The Ilocos Times

By Bernard Ver Contributor Laoag City —The Sangguniang Panlalawigan issued a “show cause” order on February 26, 2019 against several Laoag City government department heads in relation to the alleged missing Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) funds. releases ‘Show Cause’ order to several Laoag City Department heads on the alleged missing funds of the city government worth PHP 73,075. SP member Vicentito M. Lazo said that the order is in accordance with the law for those concerned individuals to shed light on the issue and to explain their process of liquidation, and provide documents of the SK seminar that transpired in Laoag City in November 2018. The Laoag government employees invited for the hearing are Diomedes Gayban, Edgar Pascual, Hipolito Salva, Visitasion Rabago, Shiela de Leon, and Lowelyn Acain. The provincial board gave the city government 15 days to bring the needed documents at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. The committees on laws, local government, and youth...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—Health personnel from the Department of Health are making rounds in various schools and local communities in the province to conduct massive vaccination particularly among athletes participating in the Region 1 Athletic Association (R1AA) Meet. For the safety of participants, Ilocos Norte’s hosting of the R1AA has been moved to March 6-11, 2019 instead of March 3-8 to give time for the athletes to be vaccinated against measles first. In a press conference held at the Schools Division of Ilocos Norte on February 28, 2019, Dr. Edwin Monis, medical officer V of the Department of Health-Center for Health Development in Region 1 and area supervisor for measles outbreak response team for Ilocos Norte said Region 1 has already recorded a total of 536 cases of measles with the most number, or 456 cases with 14 deaths in Pangasinan, 45 in La Union, 22 in Ilocos Sur and 13 in Ilocos Norte. To boost the immunity of the community...

Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Vic M. Ines ( first from right, first row ) leads the signing of memorandum of agreement with the beneficiaries of Convergence on Livelihood Assistance for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Project   (CLAAP). CLAAP is a joint program of the Department of Agrarian Reform and Department of Social Welfare and Development which aims to increase the household income of farmers by developing and improving their agri-business enterprises. Seven agrarian reform beneficiaries’ organizations in Ilocos Norte received assistance from CLAAP. (Jorge Richard P. Guerrero)

REPEAT . Brgy. 23 (San Matias) Punong Barangay Primo Jay S. Ramos (center) accompanied by his fellow Brgy. 23 officials receive the PHP75,000 check as prize for repeating as the Cleanest, Greenest and Safest Barangay under the Urban Category for CY 2018 on February 21, 2019 during the ABC Night in time with the Pamulinawen Festival 2019 celebration. (Doms dela Cruz )     By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Laoag City —This city’s Brgy. 23 (San Matias) led the winners for the annual search for the cleanest, greenest, most Productive and safest barangays for 2018 during the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) Night held at the LC Multi-Purpose Hall on February 21, 2019 as part of the celebration of the city’s Pamulinawen Festival 2019. The search is in line with the city’s Oplan Dalus, a pet project of the city government. Laoag Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) president Mary Michelle Louise “Mikee” V. Fariñas, in her welcome address, th...

Laoag City —A Facebook poll conducted February 11-18, 2019 by radio station DZJC shows entrepreneur Edward “Boyet” Quilala amassing 72 percent of the votes in the mayoralty race for the Municipality of Currimao. He is running against incumbent Mayor Gladys Go Cue who obtained a 28 percent vote share in the survey participated in by over 1,200 netizens. An online poll conducted earlier, January 28-February 4, 2019, by The Ilocos Times also saw Mr. Quilala winning over Mrs. Cue, with the former obtaining 58 percent of the almost 3,000 votes cast. In an interview with The Ilocos Times , Mr. Quilala expressed his gratitude for the very strong support he has been getting from his townmates. Reading from the poll comments and through his personal interactions with Currimaoeños, Mr. Quilala surmised that “ Nabannogda metten ” [They have grown tired] and that they are crying for change. However, while Mr. Quilala is appreciative of the snowballing support, he says he is car...

By Bernard Ver Contributor Laoag City --Laoag councilor Roger John C. Fariñas II filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeals opposing the decision of a lower court in Ilocos Norte after it sided with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in invalidating the city’s cockpit ordinance. According to Mr. Fariñas, he does not agree with the decision of the court thru Judge Francisco Quilala of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 14 favoring the Ilocos Norte Board on the issue of ‘Ultra Vires [beyond powers]’ in bringing the city ordinance to a halt. “I respect the court's decision… it has the only power to do so, yet, I filed an appeal in the Court of Appeals for further review on the case”, Mr. Fariñas said Two years ago, the city council passed an ordinance giving Mr. Alejandro “Bong” Taylan a franchise-to-operate the cockpit arena in Laoag. The provincial board, however rejected the said ordinance upon review due to “deficiency of requirements, thus invalid...

Typhoon Ompong lashes the province. (File photo) By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—Various fisherfolk associations in the coastal city and towns of Ilocos Norte received various fishery livelihood projects on February 19, 2019 courtesy of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). Composed of 56 payaos and two gillnets, BFAR Regional Field Office I Director Lilibeth L. Signey handed them to the beneficiaries in a simple turn over ceremony held at the Centennial Arena, this city. The fishermen association of Pasuquin who were among those hit hard by typhoon “Ompong” got 16 payaos and gillnets worth PHP2.7 million next to Laoag’s PHP1.59 million worth of fishing gears; Pagudpud and Currimao received gears worth PHP1.2 million each. Other recipients include fisherfolk associations in the towns of Bangui, Burgos, Bacarra, Badoc and Paoay. “We are thankful for the government support. This is a big help for us to boost our livel...

Bauang , La Union—In 2006, Asuncion and Oliver Kenneth DeLong are living a happy married life in Kentucky, United States of America, but something has been missing over the past three years of marriage. Having a child has always been important to the couple, particularly to Asuncion, a Filipina who values a strong sense of family relationship. Oliver, a retired American military, together with her wife has been constantly praying to give them a child but unluckily, it was all unanswered.    Exactly on their third wedding anniversary, a video call from the Philippines was received by the couple. Asuncion’s mother showed to them a newly-born baby girl who was voluntarily given up for adoption by her displaced biological parents. Due to the excitement of Asuncion’s mother, she immediately went to the local civil registry of this municipality to register the baby girl whom they named Kendall Ann DeLong. However, Asuncion and Oliver found the process inappropriate. De...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) distributed on a total of 1,614 certificates of land ownership award (CLOA) to 711 farmer beneficiaries in Ilocos Norte. Covering a total land area of 583.6947 hectares in the towns of Bacarra, Badoc, Banna, Burgos, Batac, Marcos, Paoay, Piddig, San Nicolas, Sarrat, Pasuquin, Bangui, Pagudpud and Vintar, Atty. John R. Castriciones, DAR Secretary said in an interview it was a long tedious process but with the convergence of all concerned government authorities, the intended farmer beneficiaries finally got hold of their CLOAs on February 22, 2019. As he climbed up the stage to receive an authentic copy of his land title at the Laoag Centennial Arena, 84-year old Isidro V. Calma Jr. from Bacarra said he is thankful that at last, he has acquired an evidence that he is indeed the owner of a 1,395 square meter lot his father has long tilled when he was younger. Under the exten...

By Bernard Ver Contributor LAOAG CITY—The Child Rights Network (CRN) held a policy caravan on child protection issues at the Northwestern University in this city on February 13, 2019. The caravan engaged universities around the country to raise awareness on child abuse, especially child rape with the help of the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development. In lieu of Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda Josefa  “Imee” R. Marcos, Atty. Saul Lazo, in her speech, said that "The provincial government of Ilocos Norte is continuously supporting the advocacies of the national government’s child protection program." According to data from the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), there are at least one in five children suffering traumatic experience during their childhood. Meanwhile, businessman and child rights advocate Reynaldo “Ryan” R. Remigio shared his thoughts on the impact caused of child abuse, especially rape case...

Ti kararag ket isu ti kangrunaan nga igamtayo iti panagbiag. Isu’t dalan ti pannakagun-od kadagiti ar-araraw ken kalikagumtayo. Ngem saan nga amin nga iyareng-engtayo babaen ti kararag ket matungpal. Adda dagiti saan a maikkan ti sungbat gapu ta saan a maikanatad dagiti linaunda. Intay man pagsasangnguan ti listaan dagiti kararag a saan nga umno. Itartarustay metten a pagraramanan dagiti naduma-duma a misteryo iti panagbiag *** 5 a kararag a saan nga umno: 1. Apo, ikararaganmi man dagiti tsimoso ken tsimosa. Sapay koma ta pagbalinem a kimmot dagiti ngiwngiwatda, nga agungap laeng no umiblengda. Tapno imbes a sabali a tao ti inda mirmiraen, dagiti laeng bukodda a bangsit ti maang-angotda. 2. Apo, ikararaganmi man dagiti traysikelan a saan nga agilugan ti maymaysa. Sapay koma ta no nasursurok ngem maysa ti pasaherosda, bumtak amin a ligay ken matukkol ti sidecar ti tricycleda. Kasta koma, Apo, agingga  a masursuroda ti mangrespetar kadagiti pagbibiaganda a pa...

  By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Dingras , Ilocos Norte—With Dept. of Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi recommending the cancellation and revocation of 17 electric cooperatives in the entire country, the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative here joined 121 other electric cooperatives in the simultaneous “Black Valentine” protest on February 14, 2019 As a result, all INEC sub-stations held a “special flag ceremony” with all their employees wearing black shirts to express their opposition to Mr. Cusi’s recommendation. The protest was mainly in reply to an advisory released by the Philippine Rural Electric Cooperatives Association (PHILRECA) Inc. which encouraged all electric cooperatives to join and participate in the “Black Valentine” and “Black Friday” Protest to depict that all ECs organizations and all their allies are “mourning over the inimical acts of DOE secretary Cusi who also endorsed the approval of the HB 9179 and making ways to revoke the franc...