Laoag gov’t lowers trikes ID cards cost to P5 from P100

By Dominic B. dela Cruz

Staff Reporter

Laoag City—Tricycle drivers and operators in this city thanked the city government here for lowering the tricycle drivers’ identification card from PHP 100 to PHP 5.

Laoag councilor Jaybee Baquiran made the announcement of the decrease in the cost after the Sangguniang Panlungsod here passed a resolution directing Laoag treasury office officer-in-charge Arturo Diomedes Gayban to “cease and desist” in collecting PHP 100 for the TDIC in.

Mr. Baquiran stressed that the PHP 100 TDIC fee has no legal basis as there is no ordinance that justifies the collection of such fee.

Mr. Gayban, however explained that the PHP 100 fee they collect is for the ID picture and lamination of TDICs.

He also disclosed that they only began collecting PHP 100 for the TDIC after a private person began illegally printing and reproducing similar TDICs. The said person, he added, was arrested. He did not identify the said person.

He also insisted that they began collecting PHP 100 to “protect the city government and tricycle drivers.”

The treasury OIC also said the cost of the TDIC they are issuing is “much cheaper” than the illegal ones.

Reacting to this, Laoag councilor Juan Conrado A. Respicio II stated that City Ordinance No. 907, Series of 1984 Section 5 provides: “A tricycle must be operated by drivers who are holders of professional drivers licenses issued by BLTB Agencies in Laoag City and Ilocos Norte only that the driver must secure an ID card issued by the CTO upon payment of P5.00”.

Mr. Respicio then suggested the council to amend this provision if the city government will continue to collect PHP 100 instead of the PHP 5, which the ordinance requires.

Meanwhile, Laoag Vice Mayor and council presiding officer Vicentito M. Lazo said there is an excess collection of PHP 95, which constitutes “illegal exaction.”

“And if there is any tricycle driver who would want to charge the persons responsible for such collection, then they [collectors] have to answer that in the appropriate court,” Mr. Lazo added.

The lowering of the TDIC cost to PHP 5 came from Laoag councilor Jason Bader Perrera, which Mr. Gayban accepted.

Mr. Gayban though appealed for the amendment of the said provision as the collected fees are for the maintenance of the equipment they use for the TDIC production.

The Ilocos Times learned that the PHP 100 TDIC fee began in 2016 when Mr. Gayban became the treasury OIC.

Comments

Free dormitories eyed for Nueva Era students in LC, Batac

Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Nueva Era , Ilocos Norte—The municipal government here, headed by Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida is planning to establish dormitories in the cities of Laoag and Batac that will exclusively cater to college students from the said cities. “Sapay la kuma ta maituloyen iti mabiit tay ar-arapaapen tayo ken iti munisipyo a maipatakderan kuma dagiti annak tayo a college students nga agbasbasa idiay siyudad iti Batac ken Laoag iti libre a dormitoryo a bukod da ngem inggana nga awan pay ket an-anusan mi paylaeng nga ibaklay kenni apo bise mayor iti pagbayad da iti kasera aggapu iti bukod mi a suweldo malaksid dagitay it-ited iti munisipyo ken iti barangay nga stipend da kada semester, ” Garvida said. Garvida added that the proposed establishment of dormitories would be a big help to the students’ parents as this would shoulder the expenses of their children for rent and likewise they would feel more secured

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

P29 per kilo rice sold to vulnerable groups in Ilocos region

BBM RICE. Residents buy rice for only PHP29 per kilo at the NIA compound in San Nicolas town, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. The activity was under a nationwide pilot program of the government to sell quality and affordable rice initially to the vulnerable sectors. (Lei Adriano) San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte —Senior citizens, persons with disability, and solo parents availed of cheap rice sold at PHP29 per kilogram during the grand launching of the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) Rice held at the National Irrigation Administration compound in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. “ Maraming salamat Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa inyong pagmamahal sa Region 1 lalong-lalo na sa bayan namin sa San Nicolas,” said Violeta Pasion, a resident Brgy. 18 Bingao in this town. The low-priced grains were sourced from the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) contract farming with irrigators' association members in the province. Along with Pasion, Epi

The Ilocos Times

Search This Blog