The Ilocos Times

  By Dominic B. dela Cruz,  Staff Reporter City of Batac —The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has launched a unified 911 satellite command center (SCC) in Batac at the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Station in Barangay Quiling Sur, this city.  A unified 911 satellite command center located at the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Station in Barangay Quiling Sur in the City of Batac. ( Photo courtesy of CMO Batac) The Ilocos Times learned that the newly established Unified 911 Satellite Command Centers (SCCs) in Regions I, II, VI, and VIII are now fully operational, further strengthening the country’s emergency response network and bringing life-saving services closer to communities. The SCC facility in Batac is one of the four newly established SCC in the country and will serve the entire Region I and which aims to improve emergency coordination and communication among response agencies to provide faster and more efficient assistance to comm...

Batac  Mayor Markee Chua and the city project management implementing unit presented and defended their proposed project to RPAB 1 for a  class “AA” slaughterhouse that will soon rise at Brgy. Colo in the City of Batac. The project designs, plans and other requirements were prepared by engineers and personnel from various departments of the city government, which the Regional Project Advisory Board 1 (RPAB1) approved \after its deliberation on August 20, 2025. The facility will be built under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) Scale-Up and is expected to ensure safe and efficient meat processing, strengthening consumer safety in the city. (Photo courtesy of Batac CMO) By Leilanie Adriano CITY of Batac —The Regional Project Advisory Board 1 (Ilocos) has approved a modern slaughterhouse project in this city , under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) Scale-Up, paving the way for its construction. Worth approximately PHP166.6 million, the constructi...

The  officialdom of the City Government of Batac, headed by Mayor Markee Chua, hold a wreath-laying ceremony at Brgy. Aglipay in this city, to honor the life and legacy of Msgr. Gregorio Labayan Aglipay, the first Supreme Bishop of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente. Joining Chua were Batac Vice Mayor Albert D. Chua, and the members of the Sanggunian Panlungsod. Also joining the commemoration are P/Lt. Col. Jerome Wangkey, officer-in-charge of the Batac police station; Anselmo R. Aludino of the Schools Division of the City of Batac; Brgy. Aglipay officials headed by Punong Barangay Jeff Lawrence Franco; and leaders of the Independent Church of Filipino Christians (Aglipay Memorial Church) led by Obispo Maximo Elorde F. Mateo. Aglipayanos from Regions 1, 2 and 3 also graced the celebration. Republic Act 6701 declared September 1 of every year a special non-working holiday in the City of Batac to celebrate Aglipay Day. (Photo courtesy of Batac CMO)

By Dominic B. dela Cruz,  Staff Reporter City of Batac —Newly elected Batac Vice Mayor and council presiding officer Albert D. Chua led the inaugural session of the new set of members of the 7 th Sangguniang Panlungsod on June 7, 2025. Before the session formally started, Chua delivered his inaugural speech, focusing in the realization of the city’s goal thru team work and joint efforts by enacting ordinances and crafting resolutions that will propel Batac towards a brighter future. Chua looked forward in collaborating with the city councilors’ expertise in addressing challenges and opportunities that may come. “Let us embark this new journey with a shared vision for a better Batac and may our collective efforts and collaborative partnerships with the executive department headed by [Batac] Mayor Markee Chua bring pride, progress and prosperity to our city and out people,” Chua said. Chua likewise presented his legislative agenda in his first term as vice mayor of Batac a...

  Gandang Buntis ng Batac 2025 . The City Government of Batac, under the leadership of Engr. Albert D. Chua, launched an inspiring initiative to promote awareness about maternal health, wellness, and the joys of motherhood held on May 29, 2025, the City Health Office-Maternal and Child Health Care (Lying-in) Clinic spearheaded the “Gandang Buntis ng Batac 2025” pageant—an event dedicated to celebrating the beauty, strength, and resilience of expectant mothers in our community. This program aimed to raise awareness about maternal and child health, encourage healthier pregnancies and deliveries, and foster a more inclusive, supportive environment for all mothers-to-be. The pageant featured nine participants from various barangays, each showcasing not only grace and confidence but also the inspiring journey of motherhood. The top three winners were awarded cash prizes of ₱10,000, ₱7,000, and ₱5,000, respectively. In addition, five minor awards were presented to deservin...

It was in the living room of the two sisters Rachel and Ruth Rubio in Scarborough when the idea of forming an association of Bataqueños in Canada emerged. The small gathering of Batac expats   discussed    the possibility and agreed to proceed with the idea. Thus, among the attendees of a birthday celebration, the Annak ti Batac Association of Canada was born. “Bayanihan”, a unique aspect of Filipino culture   is a beautiful   tradition that embodies the spirit of community and cooperation. It's all about people coming together to work on a common goal. It is making a conscious effort to give one's time, energy, and resources to support a cause greater than one's own benefit. Deeply-rooted in Filipino society, this trait contributes to the strong sense of community that the Philippine Islands are known for. The  three  ladies: the Rubio sisters, Rachel and Ruth with Noralyn Dudt Ruth Rubio arrived in Canada in 1968 and worked in the Canadian ...

Batac  Mayor Albert D. Chua along with vice mayor Windell D. Chua  and councilor Markee Chua hands over the “Resolution of Warmest Congratulations and Commendation” and a cash incentive of PHP20,000 to Mhelanie Dhave Vidad, a native of Batac, for being the  8 th  top board passer in the 2024 Philippine Nurses Licensure Exam held Jan. 17, 2024. (Photo courtesy of CMO-Batac)  

Batac councilor Markee Chua leads the distribution of relief packs in the City of Batac (File photo) The following is a sit down interview with Batac councilor Mark Christian "Markee" Chua who has filed his candidacy to run for the city’s mayoralty post. Outgoing Batac mayor Engr. Albert D. Chua will be his running mate. The incumbent mayor has completed three straight terms and has slid down to run for the vice mayoralty post. The Chuas will face off with former Batac mayor Jeffrey Nalupta and Batac councilor Bismark Quidang, respectively.   The Ilocos Times (IT): What made you decide to run? Mark Christian Chua (MCC): To be honest, Mayor Albert has done a lot for the city, and if we are to really quantify those, I think there is little more to be accomplished in terms of governance as well as in looking after the welfare of the people of Batac. But this is not to say, that there is nothing more to be done. In time, all things need to evolve so they can keep up with ...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) City of Batac —As the Christmas season goes into high gear the New Year beckons, four local government units in the province said they will have a reduction of their annual budgets in 2023 compared to this year. Batac Vice Mayor and Sangguniang Panlungsod presiding officer Atty. Windell D. Chua said this city will have a decrease of PHP70 million for next year compared to the current budget. From the PHP903,677,575.48 2020 annual budget, the Batac council only approved PHP833,473,836.08 for the 2023   annual budget. Among the major reasons for the decrease, Chua said, was the National Tax Allocation (NTA) share reduction wherein the city government here had PHP 107 million less, or 14.46%, from their last year’s share. Chua promised though that services offered by the city government,   particularly in the agricultural sector, health, social welfare and infrastructure projects will not be affected, adding only the budget for ...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz  (Staff Reporter) City of Batac —Mayor Albert D. Chua recently confirmed that a developer has approached the city government to put up a large-scale solar power plant at Brgys. Camandingan, San Pedro and Biningan in this city. In view of this, Chua endorsed the letter of intent submitted by Apolaki One, Inc. to the Sangguniang Panlungsod here for evaluation and deliberation. He added that the city council will also verify whether the mentioned barangays are incorporated in the city’s 10-year development plan of the city as some areas of those barangays can be water sources and tourist destinations. Chua added that the proposed power plant is a lengthy project that needs thorough study as well as the approval of the Dept. of Energy, Dept. Environment and Natural Resources and other national agencies. The mayor also said that it will also require resolutions from the identified barangays and the Sangguniang Panlungsod. The mayor disclosed that the deve...

Mayor Albert D. Chua leads the blessing and inauguration of various projects in the city of Batac. ( CMO Batac photo) By Dominic B. dela Cruz  (Staff Reporter) City of Batac—Delivering on its commitment to build safe, resilient and livable communities, the city government here lead the blessing and inauguration of various projects in this city. On November 10-11, 2020 Batac mayor Albert D Chua, along with Batac vice mayor Windell Chua distributed garlic and onion planting materials and fertilizers. Aside from the said farming materials, each of the 682 garlic and onion farmers also received 15 kilos garlic bulb, 25 kilos complete fertilizers, 25 kilos sulfate and 1 kilo foliar fertilizer. On November 15, was the celebration of mayor Chua’s birthday. A total of 43 computer units were donated by the city government of Batac to DepEd Batac for the Science and Technology Academic and Researched-Based Openly Operated Kiosk System (STARBOOKS) that will be rolled out to the ...

I t’s a common narrative of success when farmers increase their yield and sell their harvests at a competitive price. In an industry where the middlemen often take home the biggest share, it may be a little bit hard to believe that farmers can succeed in marketing their own produce. In just three years, an Ilokano farm cooperative, reached PHP2.5 million in assets. Unbelievable, but it happened. Ruthbell Pammit, 56-year-old chair of the Rayuray Farmers’ Agriculture Cooperative (RFAC), walks us through their journey and on how they have transformed themselves from rice tillers to “agripreneurs”.   The beginning An unusual opportunity to lead knocked on Ruthbell’s door in 2017. Upon learning that the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) was launching a program in Batac City to help farmers start their own businesses, Ruthbell gathered some of his farmer-friends and together, they established a small cooperative with the intention of joi...