The Ilocos Times

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has banned all quarry operators extracting sand and gravel along the Bolo River in northern Ilocos Norte. In a May 13 cease-and-desist order issued by regional director Carlos Tayag, officer-in-charge of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), authorities found 14 quarry operators along the Bolo River covering the municipalities of Bangui, Dumalneg, Pagudpud operating without the necessary permit from the DENR or from the Ilocos Norte provincial government. On May 16, 2018, key officials of the DENR led by regional directors Reynulfo Juan, Ma. Victoria Abrera of the Environmental Management Bureau, Mr. Tayag of MGB and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Victor Dabalos served the order to the illegal quarry operators along Bolo river. Florante Nicolas, PENRO Ilocos Norte information officer identified the illegal quarry operators ...

Piddig Mayor Georgina Salazaer-Guillen chats with cancer patient Rizalinda dela Cruz. (Berong Ver) By Bernard Ver Contributor Piddig , Ilocos Norte—Doctors diagnosed Rizalinda dela Cruz, 48, a resident of Barangay Arua-ay, this town with a malignant tumor (advanced cancer)-stage IV, located on her right cheek of her face. She later became one of the beneficiaries of the Dept. of Social Work and Development (DSWD) cash assistance program. Piddig mayor Georgina Salazar-Guillen also extended her support to Mrs. Dela Cruz for her medicinal needs thru the “cash assistance” from the municipal social welfare development office (MSWDO) fund. Mrs. Dela Cruz is one of the beneficiaries of the DSWD Assistance to Individuals and Families in Crisis Situation (AICS) here. She discovered her disease last December 2017. She said that the she is encountering migratory pains and recently went to a doctor and undergone health examinations especially on her right cheekbone. ...

Education secretary Leonor Brione (middle) with Laoag mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas and Laoag division superintendent Joel Lopez. (Aceyork Guerrero) By Jennifer T. Pambid Contributor Laoag City —The city schools division office here hosted Dept. of Education Sec. Leonor M. Briones, who in turn, attended the Regional Management Committee special meeting at a hotel in the city on April 27, 2018. DepEd regional director Alma Ruby C. Torio chaired the special meeting attended by regional education officials, division superintendents and assistant superintendents. In her speech during the meeting, Ms. Briones congratulated Region 1 for being number one among other 17 regions in the country in terms of budget utilization. She also shared developments in the central office pertaining to the senior high school program, kindergarten policy, ICT program and improving the overall DepEd system, among others. “We have to rationalize the organization especially financial ma...

Currimao , Ilocos Norte—The municipal government here, with the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) leading, in cooperation with the Sirib Ilocano Kabataan Association (SIKA) Inc. conducted an emergency coastal clean-up on May 6, 2018. The clean-up stemmed from social media posts that went viral, showing a large volume of plastic wastes floating along the Pangil Rock Formation here. Complaints reached the local government here on May 5, 2018, with regards to an unusual volume of garbage found along the shores of Barangay Pangil. Several people posted photos of waste materials at the Pangil rock formation in a social media site. Currimao mayor Gladys G. Cue reassured that upon receipt of the report, the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) acted accordingly. She reminded the public that they are implementing measures to maintain the cleanliness of the rock formation. She said they are imposing penalties and fine...

The anniversary of the women’s club coincided with the 7 th  Binakol Festival of this town. Sarrat , Ilocos Norte—Gracing the 38 th anniversary of the Women’s Club Federation in this municipality on May 5, 2018, Ilocos Norte governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos encouraged the preservation and promotion of the town’s heritage loom-woven fabric, binakol . Over the past years, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) and the municipal government, in cooperation with various national agencies like the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA), have started initiating activities that aims to revive the culture and industry of binakol weaving. Sarrat specifically produces binakol . It is one of the hand-woven fabrics produced in the province, together with the renowned abel Iloco produced in Paoay. Filipino designers have used both Ilocos Norte fabrics in making traditional clothing such as terno , m...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—The Department of Education in Ilocos Norte said they need more professionals to fill in job vacancies for senior high school (SHS) this school year. According to schools division superintendent Vilma Eda, there specialized subjects in SHS which they need to fill up. Among these include technical vocational, Filipino, English, social studies, and music, arts, physical education and health (MAPEH) among others. “We ask our college graduates even those who do not have license yet to file their applications as we need more teachers for senior high program,” said Ms. Eda as she urged interested applicants to go the Ilocos Norte Schools Division Office in Laoag City to file their applications. Like in various parts of the country, Ilocos Norte is also facing the same challenge of filling up teaching positions for various tracks. Out of the 1.517 million students enrolled in Grade 11, DepEd records show majority or 60...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Pagudpud , Ilocos Norte—The largest resort in this town vows to lead the way in ensuring clean and sustainable tourism. “It’s a lesson learned to all of us in the tourism industry. We need to create a new order for tourism. One that is environment-friendly and sustainable in the years to come,” said retired Philippine Air Force Col. Ricardo Nolasco, proprietor of a Pagudpud resort. To strengthen its eco-tourism advocacy, the resort is on the forefront of organizing world-class beauty pageants which primarily aims to develop men and women who make it to their mission to help others change their habits for the good of the planet. Referring to the temporary closure of Boracay island as a sad event in the country’s tourism industry, Mr. Nolasco said all other tourism stakeholders need to develop and strengthen it without disregarding the environment.   “Generally, it is sad note for Philippine tourism, baka isipin nila lahat...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has renewed its commitment enjoining all stakeholders to become responsible stewards of nature. Attended by about 1,500 participants from the different regions of the country, the DENR launched Tayo ang Kalikasan Movement at a hotel in this city on April 24, 2018 with a symbolic signing of covenant to take an active role in the preservation of the environment. “The aim of this movement is to improve our environmental condition. It is not just the DENR who is doing it, all of us should help each other to show that we are concern about our environment,” said Atty. Jonas Leones, DENR undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs who is also the co-chairman of the Task Force Tayo ang Kalikasan. Highlighting the movement as collaborative endeavor between the government and the people, DENR Usec. Rodolfo Garcia and chief of staff said mobilizing the ...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—The Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) at the Mariano Marcos State University (PCC-MMSU) in Batac City continues to improve its organization to better serve its customers. Following a series of processes, the PPC is among the latest government organizations in the province to pass a re-certification audit by the TUV SUD PSB Philippines on April 16, 2018.   “To God be the glory,” Grace Recta, PCC director said in excitement after the successful conduct of the fifth surveillance transition audit and the PCC have satisfactorily complied to all the requirements of the standard. During the presentation, auditor Eunice Sol Pimentel-Diamante recommended that they issue PCC a certification-ISO 9001:2015. Ms. Recta said this is now the third time that they got a certification as it holds the distinction of being the first regional center of the PCC to have been ISO-certified since 2011. An ISO-certified organization ...

Piddig LGU consultant Eddie Guillen shares some good governance ideas to MinDA. (Berong Ver) Piddig , Ilocos Norte—The municipal government here recently provided ideas on good governance and convergence project for Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) in Davao City. Piddig mayor Georgina Salazar-Guillen and Piddig consultant Engr. Eduardo “Eddie” Guillen led the team in reaching out to different government officials in Mindanao. Mr. Guillen shared to them the proper way to prepare project proposals to the national government offices—leading to its successful downloading of funds to the LGUs. In the interim, Mr. Guillen introduced convergence project that serves Piddig town’s economic sustainable development. Foremost of which is the training of farmers in the rural areas to use cropping calendar to avoid wasting of yields. The MinDA) is a government agency of the Philippines created through Republic Act 9996, or the Mindanao Development Authority Act of 2010. ...

By Allan Biwang Jr. PhilRice The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is assisting the indigenous people (IP) in Sarangani to protect their traditional rice varieties (TRVs). “We have been waiting for this move from the government to conserve our traditional varieties. The entire IP community fully supports this project,” expressed Celito C. Terando, provincial government project manager of Sulong Tribu. As Sarangani is one of the areas most vulnerable to drought, preserving the seeds is important in breeding new climate-change ready seeds for the area. Blaan, Tagakaolo, Tboli, Manobo, Ubo, and Kalagan tribes live in its upland areas where they plan most of the TVRs. Starting this year, the locals and PhilRice’s genetic resources team will collect, conserve, survey, and document the varieties in a project, “Conservation of Sarangani Traditional Rice Germplasm (SaTRice).” The team will also evaluate the grain quality, level of resistance to pest and disease...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Batac City —Thousands of residents here and visitors from nearby towns witnessed this year’s Farmers Festival 2018 celebration with the theme “Honoring the Pride and Delight of the Soil—The Farmers” held May 1-5, 2108. A motorcade around the city and a thanksgiving mass headed by Batac mayor Albert D. Chua and vice mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta held at the Immaculate Conception Parish thanking the fruitful agricultural blessings from Almighty kicked off this year’s celebration. During the same day, the festival’s opening ceremony featured the pre-judging of farmer’s booths and exhibits and the zanjera dance competition. The following day saw the judging of the PINAKA HVCDP, indigenous shells, aquatic foods and fresh water fish; dog show; RIC dance competition and the coronation night of the Search for Farmers Festival Queen 2018, otherwise known as the “Balasang Ti Away 2018”. The Balasang Ti Away of Magnuang, Katrina...

If there’s one blogger-journalist who has hit hardest on Michael V. Fariñas, both when he was mayor of Laoag and in his tenure as vice mayor cut short by a tragic accident last night, it could be me. Over the years, I have written about him on a range of issues, nothing personal and all of public interest. Each time I’d do so, people would ask if I was not afraid. He was, after all, the leader of the city, a member of Ilocos Norte’s powerful family, and a man preceded by a certain reputation. Even my editor at The Ilocos Times —deeply concerned with the political repercussions it will have on our publisher who is now back in politics as a barangay captain—once edited out some lines about a throwback issue people today not dare talk about. Was I afraid? I wasn’t. At all. I think Sir Michael fully embraced critics like me—and here I remember my late friend Steve Barreiro who also wrote explosive columns on MVF—as an important part of a democratic city. To his credit, MVF never...

By Dr. Reynante L. Ordonio PhilRice As we aim for food security, producing enough, affordable, and accessible foods for consumers is our battlecry. More to this is to ensure that these foods are of high quality, safe, and nutritious. Not only quantity but also quality We must explore and utilize a combination of different agricultural technologies and strategies to achieve food security. Among these technologies, perhaps the most powerful yet the most controversial is the use of modern biotechnology or genetic engineering. With this, we can transfer genes from one species to another to create organisms with a novel combination of genes, referred to as genetically modified organism (GMO). Because of the unlimited combinations of genes that we can integrate into an organism, genetic engineering has a great potential for use in rice research for designing plants with higher yield, better quality in terms of increased resistance to insect pests and diseases, improved t...

Laoag City —Vanessa Mae C. Palalay, a beneficiary of the Sirib Young Leader (SYL) Scholarship proudly offers her achievements to her family and the youth as she is one of the 175 Latin honors recipients for the Mariano Marcos State University 40th Commencement Exercises. The SYL Scholarship is one of the three scholarship programs offered by the Provincial Government thru the Ilocos Norte Youth Development Office (INYDO). She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Technology as a cum laude. According to her, the scholarship paved way for her to gain not only quality education, but also holistic growth.   As a scholar, Vanessa is a youth volunteer at the INYDO and is the incumbent deputy chairperson of non-government organization Sirib Ilokano Kabataan Association, Inc.-Burgos. “ Napakaganda ng scholarship at programang ito ni Governor Imee Marcos. Marami itong natutulungan—hindi lang ang mga kabataan kundi maging ang kanilang mga pamilya at sa kani-kanilang...

DFA assistant secretary Frank Cimafranca pays a courtesy call to Laoag mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas during his visit to Laoag on May 7, 2018. (Photo by Alwin Formantes)

A security officer stands guard on the late vice mayor’s casket. By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Laoag City —The city’s vice mayor Michael V. Fariñas dies in a car crash along the bypass road a Brgy. 55-C Vira, this city, on the afternoon of June 6, 2018. First responders attend to the fallen vic e mayor The Laoag police said they responded to the incident along with the Dept. of Public Safety paramedics at 5:45 pm of the said date. The police said the vice mayor was driving a Mercedes Benz V8 Biturbo SUV along with his security aide SPO2 Melchor Geronimo of the Laoag police. Initial police investigation showed that the SUV was heading northwards when the vice mayor apparently lost control of the vehicle. The SUV, the report continued, swerved to the right shoulder of the road, hit a concrete barrier, and the impact threw the car into a rice field. Responders immediately transported the vice mayor to the Gov. Roque B. Ablan Sr. Memorial Hospital; a...