The Ilocos Times

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...

TYPHOON IMPACT. One of the two Chinese vessels that ran aground at the shore of Currimao, Ilocos Norte on Friday (Nov. 8, 2024) due to to strong winds and waves caused by Typhoon Marce (international name Yinxing). Both vessels are processing their conversion as domestic traders.  Photo courtesy of Currimao LGU Currimao , Ilocos Norte—Authorities are monitoring possible oil leaks from two foreign vessels that ran aground in the Currimao shoreline early Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, because of strong waves and wind brought by typhoon “Marce” (international name Yinxing) MV Aries 1 and LCT PanPhil 8 were anchored at the Currimao port but were dragged to shallow waters, Lt. Joseph Christian Sagun, station commander of the Philippine Coast Guard Ilocos Norte, said in a phone interview. Sagun said both vessels are from China but have all-Filipino crews. MV Aries 1, with five crew members, has been at the Currimao port for five months already. LCT PanPhil 8, with 15 crew members, arriv...

Currimao Mayor Edward Quilala on Jan. 25, 2021 gives cash and household goods to a parent of a quadriplegic kid lying in a side car. ( Rey Andres) By Reynaldo E. Andres ( Contributor) CURRIMAO, Ilocos Norte—At least six quadriplegic children of this town received on Jan. 25, 2021 a monthly stipend of PHP3,000 each, including a package of household and food supplies. The package consisted of milk supplement, bed, pillows, electric fan, transistor radio and rice, among others. Quadriplegics are those who cannot move their four limbs as a result of either diseases of various congenital abnormalities. “Of this amount, PHP2,000 came from a donor who requested anonymity, while the PHP1,000 is a counterpart of our local government,” said Currimao mayor Edward Quilala, emphasizing that the compassionate donor is a native of Currimao, but is now living in the United States. The package of supplies was also provided by the local government here. “These aren’t much, but at least we coul...

Incoming Mayor Edward T. Quilala of Currimao (3rd from left) takes his oath of office before Ilocos Norte RTC Executive Judge Francisco R.D. Quilala (left). Looking on are their children and other relatives. ( Reynaldo E. Andres) By Reynaldo E. Andres Contributor Currimao , Ilocos Norte—This coastal town in southern Ilocos Norte voted for change in the recent May elections; in the process defeating a dynasty that began 31 years ago. New Currimao Mayor Edward “Boyet” T. Quilala took his oath on June 28, 2019 before Ilocos Norte Regional Trial Court (RTC) Executive Judge Francisco R.D. Quilala, his relative. In his inaugural address, Mr. Quilala said he wants to institute reforms and progress in Currimao because it is “my humble dream and part of my vision. I’ll try my best to fulfill this within three years.” In asking the support and sympathy of the people, Mr. Quilala quoted part of one of the speeches of President Rodrigo Duterte who said that “no leader, ...

By Bernardo B. Ver II Contributor Currimao , Ilocos Norte—The Movement Against Plastic Pollution (MAPP), an Ilocos Norte environmentalist group marked March 2019 as the month to clean up beaches in this town. MAPP is a non-government organization (NGO) that actively organizes volunteer beach and coastal cleanups, minimizing non-biodegradable wastes and educating people about proper waste management. The group was organized and founded by Mrs. Patricia Dacanay-Diaz. She is also the 5 Gyres Institute ambassadress of the Philippines, an organization that empowers action against the global health crisis of plastic pollution. Mrs. Dacanay-Diaz said 91 volunteers participated in the said activity and they were able to collect 19 sacks full of non-biodegradable trash from the Pangil Rock Formation in this town. In a 1.3 kilometers wide coast, they 109.7 kilograms of garbage for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Specific plastic elements collected include plastic straws, p...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter Currimao , Ilocos Norte—The local government unit here found some ally in opposing the proposed reclamation project as the issue has been posted in Facebook to promote greater awareness about the issue. The “Save Currimao Cove From Reclamation” page created by an environmental conservation organization in Manila on March 14, 2019 has generated an almost 1,500 likes as of March 22, 2019 and the number of shares keeps on increasing daily. To date, a global sand exporter which has been exporting construction sand from Ilocos Norte to Japan and Singapore since 2009 is pushing for the development of a 112-hectare private seaport reclamation project at Brgy. Maglaoi, here. As part of its long-term master plan for seaport expansion and development, Omnico Natural Resources Inc. wants to reclaim over a hundred hectares of the sea using imported furnace slag aggregates from Taiwan. The Phase 1 of the project has already start...

Laoag City —A Facebook poll conducted February 11-18, 2019 by radio station DZJC shows entrepreneur Edward “Boyet” Quilala amassing 72 percent of the votes in the mayoralty race for the Municipality of Currimao. He is running against incumbent Mayor Gladys Go Cue who obtained a 28 percent vote share in the survey participated in by over 1,200 netizens. An online poll conducted earlier, January 28-February 4, 2019, by The Ilocos Times also saw Mr. Quilala winning over Mrs. Cue, with the former obtaining 58 percent of the almost 3,000 votes cast. In an interview with The Ilocos Times , Mr. Quilala expressed his gratitude for the very strong support he has been getting from his townmates. Reading from the poll comments and through his personal interactions with Currimaoeños, Mr. Quilala surmised that “ Nabannogda metten ” [They have grown tired] and that they are crying for change. However, while Mr. Quilala is appreciative of the snowballing support, he says he is car...

Ni Elizabeth M. Raquel Contributor Laoag City —TI awan kadagiti dadduma nga ili ket adda iti ili a Currimao. Ti adda kenkuana ket ti kaadda ti rocks a porpormaen dagiti dalluyon agpapan ita, maysa a nakaskasdaaw a mapaspasamak iti nasao nga ili. Ti “Coral Rock Formation” iti kadilian ti Currimao ket maysa a phenomena a di maibaga wenno mailawlawag no kasano a dumakdakkel dagiti rocks a taptapliakan dagiti naungsot a dalluyon. Kuna dagiti umili nga idi kano un-unana nga aldaw, babassit kano pay laeng dagiti rocks iti igid ti baybay. Ngem kalpasan iti sumagmamano a tawen, nadlawda kano laengen a dumakdakkelda. “Nakaskasdaaw ti idadakkel dagiti rocks,” kinuna ti maysa a residente iti asideg ti kadilian. “Kasla milagro ti ar-aramiden dagiti dalluyon a pagsidsiddaawanmi a residente iti Brgy. Pangil.” Saan met a mailaksid iti imatang dagiti opisial ti ili a Currimao maipanggep iti “rock formation” ti kadilian iti Brgy. Pangil, Currimao, Ilocos Norte. Kinunada...

Currimao , Ilocos Norte—The municipal government here, with the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) leading, in cooperation with the Sirib Ilocano Kabataan Association (SIKA) Inc. conducted an emergency coastal clean-up on May 6, 2018. The clean-up stemmed from social media posts that went viral, showing a large volume of plastic wastes floating along the Pangil Rock Formation here. Complaints reached the local government here on May 5, 2018, with regards to an unusual volume of garbage found along the shores of Barangay Pangil. Several people posted photos of waste materials at the Pangil rock formation in a social media site. Currimao mayor Gladys G. Cue reassured that upon receipt of the report, the Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) acted accordingly. She reminded the public that they are implementing measures to maintain the cleanliness of the rock formation. She said they are imposing penalties and fine...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Currimao , Ilocos Norte—Local authorities from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Provincial Fisheries and the local government unit of Currimao will intensify the information and education campaign to protect endangered marine animals here. This came after environment advocates and netizens freaked out upon seeing a video posted on social media of a helpless hammerhead shark fighting for life on the street while some residents are watching and making fun of the creature. Though the video posted on January 15 did not show it, authorities learned that the shark eventually died. “They say sharks or different kinds of sharks are the most dangerous species of the sea... No! Humans are! He’s bumping his head on the floor for help. He wanted to go home. He's distressed,” commented a disgruntled netizen Anne Mendoza upon seeing the video. Based on initial investigation, Arthur Valente of the Provincial Fisheries Offi...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—A female short finned pilot whale died after responders failed to stabilize the animal’s condition last month, a report said. In a December 7, 2017 report furnished to regional director Nestor Domenden of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources based in San Fernando City, La Union, Ilocos Norte provincial agriculturist Norma Lagmay said the stranded animal managed to swim at about 11:20am Tuesday, December 6, 2017, after fisherfolk rescued her between the boundary of Brgys. Salugan and Victoria in Currimao, Ilocos Norte. Unfortunately, she got re-stranded again and died on Wednesday morning, December 7, 2017. In a necropsy conducted by Dr. Jeneveve Suliva of the Provincial Veterinary Office, it showed there was “hemorrhagic lining of the stomach and small intestines as well as the womb. The stomach and urinary bladder are empty. Parasites were seen in the skin as well as in the intestines, and muscles at the base of...