New Laoag mayor marks 1st 100 days

By Dominic B. dela Cruz, Staff reporter

Laoag City—Guided by this administration’s tagline, “Alisto, Asenso, Progreso,” Laoag mayor James Bryan Q. Alcid presented his 1^st 100 days accomplishment for the city of Laoag.

 

Charity Begins At Home

The mayor’s first half day of work became a signal for change that everyone should start to work and deliver the beginning of fulfilling promises which he immediately signed Executive Order No. JBA 001-2025 institutionalizing the tagline “Alisto, Asenso Progreso” as the general approach to local governance for his administration and to be adapted by all departments aligning their programs, projects, and services.

The mayor likewise issued Memorandum JBA 2025 No. 001 for the City Assessor’s Office and City Treasurer’s Office for the implementation of Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act that resulted to a collection of PHP4 million and saved around PHP8,000 for the fines and penalties those who were unable to pay on time from the surcharges and interests.

The mayor also issued Memorandum JBA 2025 No. 002 directing the department in-charge for the cleanliness and disinfection of the Laoag City Public Market.

He started change with these “baby steps” because he believed that great things come from small beginnings.

“Inrugi tayo  ngarod iti bukod tayo a pagtaengan ken arubayan. Napadalusan iti aglawlaw iti siudad—public places around the city. Amin nakirkiran, amin nadaluosan, amin napabanglo, naurnos, ken napasayaat. Dagiti lugar nga nabayag nga madi nataripato-eskinita man, pasdek, sulsuli, pader, creek, pati nuang-awan nailaksid- amin squeaky clean,” he said.

Alcid thanked the Pacific Paint BOYSEN Philippines Incorporated for granting an all-expense paid repainting package for the Laoag City Public Market and the Laoag City General Hospital (LCGH) structures which was worth PHP5 million.

He said that the city government has saved funding for the said purpose which can now be diverted to other rehabilitation and improvement of services.

The LCGH, meanwhile, achieved an improvement margin of 9% increase in performance rating over the last 100 days in the implementation of the integrated hospital operations management program.

This number adds up to the 79% satisfactory rating achieved for the year 2025 against the 70% rating in the year 2024.

‘’Ngimmato iti nakolektar iti ospital manipod iti PhilHealth babaen iti pannaka plastar iti ALISTO a proseso iti panag claim iti insurance ken iti naannayas a panabibinnulig iti nagbaetan iti PhilHealth ken iti nadumaduma a departamento iti ospital’’, he said.

“Iti hospital charges, 87% iti nagngatuan na. Idi naglabas a tawen 2024, for the months of July to September, adda iti koleksiyon manipod PhilHealth iti ospital nga agarop PHP13 million. Ita a tawen 2025, iti agpada a bulan—July to September, nakakolektar iti ospital iti agarop PHP23 million,” he added.

This reflects an 88 percent increase in revenue from PhilHealth reimbursements. When it comes to patients that the hospital served, there is a great increase in patient census.

The mayor also reported that Congressman Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos (Ilocos Norte, 1^st district) gave medical assistance to indigent patients, or MAIP funds for LCGH amounting to PHP10 million.

The mayor also announced that Laoag City is the first city in the entire Philippines to exceed the national benchmark of vaccinating 5,226 26 female population aged 9 to 14 years old of HPV in partnership with the lead national agencies—the Department of Health, Department of Education, Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center, Council for Health and Development, Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte, PDOHO, PHO, National Health Workforce Support System, Ilocos Norte Medical Society, FPOGS and other agencies and with support from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Congressman Marcos, and Assistant Sec. Anna Remigio of the Office of the Presidential Affairs for North Luzon.

The city government of Laoag recently launched the “ALISTO HEALTH and MEDICAL CARAVAN FOR EVERYONE.” where all the medical services such as medical consultations, dental services, laboratory tests, cancer screenings, and other health and wellness services were offered.

The mayor said that the market needs more attention and initiatives for proper and orderly establishment which, the market officials started clearing operations around the market and strictly implementing the “no vendors allowed” policy along sidewalks which the city government gave them free place temporarily along the Padsan River during Night Market.

He said that preparations for all the necessary documents for the rehabilitation of the said market is now complete hence the retrofitting project for the market will commence in the next few days.

 

‘Progreso para iti siudad’

The city government also announced it will soon have its new rehabilitated slaughterhouse.

Legislative documents has also been set for the implementation of the underground cable project.

“Tarigagay na daytoy a proyekto iti pannaka urnos dagiti kable nga nagsasanga kada nagbibitin iti posposte nga mabalin nga mangitunda iti disgrasya. Napaknin ton dagitoy kable ken manamnama nga maprebentaran iti anyaman a disgrasya nga itunda na dagitoy nga spaghetti wires,’’ he said.

The mayor also said that he has reached out to Laoag Bishop Renato Mayugba and the whole of the Diocese of Laoag to grant the city government their permission to take down temporarily the perimeter fence surrounding the St. William’s Cathedral and allow motorists to park on the vacant spaces surrounding the cathedral as a symbolic partnership with the diocese with a project that would preserve the Sinking Belltower.

The city government was given the blessing to develop the surrounding area of the structure to be able to realize the “walkable metro Laoag” plan that is envisioned to promote tourism and development of the city.

The mayor said that the city government will always safeguard the natural gifts and sustain the preservation of nature like the planting of native plants along Bonifacio Street.

Around 1,000 assorted seedlings were planted at different places in the city, including at the sanitary landfill in Brgy. Balatong as part of the planting and greening program of the city.

Around 9oo kilograms were collected during the coastal clean-up in the different barangays a as the city initiated the “WASTE to WEALTH” program.

‘’Mangnamnama kayo nga mas umad adon tu pay iti schedule iti panagkolektar iti amin a parte iti siudad gapo ta ti umay a tawen ket napondoanen iti pananggatang iti gobyerno iti nayon a garbage trucks ken compactor. Saan laengen a nalawag iti siudad—nabanglo pay daytoy. Masansan nga adda da reklamo maipanggep iti saan nga napintas nga angot iti sanitary landfill tayo. We immediately ordered pest control management, deodorizing and disinfecting the sanitary landfill. Nabanglo, nadalos, ken naurnos iti landfill tayo’’, he said.

 

Accountability and transparency for progress

“Kas pammaneknek iti seryoso a kampanya tayo iti pannaka pasayaat iti trapiko iti sentro iti siudad, the Department of Public Safety and PNP Traffic Division are issuing one and the same citation ticket to violators,’’ the mayor said.

He said that this is a “great change” because in the previous years, different citation tickets were issued from different departments. Hence, for the last 100 days, since its implementation just few weeks after the mayor assumed office, 7,225 citation tickets were issued amounting to PHP1.5 million total collections from traffic violations.

The city government has also started convening the city government’s Disciplinary and Separation Board and Appraisal Board to facilitate better and more efficient processes in rectifying irregularities and inefficiency-and properly assessing values within the organizational structure of the city government.

From initially reported funding allotment of PHP31 million, it was reduced to PHP27 million after thorough market research pricing.

‘’Importante dagitoy makita nga ma save nu maarisit a nasayaat dagiti prespresyo ti gatangen ti gobyerno gapo ta ad ado iti agserbi iti siudad nu nasayaat iti proseso iti pinag canvass. These are our commitment to good governance, full accountability, and transparency,’’ the mayor said.        

 

Pondasyon iti pinagprogreso ti edukasyon

“Napasingked iti Alternative Learning System babaen iti memorandum of agreement iti nagbaetan iti siudad through the Liga ng Barangay ken iti Department of Education iti naiget a pannaka implementar na detoy a programa iti grassroots level,” the mayor said.

He said that this partnership strengthens the city’s commitment in addressing the needs of the out-of-school youth and adult learners wherein everyone has the right to education.

The city government continue to support “champions.” Sports programs are sustained to ensure the brilliant student athletes will always get the opportunity to bring glory and honor to the city.

The conduct of district meets, inter-chool sports competition, Palarong Pamasko, city meet for better athlete selection and stronger city representation is in place.

Record shows that Team Laoag was crowned as Overall Champion in the Teqball Training Camp 2025 and the city’s swimmers also won in Singapore.

Further, the city government is committed to give maximum opportunity to all learners in all fields, hence they became victors in international competitions in the fields of Science and Mathematics that were held in Hong Kong and Japan.

“Our efforts in coordinating with the different national agencies through the help of our good President PBBM and Congressman Sandro Marcos, SDO Laoag’s infrastructure developments are rolling,’’ he said.

Alcid reported some major repairs were completed and on-going for eight classrooms and the H.E. Building of AMAROSA Elementary School and six classrooms in San Mateo Integrated School amounting to more than PHP3 million.

The construction of the first ever library hub in Laoag City that will serve as a central resource center for learners and teachers is on-going and has a total funding of PHP8.6 million. All these are from the DepEd national fund awarded to the city of Laoag.

The city government has allocated, from the Special Education Fund, a total of PHP600,000 for the establishment of the education research center at the Gabaldon Elementary School and the procurement of literacy materials specifically targeted to address the literacy gaps among grades 4-6 learners amounting to PHP1.2 million.

 

‘Ubbog a pagbiagan, danum iti kasapulan’

Four well drilling accelerated projects were provided by Primewater-Ilocos with the help and assistance of INWD general manager John Teodoro for additional supply of water particularly at the poblacion and south of the river.

With this partnership, this water source development provided sound solution in ensuring sustainable and balanced water supply in these areas in Laoag City.

 

‘Asenso ni Laoagueño’

“Karbengan iti amin a Laoagueño iti lumung aw gapo iti kinagaget, kina alibtak, ken kinasirib na. Saan nga narigat a maragpatna iti arapaap na gapo kadagiti talugading na nga naisang sangayan. Amin umasenso, amin maikkan gundaway, amin agnam ay,” the mayor said.

He said that at least almost 2,000 senior citizens became beneficiaries of the “Milestone Award” for the last three months. This is a big difference compared to last year’s 400 beneficiaries.

 

Siguradon iti panag asenso iti amin a Laoagueño

This September, the city government of Laoag launched the “Sagut Ken Panagyaman,” a celebration program for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the city of Laoag 

‘’Marikna tayo iti karit kanyada nga maki kompitensiya iti panagumay iti dadakkel a pasdek negosyo  ditoy lugar tayo,” he said.

The city launched the “ASENSO TI NEGOSYO NI LAOAGUEÑO” where over 59 local food and trade merchants were given the opportunity to sell their products along the street beside the city hall.

The city government provided all the coordination and entertainment they needed for the food and trade fair. No rent were collected during the six-day event, operating from 4pm-10pm. The mayor said the event was a “resounding success” due to the remarkable consolidated income of all the merchants amounting to almost P1 million.

‘’Dios ti agngina kakailian iti panangsuportar tayo kadagitoy babassit a negosyo iti siudad. Mangnamnama kayo nga itultuloy ti gobyerno nga mangted iti oportunidad nga umasenso ti negosyo ni Laoagueño,” the mayor said.

 

Inclusive information, communication, and technology

“’Napateg dagiti mannalon ken mangngalap iti siudad tayo. Isuda iti mangbiag kadatayo amin babaen iti kina anos ken kinagaget da nga mangpasigurado nga adda iti maka-anay a suplay iti taraon ti tunggal Laoagueño. Inrubwat tayo ngarod iti ‘AGRISENSO’—programa para iti benneg iti agrikultura iti siudad’’, the mayor said.

From July to September last year, around PHP19 million worth of agri inputs were distributed to 1,200 farmers with two associations and fisherfolks, while this year in the same months, about PHP26 million worth were distributed to 1,700 farmers and fisherfolks with 37 associations from the 58 barangays.

He said that in whatever field, Laoagueños remain steadfast and always display excellence in their chosen craft.

 

‘Kabaelan dagiti agtutubo!’

Anchored on this year’s theme, “Raniag ti Asenso ken Progreso: Pasangbayen ni Agtutubo a Laoagueño,” which aligns with the vision of this administration, the month-long “Linggo ng Kabataan 2025” celebration highlighted the vibrant spirit and commitment of the Laoagueño youth.     

Due to diverse activities and programs that were launched in this year’s celebration such as leadership workshops, the Laoag Innovators Expo, and a more extensive environmental sustainability efforts, over a thousand youth participated in this year’s celebration compared to last year’s 510 youth participants.

“Nalawag iti masakbayan iti siudad gapo iti kinasirib dagiti agtitubo a Laoagueño’.”  he said.

 

Nairubwaten iti panagasenso ni Laoagueño!

Total comparative revenue data for the months of July to September shows that last year, Laoag City gained a total of more than P240 million. For this year, the city government have generated a total of more than P287 million or a notable increase of almost P44 million.

“Tay kalalatakan nga branding by yours truly became the flagship program of my disaster response priority project.” the mayor said.

 

‘ALISTO RESPONSE’ is now in effect.

The city government has streamlined the structure of its response team for rescue operations and disaster response.

With the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management at the helm, there is an orderly flow in responding to emergencies.

Under the direction of the CDDRMC-Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Fire Department, PNP, GSO, Engineering, and other uniformed personnel are now in synch in swift and rapid response to any call for help or assistance.

“Naiestablisaren tay umuna nga sub-station iti Barangay San Mateo tapno adda as asideg nga mabalin a paggapuan iti tulong. Sumarsaruno dagiti daduma nga sub-stations nga mawaras iti strategic locations iti siudad. Maimuntar payen dagiti fire hydrants tapno maisigurado nga adda dagos nalabon nga pagalan danum nu adda uram. Sigurado alisto gapo iti 5-minute response mechanism nga naiget nga ipat patungpal iti PNP tayo. Nanayunan dagiti rescue gadgets and equipments tayo manipod kadagiti naayat nga mangsup suportar nga kakadua tayo, ahensiya man wenno pribado nga indibidwal,” the mayor said.

The mayor thanked the Liga Ng Mga Barangay; national and local Agencies; all sectors in the community; national and local officials especially to President Marcos; City Hall employees and department heads; and the people of Laoag as well who continuously support all the program, projects and activities of the city government.

“For the next 100 days and beyond mangnamnama kayo nga itungpal ko dagiti nabatbati nga inkarik. Tay arapaap tayo nga naprogreso nga Laoag with all the tourism development plans in place, esplanades, walkable parks, Painting package for the Gilbert Bridge and Barangay structures courtesy of DAVIES Paints, transport vehicles each to all barangays, painting infrastructure developments and sustainable programs and projects for uplifting the quality of life of Laoagueños. My achievements are also your achievements!’’ the mayor said.

“Let’s connect and build a strong bond to align goals. Let’s collaborate to strengthen community partnership. Let’s create opportunities for progress and development. And always let’s celebrate Laoag City!’’ the mayor ended.