cheap rice sold at PHP29 per kilogram during the grand launching of the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) Rice held at the National Irrigation Administration compound in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. “ Maraming salamat Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa inyong pagmamahal sa Region 1 lalong-lalo na sa bayan namin sa San Nicolas,” said Violeta Pasion, a resident Brgy. 18 Bingao in this town. The low-priced grains were sourced from the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) contract farming with irrigators' association members in the province. Along with Pasion, Epi

The Ilocos Times

Search This Blog