The Ilocos Times

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Nueva Era , Ilocos Norte—As one of the cultural communities in the province of Ilocos Norte, the municipality of Nueva Era has integrated Tingguians’ traditional “Oggayam” in Nueva Era National High School (NENHS) curriculum. NENHS senior high school coordinator Geralyn Nabaysa said the Oggayam is now being taught in all high school levels of the said school. Ms. Nabaysa said the Oggayam integration in their curriculum helps preserve their culture. She disclosed that Tingguians, an indigenous peoples (IP) group in this town, comprise at least 80% of their school population. She added that the integration was based on a study made on the students, and which was presented last year in the first Singapore Institute of Multidisciplinary Research Festival held in Taguig City The Ilocos Times learned that of the 150 studies presented, the NENHS-owned research entitled “Effectiveness of Simulation in Developing the Student’s Ski...

Worst pollutants. Volunteers gather the cigarette butts they collected from the Badoc beach.  (Photo courtesy of Radz Bismonte) By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter Badoc , Ilocos Norte—A group of youth volunteers from Ilocos Norte and neighboring Ilocos Sur jointly conducted a coastal clean-up on Sunday at the La Virgen Milagrosa cove in this town, picking up 4,538 pieces of cigarette butts and at least 238 kilograms of non-biodegradable wastes. While encouraging everyone to learn to protect the environment, Patricia Dacanay-Diaz, president of the Movement Against Plastic Pollution (MAPP) in Ilocos Norte has reminded beach goers to dispose of their garbage properly. According to Ms. Diaz, most of the collected non-biodegradable trashes came from picnickers and smokers who are apparently careless about the world they live.   In time for the Earth Day celebration, the MAPP mostly composed of young environment activists together with the Ami...

Lingayen , Pangasinan — OFW [overseas Filipino workers] Family Circle (OFC) leaders and representatives in Ilocos Region are now capable in responding and providing first line assistance in case of emergency and disaster after they went through an intensive four-day training on water safety search and rescue (WASAR) held on April 10-13, 2019 at Narciso Sports Complex, Lingayen, Pangasinan. The Pangasinan Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO), headed by Maricar D. Palang, Argie B. Gattoc and WASAR trainers Mario R. Lopez, Rigor C. Demoral and Jimmy M. Pastor, acted as learning service providers on the aforementioned training. WASAR training is the second part of the “Basic Life Support and Disaster Preparedness” that OFC leaders need to undergo to empower them to respond in their areas in times of calamities. The first part was the Disaster Preparedness, Risk Management and First Aid or Basic Life Support-CPR Training held on October 19-20, 2018...

By Leilanie G. Adriano & Bernard B. Ver Laoag City —The Ilocos Norte Tourism Office said the province welcomed an estimated 483,778 domestic and foreign day visitors during the Holy Week. The INTO figures represent a 5.3% increase in tourist arrivals compared to the same period last year. A Few weeks before the Holy Week, tourism stakeholders in various parts of the province has already beef up their supply for the expected influx of tourists. Report from the Ilocos Norte Tourism Office (INTO) showed a total of 483,778 visitors. These were monitored by tourist aides assigned in more than 42 tourism destinations of Ilocos Norte. “Our tourist arrivals for the Holy Week is another blockbuster considering other new destinations that we promoted this year,” said provincial tourism officer Aian Raquel referring to the sunflower farm in Piddig and the newly-inaugurated Siwawer Eco-Tourism Nature Park in Vintar which features extreme sports adventure and the ...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Laoag City —The Vintar road construction in this city is now 90% complete. This was announced by construction section chief Engr. Romeo Bartolome of the Department of Public Works and Highways-1 st Engineering District. Mr. Bartolome explained that the project, which began in 2018, was delayed until this year because of heavy traffic and the rainy season. The 700-meter Vintar road project starts from General Luna Street to the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) building and includes the replacement of a bridge. The project was funded under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) by the national government with a PHP25 million amount. The said project also includes 16 solar lights. Mr. Bartolome appealed to the public to be more cooperative due to traffic congestion brought out by the construction. The Ilocos Times learned that this road has been a perennial problem for motorists due to its destroyed conc...

Like a dizzying maze So complex, so paradoxical Hard to figure Where it's going Never an easy way out Does she really want out Or rather find her safe haven Inside, whereby she can curl up Like an unborn child Safe in tacked In her mother's womb Where nothing can go wrong Sometimes she wants to scream To the God of the Universe Why me, why me Don't you think I had enough But she won't dare For He has been kind She keeps her faith Unbroken and stalwart She would rather weep Hoping her tears reach the Heavens She's a Rock But she opted not to fight Instead she embraces death Her choice to escape The chaos of the mind and heart She welcomes impugning energies To freely run through her being Thrashing deep She preferred to bleed Allowing everything to flow Till she's drained and empty Purging every grain of memories To a deep slumber Perhaps never to wake Her untended heart A runaway, she ...

  Seated, from left to right: Supreme Court Associate Justices Rosemari Carandang, Andres Reyes Jr., Estela Perlas-Bernabe, Antonio Carpio, Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin, Associate Justices Mariano Del Castillo, Marvic Leonen, Alexander Gesmundo, and Amy Lazaro-Javier.  Standing, from left to right: Court Administrator Midas Marquez, U.S. Department of Justice (U.S. DOJ) Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT) Technical Advisor Felix Camerino, U.S. DOJ Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) Senior Digital Investigative Analyst Daniel Ogden, CCIPS Cybercrime Lab Director Ovie Carroll, OPDAT Resident Legal Advisor David Bragdon, and OPDAT Legal Specialist Guia Montealto. Manila —The United States of America embassy in the Philippines, through the US Department of Justice (US DOJ) Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT), coordinated with the Supreme Court Sub-Committee ...

Laoag City -- a bid to further decrease its poverty rate, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) distributed a total of 338 cattle among Ilocano farmers within the first quarter of the year. In 2010, Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos established the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Office to conform to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) MDGs. It was later renamed to Sustainable Development Center (SDC) in 2015. The PGIN patterned and localized the SD goals set by the UNDP in ending poverty likewise fighting inequity and injustices tailored for the province.    Likewise, SDC head Edwin Cariño stressed that the provincial government has been very attentive to the needs and requests of its constituents. “It is just one of the programs that reduced poverty. Together with other immediate programs, itong cattle dispersal program ay sumusuporta sa mga indigent residents natin na kailangan ng additional income....

Laoag City —Ilocos Norte will be expecting around 1,500 tourism officers coming from different local government units (LGUs) in the country to attend this year’s Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP) 20 th national convention on October 2 to 5. According to Ilocos Norte Tourism Office (INTO) head Ianree Raquel, the province underwent an “extensive process” to be chosen as the venue of the annual national convention, explaining, “First, we signified our intent to host. There was a site inspection and interview presentation together with the tourism officers from the different municipalities.” This would be the first time for the province to hold the biggest annual tourism convention in the country, and it will serve as an avenue for the different LGUs to exchange insights on best tourism practices. Mr. Raquel added that INTO is still planning with the ATOP national board for the finalization of the program and list of speakers, as well as coordinating ...

  The DPWH-Ilocos Norte Engineering District II’s Lakbay Alalay center in-front of their district office in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte gives assistance to motorists who needed of help during the Lenten Season. Other Lakbay Alalay stations were located at the welcome arc of Ilocos Norte at the boundary of Sinait, Ilocos Sur and Badoc, Ilocos Norte and at the Apatot Bridge boundary of Badoc and Pinili. ( Doms dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte—Welcoming the influx of local and foreign tourists during long weekend Holy Week celebration, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) second engineering district put up three stations for its annual “Lakbay Alalay”. “Lakbay Alalay” aims to help motorists should they encounter vehicular troubles, and give them directions to their destinations, among others. DPWH 2nd engineering district officer Engr. Mathias L. Malenab said they usually mount this operation during specia...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Paoay, Ilocos Norte —The Dept. of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-Ilocos Norte Engineering District (INED) II advised that the construction of the Sawang Bridge replacement in this town is still ongoing. DPWH-INED II district engineer Mathias Malenab said the PHP30 million first release of the Sawang Bridge fund began in 2017 and continues up to present. He is hoping the additional funding for its completion will be released soon. He estimated the additional funding at less than PHP20 million. The bridge construction was delayed by the transfer of powerlines from the old, existing bridge to the new bridge. DPWH has completed the said transfer. He explained that the 45-meters bridge is located just beside the old Sawang Bridge, which is still operational and open to small type of vehicles. Earlier, DPWH-INED II temporarily closed the said bridge from 9 am to 5 pm on April 16, 2019 to launch the 40 meters type VI pre-stres...

Itay nabiit , nakakitakam man dita sentro ti Laoag ti maysa a kurong-kurong a nagkarga ti hamburger buns , maysa a klase ti tinapay. Kinagpaysuananna, napno ti sidecar na kadagitoy a makan. Ti dakesna, awan abbong wenno umno a proteksyon dagitoy a tinapay manipud iti tapok, rugit ken asuk. Sa pay laeng tay akinrabaw a buns , pinarabawanda ti naangdod a sweatshirt . Dikam la ngamin nakaala ti gundaway a mang picture . Siasinno ngata ti pakaideliveran wenno pakailakuan dagitoy? Kadagiti maseknan nga agar-aramid ken agang-angkat kadagitoy a makan, makonsensya kay koma met. Ipapauneg dagita dagiti agtaltalek a customersyo. Sapay koma ta adda aramiden ti ciudad tapno masierto a nadalus dagiti mailaklako a makan ditoy lugartayo.  *** No obserbarenyo a nasayaat dagiti de-sarming a food display stand dagiti aglaklako ti taraon ditoy ciudad ti Laoag, adu dagiti makitayo nga agsikaw-sikaw a ngilaw, bingraw pay no dadduma. Saan met ketdi nga isuda amin, ngem adu dagiti makitkitami...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Batac City —Batac Water District’s (BWD) Maria Dona Sagun admitted that this city will experience low pressure on water distribution this summer season. “ Nakapsot met lang ketdi ta ana ngarud ket summer panagtikag ken saan met nga tay totally nga 24 hours nga awan pulos danum ,” Ms. Sagun said. She said elevated areas will really experience no water distribution and may only become available during off-peak hours. However, she assured that these experiences would only last this summer until their deep wells store more water which would then normalize water pressure conditions in this city. “ Ta no nasapa nga umay itu tudo, nasap-sapan to met laeng nga agsubli tay dati nga kaadda iti supply iti danum ,” she said. Tie up with Prime Water In creating a partnership with Prime Water only last December, Ms. Sagun clarified that the existing low-pressure conditions today does not have any effect on the partnership. S...

San Fernando City , La Union—Two OFW Family Circles (OFC) in La Union were the latest recipient of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration’s (OWWA) Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Pag-Unlad ng Samahang OFWs or Tulong PUSO. These beneficiaries are the Cabalayangan Overseas Workers Association in Bauang, La Union and Bannuar ti La Union Sitio Immayos Chapter in Sudipen, La Union. On March 18, 2019, OWWA Regional Welfare Office I (OWWA RWOI) headed by OIC Director Gerardo C. Rimorin awarded three units of motorcycle to the Cabalayangan Overseas Workers Association. Its officers lead by their president Milagros S. Gomez received the units with franchise as initial and partial grant for their transport service livelihood project with a total of Php 350,000.00. These units will not only be used as hired transportation means of residents from Cabalayangan but also in transporting the organization’s agricultural and poultry product to and from their barangay to town proper. On the ot...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Batac City —City prosecutor Valentin Pascua Jr. dismissed the complaint filed against city councilor Mary Coleen Columbia for “resistance and disobedience to a person in authority for ignoring a Commission on Elections checkpoint”. The Batac police, headed by P/Chief Insp. Allan Emerson D. Dauz filed the criminal case against Ms. Cajigal for allegedly violating of Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code. Under Comelec Resolution 10468 Section 8, it states: “Procedure in case a checkpoint is ignored. If a person ignored the checkpoint, the commanding officer or team leader must immediately report such incident to the adjacent teams/police stations stating the particular details of the person evading the checkpoint. If necessary, the team must immediately coordinate with such adjacent teams or stations in order to establish road blocks in accordance with existing standard operating procedures of the PNP under the PNP handbook”. In ...