The Ilocos Times

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...

Members of the Department of Agrarian Reform Employees Association (DAREA) in Ilocos Norte plant at least 500 seedlings and saplings in Carasi, Ilocos Norte. Carasi , Ilocos Norte—Pushing for environmental concern as one of its core initiatives, the Department of Agrarian Reform Employees Association (DAREA)-Ilocos Norte held a tree planting activity in Carasi on June 21, 2018. Planning officer II Rommel R. Aquino, DAREA-Ilocos Norte president, said they planted at least 500 seedlings and saplings of narra , rain tree and bittaog . “This is our annual activity in support of the National Greening Program of the government which aims to enhance climate change mitigation and adaptation,” Mr. Aquino said. In the past years, the group have conducted tree planting activities in Bacarra, Nueva Era and Batac City. DAREA-Ilocos Norte is also busy preparing for the upcoming semestral review and planning session (RPS) and employees’ day of DAR Ilocos Norte. (Jopo Guerrer...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—Around 3,000 young boys from the 21 towns and two cities of the province are in the mountainous town of Carasi, some 30 kilometers northwest of Laoag, for the 71 st Provincial Boy Scout Jamboree slated from January 18-21, 2018. With a favorable weather, Carasi mayor Rene Gaspar said the indigenous peoples (IP) community are eager to share their ‘piece of paradise’ to the delegates. He said they have coordinated everything with concerned authorities particularly the Philippine National Police and the barangay tanods to ensure the safety and security of the participants. Carasi is a mineral-rich town of Ilocos Norte and the least populated area in the province with over 214 households or about 2,000 residents dominated by the Isneg tribe. Its cinematic landscape offers a refreshing view to visitors with accessible waterfalls and hot springs. As a first-time host to this event, Mr. Gaspar said they would love to sh...