The Ilocos Times

By Dominic C. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City —All brgy tanods in this are expected to receive additional benefits, Laoag City councilor Roger John Fariñas announced after they approved an ordinance calling for those. Fariñas, who sponsored the measure, said Section 393 of the Local Government Code of 1991 (LGC) states that barangay officials, including barangay tanods and members of the Lupong Tagapamayapa, shall receive honoraria, allowances, and such other emoluments as may be authorized by law or barangay, municipal, or city ordinance. He also said that Chapter 4, Section 393 (d), of the LGC, provides, that, “All duly appointed members of the barangay tanod brigades or their equivalent, which number shall not be more than twenty (20) in each barangay, shall be granted insurance or other benefits during their incumbency, chargeable to the barangay of the city or municipal government to which the barangay belongs’’. Section 16 of the LGC further provides that every loc...

Vintar Mayor Richard Degala formally announces to the members of the media the 24-hour operation of the Vintar District Hospital starting Feb. 10, 2025 as he thanked Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew M. Manotoc for giving additional manpower for the said hospital’s operations. ( Doms Dela Cruz) Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Vintar , Ilocos Norte—Town Mayor Richard Degala formally announced that the operation of the Vintar District Hospital is now open on 24-hours staring Feb. 10, 2024. “Napalalo iti ragsak ken yaman ko ta finally , matungpalen tay nabayagen a kalkalikaguman dagiti appo a kakailiak ditoy Vintar aglalo dagitay padak a taga Surong ta ag 24 orasen daytoy Tamdagan District Hospital tayon wennu Vintar District Hospital’ en tapnu mas mapaalisto a mataming ta no adda emergency ket talaga a marigatan dagti padak a taga away a maitaray dagiti pasyente”, Degala said. The mayor thanked the provincial government of Ilocos Norte headed by Governor Matthew Joseph M. M...

The recent move of a Laoag councilor to give cash incentives to Laoag City’s elementary and high school students who participated in the Regional Schools Press Conference is a step in the right direction towards helping further development journalism locally. But, as much as it is a needed boost to local campus journalists, the question is why only now? And the more curious thing is why at this juncture when the midterm elections is just a few months away? Journalism has been dying a very slow death, not only here in our locality, but also around the world. The advent of social media has both sidelined and blindsided genuine journalism as everyone who has a camera phone and an internet connection can now become a “reporter” by posting what they can see and what they can hear. Unfortunately, this becomes more of misinformation and disinformation, as regular people not trained properly in the way of journalism often miss out on verification and analysis of issues and situations. A...

  Laoag  vice mayor Rey Carlos Fariñas personally hands over 61 foam mattresses, acquired from his personal finances to persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)-Laoag as earlier requested by Jail Warden Sheila Marie Sapaden. “Dagitoy ket regalok para iti panang selebrar da iti Valentines Day ta nakitak a saan da a komportable gapu ta daanen dagiti agdama nga us-usaren daken nangibati tayo pay bassit a pinagsasangwan da,” Fariñas said. (Photo courtesy of the Office of the Vice Mayor)

Laoag  councilor James Bryan Alcid (standing left) promises to give PHP100,000 to the 200 participating students as their token cash incentives for the recently concluded Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) held at Dagupan City during the last regular session in the presence of the junior city officials. ( Doms Dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City -City councilor James Bryan Alcid promised to give PHP100,000 as token cash incentives to all the 200 participating Laoag students in the recently conducted Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) held in Dagupan City recently. Alcid made the promise during a regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod wherein it was reported that the DepEd Laoag Division has demonstrated outstanding performance during the RSPC emerging as the overall champion in the elementary level and first runner-up in the overall result of the event, further showcasing the talent, hard work, and dedication of both the students...

Laoag City – Former Senator Manny Pacquiao officially launched his senatorial campaign in Laoag, Ilocos Norte, alongside the administration ticket under the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas.  Addressing a crowd of supporters, Pacquiao acknowledged the indomitable spirit and resilience of the Ilocano people, drawing parallels between their strength and his own journey from poverty to becoming a world boxing champion and public servant.  "Ang mga Ilocano ay kilala sa sipag, tiyaga, at pagiging matatag sa harap ng pagsubok. Bilang isang taong lumaki sa hirap, nauunawaan ko ang inyong determinasyon at pagmamahal sa pamilya," Pacquiao said.  He emphasized his commitment to pushing for legislations and programs that will uplift ordinary Filipinos, particularly in livelihood, sports development, and poverty alleviation.  Ang mga Ilocano. Kilala sa pagiging resilient. Masisipag, matiisin, at matiyaga. Kilala sa pagiging matibay sa kahit anong pagsubok. Pareho tayo—mu...

AFTER 17 years of championing a legislated across-the-board wage hike for workers in the private sector, Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. today expressed his elation that the measure is within arm's reach. After the Senate's approval of a legislated wage hike last year, Congress recently approved at the Committee Level a counterpart bill providing for a PHP200 legislated wage hike. “Mukhang malaki ang tsansa! Abot-kamay na itong legislated wage hike! We have been advocating for a decent living wage since 2008," Bong Revilla expressed. "Labis tayong natutuwa dahil yung matagal nang inaasam-asam ng ating mga kababayan, at matagal na rin nating isinusulong ay malapit na nating makamit. Ngayon nagkakaroon na ng linaw ang legislated wage hike na simula pa noong 2008 ay paulit-ulit kong nang ipinapanukala dito sa Senado,” Revilla said. The veteran lawmaker has been filing a legislated across-the-board wage hike bill since his first term in the Senate. Revilla detailed that t...

THIS should be no surprise to us. With the way things are now—new technologies offering more temptations than real advantages, and people spiritually and morally impoverished—what can we expect? That’s why requests for exorcism and deliverance have dramatically increased these days, not to mention the increasing cases of mental illness, psychological disorders, suicide, etc. We should never take the devils for granted. They are always around, ever scheming and plotting against us in many, many ways, and often in a manner that is so subtle that we may not even notice them. As St. Peter would put in his first letter: “Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour.” (5,8) We should never consider the devils as a myth, or as some kind of literary device only to highlight a point in the drama of our life. They are as real as you and me. Our problem is that we think lightly or, worse, falsely of them. And so, we become completely unprepared to de...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Currimao , Ilocos Norte—At least 35 baby sea turtles from a guarded hatchery in a barangay in this town were guided back to the wild on Jan. 29, 2025. Engineer Erickson Biag, Currimao municipal environment officer-designate, told The Ilocos Times in a phone interview that barangay officials of Brgy. Paguludan, are monitoring the pawikan hatchery. He said the latest batch of released hatchlings are on top of the 32 hatchlings that emerged from the relocated sea turtle eggs last December, guarded to keep them safe during high tide and protect them from predators. “The pawikan eggs in the first nest were laid last December and we are counting 52 days for them to emerge and guide them back to their natural habitat,” he explained. Biag added there are two more nests at the hatchery and they are expecting them to emerge until February. The pawikan hatchery in Currimao town was established last year and the coastal barangays of Pangil all the way to Pagu...

  Members  of the Laoag City Sangguniang Panlungsod, headed by vice mayor and presiding officer Rey Carlos Fariñas hand over certificate of commendations to Patricia Dennisse A. Balico, a resident of Brgy. 27 Nuestra Sra. De Soledad, Laoag City and Shandie V. Carbonell, a resident of Brgy. 5 San Pedro, Laoag City, both graduates of Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) for ranking 9 th  and 8 th  in the September 2024 licensure examination for teachers. The two board passers will likewise receive PHP10,000 cash incentive from the city government of Laoag for top 10 board passers. (Doms Dela Cruz)

FREE ACCESS. The facilities of the Ferdinand E. Marcos Sports Stadium in Laoag City is free for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, students, and minors aged 17 years and below. A fee of PHP30 will be collected on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday for other visitors. By Leilanie Adriano LAOAG CITY—The provincial government of Ilocos Norte has announced a new usage policy for regular goers at the newly-rehabilitated Ferdinand E. Marcos Sports Stadium in this city. “Let's enjoy the stadium. It is a public venue and the use of the facilities will be free for three days a week," Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc told reporters in a press conference. To ensure the upkeep of the facilities of the 12,000-capacity track and field stadium, a fee of PHP30 will be collected on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, while the Olympic pool is free for everyone every Sunday. Exempted to this, however, are senior citizens, persons with disabilities...

GRASS FIRE. Firefighters put out a fire on Jan. 31, 2025 in a mountainous area in Carasi, Ilocos Norte. Responders said the fire broke out on the afternoon of Jan. 30. ( Photo courtesy of OCD) Carasi, Ilocos Norte—Some 378 hectares of the mountainous parts of Brgys.   Barbaquezo and Virbira in this town was razed by fire that started around 2 p.m. of Jan. 30, 2025. No injuries have been reported and the cause of the forest fire has yet to be determined, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) said Jan. 31, 2025. A fire out was declared past noon Friday but Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc ordered continued monitoring and deployment of aerial assets, citing the need to be on guard due to unpredictable wind direction in the mountains. He said the primary affected areas were those with pine trees and cogon grass, but did not reach the plantation area under the national greening program of the Department of Environment and Natural Res...

City of Batac —The Ilocos Region’s leading educational institution, Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), celebrated its 47 th founding anniversary in a month-long celebration in January 2025 with the theme “Cultivating Minds, Transforming Futures.” To kick off the celebration, MMSU held a motorcade at dawn on January 6, the university's founding day, parading through the Batac to Paoay route. This was followed by the opening of the Trade Fair and Garden Show at the InnoTech Grounds. “The 47 th year of MMSU reflects our commitment and dedication to shaping minds and transforming lives,” the university officer-in-charge President Dr. Prima Fe R. Franco told the university community during the opening ceremony. During the month-long celebration, bloodletting, a national research and development call with the Department of Science and Technology, a motorcade of topnotchers and passers of licensure and bar examinations, and business pitching were among the activities. With ...

  Business One Stop Shop . Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Laoag unanimously approved the extension of the “Business One Stop Shop” from Jan. 20 to 31, 2025 in the city of Laoag without surcharges and penalties to accommodate the 5,000 business establishments’ license renewal. ( Doms Dela Cruz)

  Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc and SEC Chairperson Emilio B. Aquino cut the ceremonial ribbon opening the SEC extension office in Laoag City. Laoag City —The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) opened its first extension office in Northern Luzon, located on the 5 th floor of the Dap-Ayan Commercial Center in this city. The inauguration of the new SEC office on Jan. 9, 2025 was led by Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc and SEC Chairperson Emilio B. Aquino, both emphasizing the importance of the office in further boosting the economic performance of the provinces in Northern Luzon. “We welcome SEC with open arms and I am hopeful that this will be a positive windfall, not only for Ilocos Norte but [for ] the entire Northern Luzon. We thank you once again our friends and partners from the SEC and please know that we’re here if you need anything, especially our new head of the SEC. We are hopeful that we will have a fruitful and beneficial p...

SMART GRID. Officials of the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative, National Electrification Administration Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda and Department of Energy Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan lead the ceremonial switching of the advanced metering infrastructure project at the INEC main branch in Dingras, Ilocos Norte on Jan. 15, 2025. The smart metering system will be deployed in the towns of  Nueva Era, Dingras, Pagudpud, Bacarra, Badoc and the city of Laoag for pilot testing in the first quarter of this year. ( Photo grab from NEA’s FB page) By Leilanie Adriano Dingras , Ilocos Norte—Government and commercial buildings in five municipalities and a city in Ilocos Norte will be tapped to pilot smart meters in the first quarter of 2025. The smart metering system will be pilot-tested in the towns of Nueva Era, Dingras, Pagudpud, Bacarra, Badoc and the city of Laoag, Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) acting general manager Cipriano Martinez said. National E...