New mayor takes reins of Laoag government

NEW Laoag Mayor. New Laoag Mayor Bryan Alcid takes his oath along with other elected and reelected officials before former Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Manotoc at the Centennial arena. 

By Dominic Dela Cruz, Staff Reporter

Laoag City—New Laoag City Mayor James Bryan Alcid formally took his oath of office administered by outgoing Ilocos Norte Governor Mathew Joseph M. Manotoc during the Inauguration Ceremony of all the newly elected officials in the entire Province of Ilocos Norte held at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena on June 14, 2025.

Highlighting the ceremony was the official turnover of leadership of Manotoc passing the Provincial Mace to incoming Ilocos Norte Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos as a symbol for the formal transfer of position followed by the administering of oath with the provincial higher officials down to the municipal/city officials.

The former governor administered the oath of office of all the 23 newly elected mayors including Alcid, pledging to lead their respective cities/municipalities with integrity, compassion, and a deep commitment to public service.

As this developed, Alcid met with the different city hall department heads with respect to documents for the official transition period.

His initial talk started with budget officer Nelda Casas and the former city administrator.

Alcid said that he will try his best to talk to all department heads on how to come up with better services and room for improvement for the people of Laoag stressing that need to maximize the three years  left in the term of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., provincial government down to the congressional office.

As a neophyte local chief executive, especially in the transition stage, he said he will get department heads’  updates and accomplishments from time to time.’

Alcid identified the Laoag City General Hospital (LCGH) and the Laoag City Public Market to be given more attention for further improvement.

He likewise admitted that there are also some department heads who approached him, especially those who supported the other candidate during the May elections.

“Normal lang maawatak met isuda ngem tay kuna kun basata laketdi saan da a very active because we have all the right to choose or to vote whoever we see fit to serve ket okey me lang kaniyak daagidiay appo basta saan dak a binasbastos or tinirtira below the belt ket awan met problema kaniyak kasi professionalak met ken adda met sursurok ken aggapu ak met iti corporate job for more than 20 years so ammuk met how it runs iti maysa nga organization,” Alcid said.  

Likewise, he said that he has no instruction yet with regards to non-renewal of job orders and casual employees at the city hall.

“Awan met pay mandar ko appo a saan da a ma-renew kasi narigat met a during the transition ket maikkat amin a madi mo kayat ket ma paralize met diay transition ken day-to-day operation iti city ket diak kayat a mapasamak didiay,” he added.

Meanwhile, Alcid disclosed that he hadn’t talked yet with the former Laoag  Mayor Michael M. Keon since the election time and it was only during the opening of SM City Laoag where he saw him.

However, Alcid promised to personally sit down and talked to the former mayor personally.

Alcid was one-term senior Laoag councilor who garnered the highest number of votes in 2022.

During the May 2025 elections, Alcid was endorsed by the Marcos clan for mayor, headed by President Marcos, Senator Imee Marcos, Rep. Sandro Marcos, Manotoc and Araneta-Marcos.

The new Laoag officials pose with Manotoc, Ilocos Norte Governor Cecilia Marcos, and Reps. Sandro Marcos and Angelo Barba ()Doms dela Cruz)

As a result, Alcid garnered 36,365 votes against Keon’s  34,871 votes.

Laoag Vice Mayor Rey Carlos Fariñas also garnered more against three-term Laoag councilor Handy T. Lao.

The newly elected Laoag City councilors are Jaybee Baquiran, Jeff Fariñas, John Michael Fariñas, Juan Conrado Respicio II, Kiko Ang, Donald Nicolas, Jason Bader Perera, Justine Clarence Chua, Bjorn Lao and Edison Chua.