The Ilocos Times

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—In time for the annual celebration of National Autism Consciousness Week, the Autism Society of the Philippines-Laoag Chapter has prepared a series of activities to prevent discrimination and promote inclusivity of persons with autism. Earlier, a bazaar for children with autism opened at the Dap-ayan center where preloved items, shoes, bags and others are sold to the public. Triscia Alexandra “Trixie” Ablan, ASP public relations officer said the bazaar for a cause will last for four days or until January 24. “The registration fees of participants will go to ‘ausome angels’ and this is in partnership with the Rotary Club of Laoag Metro Ilocos Norte and the Sirib Ilokano Kabataan Association,” said Ms. Ablan saying she developed her fondness for children with autism when she had a chance to seat in a classroom with them and she found ‘peace’. Since then, Ms. Ablan met with other volunteers in Laoag as they advocate

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Laoag City —The city government here has begun construction of a new multi-million computerized slaughterhouse. The said facility is located at Brgy. Camangaan, this city, near the City Agriculture Office. City engineer Roy Tomas said the new city government-owned slaughterhouse will be computer-operated and will have the newest equipment and machines from the National Meat Inspection Commission (NMIC). The city’s counterpart for the project is the lot and the construction of new building. Phase 1 of the project started last year with a funding of PHP1.5 million. Currently, the project is on its phase 2 with a funding of PHP3.3 million. The impasse on the city government’s 2019 budget, however, may delay the project’s phase 3. Phase 3 has an allocation of PHP5 million under “capital outlay” in the 2019 budget. “ Ket inggana a saan a maaprubaran tay 2019 budget ket saan met a masagid daytoy a pondo isu nga on hold

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—Chinese nationals continue to dominate foreign tourist arrivals in this northern gateway of Luzon. Of the more than three million recorded day-visitors in Ilocos Norte in 2018, thousands of Chinese tourists registered the most in terms of international tourists’ arrivals, according to Xavier Ruiz, Ilocos Norte tourism operations officer. Other foreign visitors include Americans, Europeans and Koreans among others who visited the province’s major tourism attractions. In 2018, the Ilocos Norte Tourism Office (INTO) reported 3,003,963 day-visitors, or an increase of 34% tourist arrivals compared to 2017. “This is the sweet fruit of labor and the solidarity of all tourism stakeholders,” said Mr. Ruiz as he commended all tourism stakeholders and local government units (LGU) in the province for helping gather the number of tourists visiting their respective jurisdiction. Latest record of the INTO shows the U

Saan a nakapapati ngem pudno! “Untouchable” dagiti traysikelan ditoy ciudad ti Laoag! “Nalabes kay unay nga agsarita”, mabalin a kunayo. Ngem padasenyo a sintiren ti garaw dagiti tricycle driver. Makitayo nga adu dagiti buong ti ulo nga abusado ken bastos! Ngem iti likod ti binunton a reklamo dagiti pasahero, kas man awan opisyal a makaitured a mangipursigi ti umno a pannakadisiplina dagiti traysikelan. Awan ti makaitured a mangsagid kadakuada! Ala, aguni dagiti makaitured! Addan sa ketdi bukod a paglintegan dagiti traysikelan, ta dagiti laeng kaykayatda ti ipakpakatda iti pannakatratar dagiti pasahero, panagpila ken uray pay iti estilo dagiti sidecar. Isu nga intay man pagraramanan ti listaan dagiti “misteryo” dagiti tricycle sidecar iti lugartayo. Kalpasanna, intayto pagsinamit daytoy naputarmi a listaan dagiti “10-year challenge”. *** Lima a “misteryo” maipanggep kadagiti sidecar dagiti tricycle ditoy Laoag: 1. Apay ngata a no ngumato ti plete ku

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—The Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved an anti-littering ordinance on January 28, 2019, which penalizes violators with stiffer penalties. In view of this, the Movement Against Plastic Pollution (MAPP), a group of young environmentalists in the province has lauded the main sponsor, senior Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc for pushing the said ordinance meant to observe proper waste management in the province, city, municipal and village levels. “We thank sir Matthew for the passage of the ordinance which includes the banning of the releasing of balloons and sky lanterns,” said MAPP in their official Facebook page on the same day it was passed. With the passage of Provincial Ordinance No. 2018-07-051, Mr. Manotoc urged concerned government authorities “To intensify the campaign on proper waste disposal to prevent ecological and environmental degradation and instill discipline, social responsibilit

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—At least three senior citizens from Ilocos Norte received their centenarian gift on January 22, 2019 courtesy of the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte. Of the PHP4 million budget allocation for 2019 as provincial government counterpart for centenarian benefits in the province, at least PHP15,000 each were turned over to Mauricio P.   Rosqueta from Valdez, Marcos; Nicolas P. Abaro from Fortuna, Marcos; and Doroteo R. Rivera from Talugtog, Solsona. “The gift checks were delivered personally by a team from the PSWDO to the beneficiaries,” said provincial social welfare and development officer Lilian Rin. Under Provincial Ordinance No. 2018-10-063 approved on December last year, less fortunate senior citizens who struggle with the financial burdens of medical and funeral expenses get cash incentive. This is apart from the centenarian gift of Php100,000 each one will receive from the national government under Repub

  Inrakurak ni Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Vic M. Ines a maysa ti DAR Ilocos Norte kadagiti nabigbig a 2018 Top Performers ti Department of Agrarian Reform iti intero a paguilian. (Jorge Richard P. Guerrero) Laoag City —Nabigbig ti DAR-Ilocos Norte a kas maysa kadagiti 2018 Top Performers ti Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) iti naangay a 2018 Year-End Summative Assessment and 2019 Planning Conference ti DAR idiay Iloilo City itay napan a lawas, Kuna ni provincial agrarian reform program officer II Vic M. Ines, iti benneg ti representation in quasi-judicial cases, top 1 ti legal services division ti DAR-Ilocos Norte. Itay napan a tawen, 100% ti accomplishment ti DAR Ilocos Norte iti panangirepresentar kadagiti mannalon iti Department of Agrarian Reform Adjudication Board (DARAB). Inpalgak pay ni Mr. Ines a top 2 ti DAR-Ilocos Norte iti benneg ti organizational development and strengthening of agrarian reform beneficiaries organizations (ARBOs

Laoag Mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas lead the distribution of social pension for the third quarter of 2018 to the city’s 1,125 senior citizen pensioners of after a regular flag raising ceremony at the city hall. The Social Pension Program for Indigent Senior Citizens (SPPISC) is an additional government assistance to augment their daily subsistence and other medical needs. (Alwin Formantes)

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Laoag City —The city new local government operations officer Janet Duarte is eyeing the holding of additional special Sangguniang Kabataan elections for the city’s 37 barangays. Ms. Duarte said the said barangays have incomplete number of elected SK officials, thus the special elections. The planned special election is based on a Dept. of Interior and Local Government Memorandum Circular No. 2018-212 dated December 20, 2018, which states the need to complete the set of SK officials in all the barangays within 30 days upon issuance. However, with 237 barangays having incomplete SK officials, the 30-day period does not apply to the city. A supplemental memorandum was issued wherein it states that the city of Laoag can conduct special SK elections until March 31, 2019. Record shows that the city DILG started conducting special elections on January 19 and 20, 2019 for 10 Barangays. Ms. Duarte expressed hopes that all th

By Bernard Ver Contributor LAOAG CITY – Ilocos Norte Board Member Mariano "Nonong" V. Marcos II, who was running for vice governor in the May 2019 midterm elections, passed away at the age of 62 after a cardiac arrest on the evening of February 15, 2019. Mr. Marcos was supposed to board a Manila-bound aircraft at the Laoag International Airport when he was found lying on the restroom floor. The door was reportedly locked and was only opened after 15 to 20 minutes. He was rushed to the Laoag City General Hospital’s emergency room but was declared dead at 9:42 p.m. Meanwhile, his cousins Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Eugenio Angelo M. Barba and Laoag City councilor Michael M. Keon took him his remains from the hospital and brought it to a funeral chapel here. The day before his death, he was in Vintar, Ilocos Norte for the provincial government’s Capitol Express. In his speech, he said that he had set a date with his wife Cecilia Araneta and their chi

Laoag City —As the closing of Bicentennial Year draws near, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) has intensified the Capitol Express (CapEx), bringing frontline services to the Municipalities of Vintar and Piddig and the City of Batac on January 24, 2019. Dubbed the “Capitol on Wheels," CapEx aims to deliver social welfare and agricultural services inclusively by reaching even the most remote barangays of the province. Expressing her gratefulness for the program, Caren Mae Quidilla, Piddig Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson commented, “Madami talaga ang natutulungan ng CapEx . Makikita talaga na ang programang ito ay hindi lang para makatulong kundi eye-opener rin.   Kasi kung marami ang dumadalo, meaning madami pa rin ang mga nangangailangan ng mga ganitong serbisyo. “ Advantage namin ito dahil hindi naman lahat ng tao kayang pumunta sa Capitol o sentro para humingi ng tulong,” she added. Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Eugenio Angelo M. Barba,

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Dingras , Ilocos Norte—At least 10 Japanese officials from the garlic capital of Takko in Aomori Prefecture, Japan joined farm festivities at Brgy. Madamba in Dingras, Ilocos Norte as one of the highlights of the month-long celebration of the state-run Mariano Marcos State University’s (MMSU) 41 st founding anniversary. Attended by hundreds of multi-sectoral stakeholders from public, private and non-government entities, the “Parambak Diay Talon”, an Ilokano term which means farm festivities is meant to celebrate good harvest and offer thanksgiving for all the blessings MMSU have reaped throughout the year. “In Asia, festivities have become part of our culture. We celebrate for so many occasions and these farm festivities express our heartfelt gratitude for all our partners who helped us achieved our goals,” said Dr. Shirley Agrupis, president of the premiere university in northern Philippines. With invited guests from J

Umadani manen ti panagpipili. Ala, narway dagiti nasasayaat a kandidato, ngem ditay maikkat nga agraira met latta dagiti sansilmo a a pulitiko. Isu a tapno ditay manen a mairubo, intay man amirisen dagiti sumaganad a listaan dagiti “lima” a maipanggep kadagiti pulitiko ken animal.   Ken kas espesyal a ramen daytoy a bilang, pagraramanantay man ti listaan dagiti nasisita a panawagan. *** 5 a kababalin ti adu a pulitiko: 1. Aguni wenno umisem kenka, maminsan laeng iti kada tallo a tawen. 2. Am-ammo wenno pagayam wenno kabagyannaka, maminsan laeng iti kada tallo a tawen. 3. Addaan ti prinsipyo agpaay kadagiti tao, maminsan laeng iti kada tallo a tawen. 4. Agboluntaryo nga agidonar ti kasapulan dagiti umili, maminsan laeng iti kada tallo a tawen. 5. Mangted ti paglidok ken igatang ti istaltope a pulutan, maminsan laeng iti kada tallo a tawen. *** 5 a pagsasao maipanggep kadagiti animal: 1. Ti uleg, uray maawanan gita, ulegto latta. 2. Amin

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—The Ilocos Norte Grains Retailers Confederation has expressed opposition to Senate Bill 1998, a proposed law seeking the unlimited importation of rice with tariffs to ease rising prices due to the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law. According to National Food Authority provincial manager Eleonor Andres, a two-page resolution was passed by the officers of GRECON Ilocos Norte Chapter as they appealed to the legislative body to further review the measure and urged President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to veto the alleged deceptive and anti-poor provisions of the rice tariffication bill. Once passed into law, the NFA provincial manager explained, “The country’s rice industry will be affected as anybody can import rice.” As a result, NFA will be limited to buffer stocking that is only bound to local procurement. Senate Bill 1998 proposes to amend Republic Act 8178 or the “Agricultural Tariffication Act of 1996”

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—The Sangguniang Kabataan Federated Association in Ilocos Norte bared plans to conduct its own investigation following the discovery of some 79 Laoag SK chairperson who signed a blank payroll while they attended a leadership training at a resort in this city. They were also allegedly made to sign a waiver authorizing the Laoag SK president to collect their travelling expenses. Ilocos Norte SK Federated President Rafael Medina confirmed this as several SK presidents of Laoag expressed their dismay when they found out that a total of PHP73,075 has been liquidated as their per diem after attending a three-day live in seminar on November 28-30, 2018, which they did not receive. Through a joint committee hearing of the committees on laws, youth and good government held at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Session Hall on January 16, 2019, the investigation revealed that the Laoag city government through the Local Youth Development O

Producing job-ready graduates through industry-academe joint efforts. Laoag City —Out of 2,600 job fair applicants in 2018, a total of 1,178 were successfully hired on-the-spot, records from the Ilocos Norte Public Employment Services Office (PESO) showed. In 2017, only 256 applicants out of 1,090 (23.49%) were hired immediately during job fairs. A 93% increase in applicants instantly hired was seen in 2018. These are based on figures from the different job-matching activities held simultaneously during the Bicentennial Celebration in February and the Marcos Fiesta in September, as well as the annual Summer Job Fair, Millennial Job Fair, which caters to senior high school graduates, and the Year-End Job Fair. Anne Marie Lizette Bitancor-Atuan, PESO head, pointed out, “ Lumaki ang mga na -hire last 2018 kasi marami talagang gustong magtrabaho after senior high school (SHS)… May mga job opening tayo na talagang para sa undergraduate at SHS.” Mrs. Atuan added,