The Ilocos Times

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—Ilocos Norte Water District General Manager John Teodoro called on its concessionaires in Ilocos Norte and some parts of Ilocos Sur and Cagayan to help conserve water and start growing trees now. In time for its 15th year anniversary on August 16, 2017, Mr. Teodoro said there is no better way to help INWD sustain its mandate than to observe water conservation and to report any leaks in water system. On its 15th anniversary, INWD management and staff conducted a replanting activity around the Paoay Lake, where the government-run water district and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources jointly developed a forest project in partnership with some private lot owners at the lake. According to Mr. Teodoro, about 8,500 mahogany saplings were planted during the first phase of the project. To sustain it, the INWD closely monitors its growth. “For every tree planting, we cannot avoid there are some mortality. So...

R ESCUE TRAINING . Batac mayor Albert Chua welcomes the participants for the basic rescue and medical emergency training on August 2, 2017 at the Kalipi Training Center. The first batch of trainees include the barangay peacekeeping action teams. The Philippine Red Cross and the Bureau of Fire Protection supervised the training  ( Batac CDRRMO photo)

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—Owing to the increasing number of bullying cases in public schools here, the Ilocos Norte Schools Division Office (INSDO) through its Legal Division Office has mandated the creation of child protection committees in all elementary and secondary schools here. For the school year 2015-2016, Atty. Marshall Ellis Diego, INSDO legal counselor reported that they have received about 50 reports of bullying in school compared to 20 similar cases in the previous year.  Mr. Diego explained violence takes many forms. It could be peer-to-peer bullying, gender-based discrimination, physical assault, psychological punishment, public ridicule, and sexual harassment as the most common types of violence in schools. In view of this, a forum on child protection policy and anti-bullying is being conducted in the different schools here to instill public awareness and promote safer environment for children. Republic Act 10627 or the ...

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF ILOCOS NORTE FIRST JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 12 – LAOAG CITY IN RE: PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF ENTRIES IN THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE OF JOVANY GUILLERMO PASCUAL JOVANY GUILLERMOP PASCUAL Petitioner, -versus- THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR of the CITY OF LAOAG, ILOCOS NORTE, CIVIL REGISTRAR GENERAL, National Statistics Office, Manila, And any and/or all person/s whose Interest/s may be affected thereby, Respondents,  SP. PROC. NO. 17136-12 for CORRECTION OF ENTRIES x------------------------------x ORDER Filed with this Court is a verified petition for correction of entries in the birth certificate of Jovany Guillermo Pascual by the petitioner through counsel. Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, notice is hereby given that this petition is set for hearing on August 30, 2017 at 8:30 a.m. before the Regional Trial Court, Branch 12, Laoag City, at which time, date and place...

By Dominic Dela Cruz & Jannahry Ann Campos Laoag City—The city government here has issued a memorandum calling for the proper treatment of members of the LGBT (Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender and) community. City government administrator John Michael V. Fariñas issued a memorandum on July 11, 2017 to all head of offices and employees to “firmly show respect by properly addressing persons who belong to the LGBTQ community”.  Congress’ first transgender member Rep. Geraldine Roman (Bataan, 1st district) introduced House Bill 267, the LGTB anti-discriminatory bill. The said memorandum explained that it is not a “result of any experience encountered as well as any complaints faced but purposely to promote professionalism in the office”.  “Not really. No experience. I didn’t hear anything bad. No complaints. I just want and wanted to have a healthier environment to where I’m working. I’m working in the City Government of Laoag in the City Hall, so m...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Sarrat , Ilocos Norte—An unknown assailant gunned the former Laoag City police chief at Brgy. San Manuel in this municipality on the evening of August 8, 2017. Retired P/Sr. Supt. Jeffrey Gorospe, 55 years old, married and a resident of Brgy. San Antonio here, was with four other companions when the unknown assailant shot him. Mr. Gorospe sustained gunshot wounds in his lower back and left thigh. He was rushed to the nearby Black Nazarene hospital in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte but was pronounced “dead on arrival” by attending physician, Dr. Marjorie Fariñas. At about 10:35 pm on August 8, 2017, witnesses said they were having a drinking spree in a nipa hut near the residence of Engr. Rodennis Sanchez when they heard successive gun shots. The victim, who was just about 10 meters away from them shouted that he was hit. He then requested them to turn off the light and they heard a motorcycle fleeing away. Police recovered 11 empt...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Pasuquin , Ilocos Norte—Residents in the coastal barangay of Davila, Pasuquin were caught off guard late last month as a storm surge hit more than a hundred fishing boats worth more than Php 50,000 each. It also damaged about 17 houses made of lightweight materials. As this developed, town councilors immediately convened an emergency session, declaring Pasuquin under a state of calamity.  Pasuquin mayor Ferdinand Aguinaldo said in a radio interview that about six percent of the town's coastal villages were affected by the storm surge brought about by the howling winds of tropical storm “Huaning” while typhoon “Gorio” exited with the Philippine area of responsibility. As of this posting, some of the affected families are now back to their homes while the others are still trying to figure how they could recover from losses. At the height of strong winds with light to moderate rainfall, Randy Baay, 32 of Cavintaran, Brgy. Davila...

By Leilanie G. Adriano & Reynaldo E. Andres Staff reporter & contributor Batac CITY—Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis became the seventh president of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) when she took her oath on July 31. The Board of Regents at the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) unanimously voted for the 52-year-old Professor III of MMSU’s College of Arts and Sciences on the same day. Dr. Agrupis also became the first MMSU graduate to hold the university’s highest post. Shortlisted among six applicants for the position vacated in 2015, Dr. Agrupis will serve as MMSU president until July 31, 2021. Leading student rallies to leading the university More than 30 years ago, this fearless campus leader led rallies against Dr. Consuelo S. Blanco, MMSU’s first president for alleged suppression of student organizations and student publications. On August 2, 2017 she entered the president’s office no longer armed with protest placards and leaflets, but...

The Laoag City PNP investigation division interrogates Arnel Reyes and Norma Michelle Llacuna after the buy-bust operation. ( Laoag police photo) By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Laoag City —The Laoag police arrested a known drug personality who earlier surrendered in the ongoing “war on drugs”; and her partner in a buy-bust operation. Identified as Arnel Reyes, 40 years old, married, cellphone technician, and a resident of Brgy. 50 (Buttong) this city, the police nabbed the suspect at Brgy. 2 (San Andres) in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte. The police also arrested Mr. Reyes’ live-in partner, identified as Norma Michelle Llacuna, 39 years old, single, self-employed, and resident of Brgy. 15 in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, who was also at the operation’s site. Mr. Reyes is under the Laoag police watch list as a “street-level target” (STL). He is already facing illegal drugs case in court. Ms. Llacuna, on the other hand is under the drug watch list of the Bacarra ...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—Representatives from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) visited the province recently to call for proposals for arts and culture projects for next year. For 2018, Ferdinand Isleta of the NCCA Arts Section said there are at least eight priority projects which qualified groups and individuals could pursue for funding. These are categorized per sub-commission which include: arts, heritage, cultural dissemination, cultural communities and traditional arts. While in Ilocos Norte, the NCCA enjoined all civil society organizations (CSOs), peoples’ organizations (POs), indigenous peoples’ organizations (IPOs), individuals, local government units (LGUs), government agencies (GAs), state universities/colleges and public schools to submit their project proposals not later than August 31, 2017. “We encourage empowered artists and cultural workers in Ilocos Norte to share their bright ideas and knowledge in pro...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Batac City —The Sangguniang Panlungsod here passed another resolution asking Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director-General Ronald “Bato” M. dela Rosa to allocate funds for the construction of a type “A” police station here. In 2015, Batac’s 3 rd Sangguniang Panlungsod passed a similar resolution. At that time, then Batac mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta initiated the conveyance of a city government-owned property along Brgy. Billoca here to the PNP. Conveyed through a deed of donation, the lot has an area of “more or less 1,000 sq. meters; it was intended for the construction of the said police building. Mr. Nalupta officially executed the deed of donation on February 18, 2016, for the city government; then PNP Region I director P/Chief Supt. Ericson T. Velasquez acted as “donee” for the PNP. Currently, the Batac police station is one-storey building. Officials here said the building is “deteriorating” and “with very limit...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—Owing to occurrence of bombing incidents and terrorist threats around the country, the government now requires licenses to purchase potassium nitrate. This development affects mango growers as the said chemical is important to induce more flowers for mango trees. Potassium nitrate, however, is an active ingredient in manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs); thus, the license requirement to ensure that the chemical will not land in terrorists’ hands. Previously, anyone can buy potassium nitrate or even calcium nitrate in farm supply stores. This, however, is no longer the case as the Philippine National Police started regulating the sale of the said chemicals. Even the chemicals’ sellers need to secure their own permits to sell them. Appropriate charges and penalties await violators of this regulation, the police said. They added that the legal charges will be “non-bailable. In view of this, Ricard...