The Ilocos Times

  Laoag City —The Ilocos Norte provincial government through the Ilocos Norte Trade & Investment Office (INvest) now provides support to the micro, small, and medium enterprises that are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through the new ‘Buy IN’ project. Inspired by the unique “bayanihan” culture of the Filipinos, “Buy Ilocos Norte” or “Buy IN” is the digital platform of the provincial government to regulate and promote potential and existing local businesses in the province by providing them e-marketing strategies and consultations. “ Dahil sa pandemiya ay nag -shift ang mga local entrepreneurs natin from doing their business in a physical store to digital market or e-commerce. Kaya dito sa ‘Buy IN’, tutulungan natin ang mga entrepreneurs sa pag-promote ng kanilang mga produkto hindi lang sa probinsiya kundi pati rin sa labas . We will also offer free marketing consultations to them as to how to position their products, set prices, determine the appropriate packaging, ...

  Can people wear masks while exercising? People should NOT wear masks when exercising as masks may reduce the ability to breathe comfortably. Sweat can make the mask become wet more quickly which makes it difficult to breathe and promotes the growth of microorganisms. The important preventive measure during exercise is to maintain physical distance of at least one meter from others. The prolonged use of medical masks* when properly worn, DOES NOT cause CO2 intoxication nor oxygen deficiency The prolonged use of medical masks can be uncomfortable. However, it does not lead to CO2 intoxication nor oxygen deficiency. While wearing a medical mask, make sure it fits properly and that it is tight enough to allow you to breathe normally. Do not re-use a disposable mask and always change it as soon as it gets damp. Medical masks (also known as surgical masks) are flat or pleated; they are affixed to the head with straps or have ear loops.   Can shoes spread the COVID-...

  Laoag City —The Ilocos Norte provincial government’s Sustainable Development Center (SDC) continues to provide loan assistance to Filipinos around the world through its Overseas Filipinos Remittances for Development (OFs-ReD) Program. Launched in 2011, OFs-ReD is a loan assistance program of the Provincial Government, in partnership with the Migrant and Development (MnD) Council compose of the Provincial OFW Desk, Ilocos Consolidated Cooperative Bank (ICCB), Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), and North Western University (NWU), to assist former and active OFs and migrants who own and manage a business. “ Ang loan assistance na ito ay hindi lamang para sa mga Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) kung 'di pati rin sa mga migrants. Kailangan na ang mga loan applicants ay may existing business at kompleto ang mga permit . Maaari silang mag-submit ng requirements dito sa SDC office na isu -submit namin sa ICCB upang i -evaluate ang feasibility at qualifications ng mga ap...

  DTRA and USAID staff meet with Philippine General Hospital Director Dr. Gerardo Legaspi (left), and deliver a donation of more than Php3.6 million in PPE (right) . Manila —The United States, through the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and in coordination with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), distributed PHP14.8 million (US$300,000) worth of regionally-manufactured personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and COVID-19 treatment centers across the Philippines.   This latest donation brings overall U.S. government assistance to the Philippines’ COVID-19 response efforts to nearly Php981 million ($19.8 million).   U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim said, “This delivery of PPE demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the Philippines to stop COVID-19.   During this month, which began with a commemoration of Philippine-American Friendship Day, we are honored to support our Filipino friends, partne...

  Senator Ma. Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos has sought to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign-made medical supplies by boosting their local production, especially of personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers and other frontliners. Ms. Marcos, who chairs the Senate committee on economic affairs, has filed Senate Bill 1708, or the “Healthcare Manufacturing and Pandemic Protection Act,” to exempt local manufacturers from certain taxes and continue applying export incentives even on their output for domestic consumption. “We need to guarantee that our health workers and frontliners have the medical supplies they require. Shortages of PPEs and other requisites caused infections resulting in the inexcusably high death toll among doctors, nurses and other frontliners,” Ms. Marcos explained. “At the onset of the pandemic, we were unable to procure supplies from China, Singapore, Japan, and Korea, themselves struggling against the virus. We could not bid agai...

  Laoag City —To ensure the  accessible delivery of quality education amidst the pandemic, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) allotted PHP25 million for the procurement of desktop computers for public school students and teachers. “Last week, [Ilocos Norte] Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc asked the Provincial Treasury Office to allot PHP25 million for the procurement of desktop computers. We hope that we can purchase it before the opening of classes and distribute it to identified clustered areas,” provincial education office chief Dr. Dany Daquioag said. According to Mr. Daquioag, the Schools Division of Ilocos Norte (SDOIN) will assist in the identification of recipients, particularly schools in remote communities, of the desktop computers that they will use for downloading and printing of learning modules. The provincial government is also requesting donations from business process outsourcing (BPOs) companies based in Ilocos Norte to augment learning ...

  By Leilanie G. Adriano  ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City --Residents here and other areas of Ilocos Norte have started buying face shields in preparation for the implementation of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) order on mandatory wearing inside public transport beginning August 15, 2020. Sales of face shields increased as the provincial government encouraged residents to wear one apart from a face mask to further lessen the risk of contracting coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). On August 1, 2020, LTFRB issued a memorandum circular issued stating that they now require drivers, conductors and passengers of public utility vehicles (PUVs) in areas across the country that are under general community quarantine (GCQ) to wear a face shield, on top of the mandatory wearing of face mask. The circular also said commuters' failure to wear a face mask and face shield or eye protector is reasonable ground to be disallowed in any PUV. Since the memo...

  BATAC  Mayor Albert D. Chua and other members of the city council hand over a certificate of recognition to Batac Water District manager Dona Sagun for her office’s help of three drums of chlorine to the city government to help in the city’s COVID-19 response. Batac also awarded the same to other 38 individuals and establishments. (Doms dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz (Staff Reporter) Batac City —Living up to the concept of “bayanihan”, the city governments of Batac and Laoag recognized individuals, non-government organizations, government organizations, business establishments and others who extended their assistance to their respective constituents during the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. Batac Mayor Albert D. Chua, along with the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod headed by Batac Vice Mayor Windell D. Chua personally handed over certificates of recognition to 39 awardees on June 29, 2020 at the SP session hall here. The Batac government acknowledged with pro...

  Laoag City —The Provincial Engineering Office (PEO) is resuming the construction of “Big 3” infrastructure projects after months of delay due to revisions on architectural designs. “Last year pa natin sinimulan itong ‘Big 3’ at dahil design-build project ito , hindi automatic construction kaagad . May naganap pang design phase. Hanggang ngayon, hindi pa natin masasabing 100% complete na ang design plan ng mga projects,” PEO assistant engr. Lani Daquioag said. The PEO is currently on an ongoing demolition works and has started partial foundation plans, particularly the bored piling at the Dap-ayan Center, excavation works at the Ferdinand E. Marcos Stadium, and demolition process at the Provincial Capitol. “ Isa sa mga concerns namin ngayong tag-ulan ay ang construction ng basement sa Dap-ayan. Talagang maghuhukay tayo diyan at ngayon bored piling pa lang ang ginagawa namin, nakikita namin na mataas na ang water level. Ito ang isang dahilan sa posibleng pagka ...

  Senator Ma. Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos stressed that recruitment for a medical reserve corps must begin soon before health care workers reach their breaking point, citing the rising cases of COVID-19 infection outside Metro Manila, particularly Cebu and southern Mindanao. Ms. Marcos added that mutations of the virus and the emergence of possible epidemics of dengue and leptospirosis with the onset of the rainy season may complicate the fight against COVID-19. “Let’s not wait for future epidemics and pandemics to push our highly stressed medical frontliners to their human limits. Their safety is our safety too,” Ms. Marcos said. The senator expressed unease about the Department of Health’s lack of transparent data on whether hospitals were reaching maximum capacity and if testing centers had enough qualified personnel to attain the goal of testing 50,000 people per day by the end of June. “We can’t afford this prolonged guessing game about whether the country is tru...

  Batac Mayor Albert D. Chua and several members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod headed by Batac Vice Mayor Windell Chua distribute equipment to the different schools in the city. The simple turn-over was held at the Imelda Cultural Center on July 9, 2020. (CGB photo) By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Batac City —In preparation for the upcoming school year 2019-2020, the city government here distributed equipment to the different schools in this city on July 9, 2020 at the Imelda Cultural Center. Batac Mayor Albert D. Chua, in his speech during the turnover ceremony, assured that the city government will continue to support the city schools’ division here, especially on the implementation of learning continuity programs in the “new normal”. Mr. Chua said the purchased school equipment comes from the city government’s special education fund (SEF).   The city government turned over five units of photocopier to Payao Elementary School and the Batac National High Sch...

  OUTGOING  P/Lt. Col. Amador B. Quicho (left) formally turns over the reins of the Laoag City Police Station to incoming chief of police P/Lt. Col. Rafael D. Lero (right) during a simple turn over ceremony as Ilocos Norte provincial director P/Col. Christopher N. Abrahano (center) looks on. In Mr. Quicho’s send-off speech, he said that in his stay as Laoag police chief he became the his “best version as a policeman”. Likewise, Mr. Lero in his response, said: “Things that we done for the betterment of the city will continue, for us to achieve the momentum to make the city a better place to work, visit and do business”. Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew M. Manotoc and Laoag Mayor Michael M. Keon also witnessed the turnover ceremony. (Doms dela Cruz)

  INEC GM Felino Agdigos speaks before the Laoag City council. (Doms dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Dingras , Ilocos Note—The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) is set resume disconnection operations in August 2020 for unpaid power bills for the months of March and April. It was during March and April where the national government declared an enhanced community quarantine in the country, including Ilocos Norte. INEC general manager Engr. Felino Herbert P. Agdigos stressed that the four-month grace period for the ECQ ends in August. “ Ket no saan da mabayadan ket isun to tay pinangiyuswat mi tay disconnection kasi napaot metten didiay a pawayway kadakwada ,” Agdigos explained. He disclosed that INEC will start with the disconnection on August 18, 2020 for unsettled bills during the ECQ. The disconnection operation will apply for both residential and commercial consumers.   Liwanag Pantawid program Meanwhile , Agdigos also announced...

  Laoag City —To promote the province as a trusted destination by assuring the safety of tourists amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the provincial government of Ilocos Norte, through the Ilocos Norte Tourism Office (INTO), is set to launch “Safe Travel Application for You in Ilocos Norte” or “Stay IN”, an online platform that gathers tourism information essential in complying with public health standards and supports efficient contact tracing when needed. “Stay IN” boasts an effective data management feature designed to assign users with unique QR codes and alphanumeric codes which will be used to grant entry to the province and record tourist’s actual itinerary. It allows INTO to monitor the number of employees and guests to ensure that occupants can maintain social distancing requirements and capacity prescribed by local authorities. Moreover, data through the web-based app will be used to provide services, to issue valid QR code, to provide adequate security against fraud and ...