Pagudpud opens resort for drug reformists

By Leilanie G. Adriano (Staff Reporter)

Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte—A beach resort at Brgy. Burayoc in this town was officially opened on Sept. 30, 2020 to temporary house former drug dependents.

In a simple program during the opening and blessing of the “Kanlungan ni Kuya”, a two-story building with a beach front, overlooking the West Philippine Sea, Pagudpud mayor Rafael Ralph Benemerito II hopes the facility will be put into good use through the active participation of the 36 former drug surrenderers who will be housed in the area for at least 30 days under the watch of the local government unit and the Philippine National Police in Pagudpud town.

“I hope that they will become productive during their stay here as guests,” he said.

The “Bahay Silangan”, locally known as “Kanlungan ni Kuya" is a reformation center for Pagudpud residents who had been victims of drug abuse. The program offers values formation and livelihood opportunities which are meant to empower them as good and law-abiding citizens.

While a permanent reformation center and evacuation center at Brgy. Ligaya is still under construction, Mr. Benemerito said the reforming drug offenders can stay at the newly-opened facility where various skills training such as coffin-making and handicrafts making will be taught to them through the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

In his speech during the inauguration program, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Region I director Bryan Babang said the agency continues to enhance their operation and implement various strategies to eradicate prohibited drugs in the country.

To date, Pagudpud town has a total of 217 persons under the drug watchlist and four out of the 14 drug-affected barangays are now cleared, according to a PDEA report.

“Thank you for your effort in cleaning your municipality from illegal drugs,” said Mr. Babang.

In Region 1, records show that 22,530 out of the total of 27,550 under the Barangay Anti-drug Abuse Council watchlist have already “graduated” from the community-based drug rehabilitation program.

Comments

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...

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...

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