Ilocos Norte gets additional P700K to complete Chinese garden

By Leilanie G. Adriano

Staff reporter

LAOAG CITY—Completing the third and final tranche of a PHP4 million for a Chinese garden in this city, the People’s Republic of China turned over on August 22, 2018 a total of Php777,000 to the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte.

Represented by Wang Jianqun, consul and head of post of the Chinese Consulate in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte, she handed the check to provincial officials of the province led by Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Eugenio Angelo M. Barba in a simple turnover ceremony held at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan session hall.

The establishment of a Chinese garden near the Malacañang of the North is just one of the special cooperation projects between the Chinese government and Ilocos Norte.

The Chinese garden installation in Laoag began in January 2017 with the Provincial Engineering Office here implementing it.

The development of a Chinese garden is in preparation for tourism cooperation between two provinces.

Aianree Raquel, head of the Provincial Tourism Office reported they particularly requested for Chinese-speaking tour guides in preparation for the arrival of thousands of Chinese tourists in Ilocos Norte.

Mr. Raquel said they need 30-80 Chinese-speaking tour guides to undergo a training program.

Meanwhile, the Shandong tourism representatives also invited the media and tourism office to visit Shandong province and make video promotions to encourage tourism.

For his part, Mr. Barba said the “continuing dialogue and friendly cooperation will foster closer ties” between the Chinese and Ilocanos in this part of Luzon particularly in terms of technology transfer in common areas of interests such as agriculture, infrastructure, business, fisheries, trade and tourism among others.”

The Chinese government also offered a language scholarship to Ilocos Norte meant to provide better understanding of what China is and its partnership to its sister-province of Ilocos Norte.

On the same day, a group of 19 Chinese nationals composed of Shandong government officials led by Wu Cuiyun, Vice Chairman of the Shandong committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and eight big business groups are visiting the province today to strengthen cooperation on agriculture, fisheries, infrastructure construction and business sectors.

With the aid of an interpreter, both officials and business representatives from Shandong and Ilocos Norte were grouped according to their respective business interests as they discussed further the key areas of cooperation previously identified during their second meeting in November 6, 2017.

The Shandong-Ilocos Norte Action Plan guided the dialogues and discussions which they plan to push forward during their third meeting.

Comments

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

PGIN honors Ilocano heroes of past, present through Heroes Walk

SPO1 Allan Lampitoc Franco of Banna, Ilocos Norte and PO2 Jovalyn D. Lozano of Adams, Ilocos Norte receive a resolution of commendation, a certificate of college scholarship grant to their family members and a P20,000 cash incentive each from the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte represented by Governor Imee R. Marcos and Vice Governor Angelo M. Barba in recognition of their bravery and heroic acts in the Mamasapano clash in Maguindanao on January 25. Mr. Franco and Mr. Lozano were recognized on March 10 in time for the unveiling of the second batch of Ilocano heroes at the Heroes Walk located along the Sirib Mile in Laoag City. (Lei Adriano) By Jennifer T. Pambid PGIN-CMO In honor of the heroes who brought freedom, fame and glory to the province as well as to the country in the past century, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) through the Education Department and Sirib Youth Office launched the second batch of Ilocano Heroes Walk on March 10, 2015.

Pagudpud’s tourism transformer passes away

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—Retired Philippine Air Force Col. Ricardo Nolasco Jr., owner of Hannah’s Beach Resort and Convention Center in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte passed away on Wednesday evening, July 11, 2018. He was 67. “He did not survive an open-heart surgery,” said Ronald Dominguez, spokesperson of the largest resort at Brgy. Balaoi in Pagudpud. Known as the architect behind the transformation of Pagudpud town as a premiere destination of the north, Mr. Nolasco put up Hannah’s Beach Resort in what was originally meant as a family vacation resort. The rest is history when it expanded into more than 300-room executive villas and cabanas, with on-going infrastructure developments and set up various amenities. As a result, hundreds of domestic and foreign tourists visit here daily. The resort is on a cliff by the beach, which provides a spectacular view of the sparkling blue lagoon. “Yesterday will go down my lifeline as one

The Ilocos Times

Search This Blog