The Ilocos Times

LAOAG  Mayor Michael Marcos-Keon welcomes Col. Audrey L Pasia, INF PA, commander of the 702nd Brigade (Region 1 and Abra), Lt. Col Jearie Boy P. Faminial, battalion commander of the 24 th  Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army and Cpt. Rogelio Dumbrigue, company commander of the 7 th  CMO (Civil Military Operations) Company during their visit to the city. The Philippine Army is a partner of the Laoag City government in the development of security programs, and in the implementation of the Community Support Program of the Philippine Army, particularly in maintaining a safe and peaceful Laoag City. (Doms dela Cruz)

  Basket weavers from Brgy. Uguis in Nueva Era, Ilocos Norte present their master craft to Ilocos Norte Gov. Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc on February 3, 2020. They are among the heritage artists who were featured in the creatives’ fest as one of the highlights of the 202nd foundation anniversary of Ilocos Norte on Feb 2.  (Lei G. Adriano)  By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter LAOAG CITY—Taking pride in its home-grown artists, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte honored on February 3, 2020 its growing number of creative artists as they showcased their genuine crafts and unique masterpiece at the “Open Capitol”, an annual event which is one of the highlights of the 202nd foundation anniversary of the province. Featuring at least 20 Ilokano visual artists who joined the creative festivity, each of them shared their inner passion for beauty while inspiring others to reach out for their dreams and aspirations too. Among them are Dindo Llana, James Michael Romaguera

  MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis (second from right, foreground), shows some of the apparatus inside the newly-inaugurated NBERIC building. ( Reynaldo E. Andres) By Reynaldo E. Andres Contributor CITY OF BATAC—First, it was an ambitious dream to put up a modern facility to produce high grade bioethanol to fill up the shortage of bioenergy in the country and to tap other potential energy sources to reduce the dependence on fossil fuel gas and oil reserves in the region. That dream has become a reality on January 23, 2020 with the formal inauguration and start of operation of the first National Bioenergy Research and Innovation Center (NBERIC) based in the main campus of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in this city. The construction of the building started in January last year after a groundbreaking ceremony led by Rep. Dennis Laogan [Ang Kabuhayan Party List], who expressed support to this project. The inauguration of the building was led by MMS

  Batac Mayor Albert D. Chua turns over the PHP3 million check as medical trust fund to MMMH-MC chief Dr. Maria Lourdes Otayza at the Sangguniang Panlungsod on January 30, 2020. (Doms dela Cruz) By Leilanie G. Adriano and Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporters CITY of batac —The city government here turned over on January 30,2020 a check for PHP3 million which is intended as medical trust fund to the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC) for indigent patients from this city in need of assistance when they are treated at the government hospital. According to Batac Mayor Albert D. Chua, the city medical trust fund aims to provide immediate assistance to hospital bills, medicines and/or diagnostic procedures to less fortunate in-patient and out-patient residents of Batac. “We will prioritize indigent or needy residents with hospital expenses which are not covered by the PhilHealth,” said Mr. Chua. With a readily available amount, resid

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter LAOAG CITY—A massive river clean-up along the stretch of the Padsan River is being eyed to bring in better opportunities among Ilocanos through sand extraction. For five years starting this year, the China-Philippines Unified Enterprises Inc. (CPU), a Philippine-based consultancy firm that assists Chinese clients find business opportunities in the country will be extracting sand along the heavily-silted Padsan River for construction use. While introducing the new company and its planned operation to host villages in Laoag, Martin Araneta, CPU external vice president said in an interview they have already secured an open quarry permit and the extraction of sand will commence after consulting local residents in the area. “We are here to bring in better opportunities and to serve the Ilocanos. Rest assured that whatever undertaking we may have will be in accordance to the law,” Mr. Araneta said following a video presenta

The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) generated PhP240.5 million from the sale of 548 closed banks’ properties via seven public biddings held in Manila and a regional public bidding held in Davao City from January to September 2019. Collectively, the public biddings yielded an aggregate premium of PhP60.2 million over the total minimum disposal price of PhP180.3 million. Proceeds from the sale of closed banks’ properties are added to the pool of funds of these closed banks to help increase the chances of creditors and uninsured depositors to recover their trapped funds. Settlement of creditors’ claims is in accordance with the rules on concurrence and preference of credits. The sale proceeds of PhP240.5 million for 548 properties represented 46.4% of the aggregate disposal price of PhP518.8 million. This is higher by 44.7% compared to the total sale proceeds of PhP166.2 million and 258% more than the 153 properties sold in the public biddings held in the same p

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter Laoag City —The city government here has institutionalized the system in recognizing and providing incentives and awards for the search for Best Performing Barangays, now dubbed “Masigasig, Mapagkakatiwalaan at Matapat para sa Kaunlaran (MMMK)”. The Sangguniang Panlungsod passed an ordinance that officially creates the best barangay search. Laoag Mayor Michael Marcos-Keon certified the bill as “urgent”, and the council members present during the December 10, 2019 session unanimously approved the measure. Laoag councilor Roque Benjamin Ablan, the ordinance’s author, said the competition will focus on the exemplary performance of all the city’s 80 barangays in their duties and functions that is aligned to the aims of the new administration under the new Laoag mayor. The new administration envisions every barangay to be more strengthened in order to upgrade continually the quality of local leadership and to provide awards and

By Bernardo B. Ver II Contributor Laoag City —The Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office (INPPO) officially launched its “Magkasangga [One Team]” Facebook Live program at Camp Valentin S. Juan, this city. The said project is a result of a collaboration between the Provincial Community Relations spearheaded by acting chief, P/Maj. Rely T. Layug and the INPPO Press Corps. The “Magkasangga” program tackles different police news, public affairs issues and discusses social matters and services towards the police’s clientele. INPPO Press Corps President Rolando Jose and other police officials serve as the program’s anchors. Gracing the project launching were INPPO provincial director P/Col. Cesar R. Pasiwen and P/Lt. Col. Rafael Lero, Provincial Operations & Plans Branch chief. The INPPO program airs every Tuesday and Friday from 9:30 am to 10:30 am.

  Batac Mayor Albert D. Chua and MMSU President Dr. Shirley P. Agrupis sign the memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the Pasilaw and Planu Pro-Poor Program on February 3, 2o20. (Doms dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter City of Batac —With the goal of improving Bataqueños quality of life, the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) and the city government here formally signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for the “Pasilaw and Planu Program” at the City Hall Session Hall on February 3, 2020. MMSU President Dr. Shirley P. Agrupis and Batac Mayor Albert D. Chua personally signed the MOA. The “Pasilaw and Plano Pro-Poor Program” aims to energize all residential houses and to help beneficiaries who cannot afford to hire the services of professional for the preparation of architectural, civil, structural and plumbing plans. The Sangguniang Panlungsod here earlier passed this program with Batac councilor Bismark Angelo Quidang as main sponsor. Dr.

  Babaen ti liderato ni provincial agrarian reform program officer II Vic M. Ines, naruay a programa ken proyekto ti naipatungpal ti Department of Agrarian Reform-Ilocos Norte iti tawen 2019. Gapu iti napintas a liderato ni provincial agrarian reform program officer II (PARPO II) Vic M. Ines, adu dagiti a naimplementar a proyekto ken programa ti DAR-Ilocos Norte iti tawen 2019. Iti naangay a 2019 Year-End Summative Assessment and 2020 Planning Conference ti Department of Agrarian Reform itay laeng kallabes, nairakurak dagiti nagappuanan ti DAR-Ilocos Norte. Karaman kadagiti accomplishment ti nasao nga opisina ket dagiti sumaganad: Top 3 Nationwide iti Information Technology Maturity Assessment; Top 20 iti Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Membership ken Top 2 iti Social Infrastructure Building wenno panangited ti training kadagiti kameng dagiti naduma-duma nga agrarian reform beneficiaries organization. Nagbalin met ti DAR Regional Office 1 wenno DARRO 1 a top perf

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter Vintar , Ilocos Norte—To strictly implement approved municipal ordinances here, Vintar Mayor Larisa C. Foronda issued an executive order (EO) deputizing several municipal employees and barangay officials, both elected and appointed, as citation officers. The EO states that the there are many violations of municipal ordinances without any apprehensions. This issue came out during a Municipal Peace and Order Council meeting. To correct this, Mrs. Foronda issued the EO to deputize municipal government employees and barangay officials to apprehended violators of this town’s ordinances. In addition, the EO will also help the municipal government in earning additional income through the fines prescribed for violations of ordinances here. The municipal government has also deputized local police and fire officers as citation officers. The EO also advised apprehended violators to pay their penalties at the municipal treasury off

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter Laoag City —The Laoag City Sangguniang Panlungsod has commended 34 barangays in the city for being “drug cleared” and “non-drug affected barangays”. Laoag councilor Jaybee G. Baquiran reported the cleared barangays through a resolution commending them in their fight against illegal drugs. The said barangays’ Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Council (BADAC) disseminated information regarding illegal drugs’ bad effects to health and that they were able to convince their respective constituents not to use and distribute any illegal drugs in their barangays.        The commendation was based on a certification issued by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Provincial Intelligence Officer III Dheo Aurio A. Tabor as of December 28, 2019 and by the Regional Oversight Committee in accordance with the Dangerous Drug Board entitled “Strengthening the Implementation of Barangay Drug Clearing Program. The 31 drug cleared Barangays are 35

  By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter Paoay, Ilocos Norte —Thirteen personnel of a private firm based in Metro Manila along with 150 environment science students of Mariano Marcos State University planted 700 narra and molave saplings at the Paoay Lake National Park on January 17, 2020. With a team of forest rangers from the Environment and Natural Resources Office who assisted the participants, Atty. Paolo S. Teston, partner of M and A Associates said it always feels good to be close to nature after their daily grind in the metro. “As we work in the law firm, we attend to hearing and meet with clients. I remember joining tree planting activities way back in college that was long time ago. With the eruption of Taal Volcano and with the current environment crisis around the world, it reminds us to do our part for the environment,” said Mr. Teston. Through the initiative of Atty. Liza Araneta-Marcos, wife of former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, the t

  Left: MINDA Secretary Manny Piñol (left) and USAID/Philippines’ Jeffrey Lehrer with members of the Ompongan o mga Bae sa Ranao Group, a recipient of a Marawi Response Project grant. Manila —The United States awarded six micro-grants to community groups composed of Marawi’s displaced citizens and their host families.   Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairman Emmanuel Piñol joined U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Economic Development and Governance chief Jeffrey Lehrer at the handover ceremony on January 15, 2020 in Iligan. Each micro-grant is valued at PHP260,000 and will support community learning facilities, including training spaces and daycare centers. The micro-grants are part of USAID’s three-year, PHP1.35 billion (US$25 million) Marawi Response Project, which supports the economic recovery and social cohesion of displaced and host communities in Marawi, Lanao Del Sur, Lanao Del Norte, and Iligan.   Launched in 2018, t

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter Laoag City —The Sangguniang Panlungsod here has greenlighted the creation of three new offices for the city government. The new offices are City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), City Information and Communications Technology Office (CICTO) and the Communications and Media Office (CMO). The council approved the said offices’ creation on January 8, 2020 with councilor Benjamin Roque Ablan as main sponsor. Laoag Mayor Michael M. Keon certified the bills as urgent. Mr. Ablan, who chairs the council’s committee on labor, said the CENRO is tasked to recognize the importance of sharing responsibility and accountability for the sustainable development management and protection of its environment and natural resources for the enjoyment of the present and future generations. The Local CENR officer is also mandated to formulate measures to ensure the delivery of basic services and provision of adequate facilities

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter Piddig , Ilocos Norte—Employees of the local government here have set up several drop boxes where concerned citizens may drop off their goodies for victims of Taal volcano eruption. Anna Liza Gaspar, head of the Human Resource department said concerned individuals may drop off their donations such as water, food, clothing and hygiene kit at the municipal hall lobby on or before January 21, 2020. Interested donors outside Piddig town may also send their addresses for pick-up of their donations at their convenient time. “The employees of the municipal government of Piddig, Ilocos Norte have started a relief goods drive for the evacuees of the Taal Volcano eruption. Drop boxes are available at the municipal hall lobby. Here in Piddig, thru the leadership of Mayor Eddie Guillen, we help those who are in need,” said in the official Facebook Page of the Piddig local government unit posted on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Provincial Veterina