The Ilocos Times

Manila — The governments of the United States, the Philippines, and Japan hosted today the inaugural Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) Investment Forum. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton, U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) Deputy Director Thomas Hardy, Philippine Department of Finance Secretary Frederick Go, Philippine Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, and Ono Sho, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of Japan to the Republic of the Philippines, attended. Sponsored by USTDA, the forum brought together more than 600 investors, industry leaders, and government officials to mobilize private-sector investment and accelerate commercial partnerships in transportation, energy, digital infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing supply chains. It featured deal signings, project pitches, and discussions focused on improving connectivity, strengthening supply chains, and unlocking pr...

The Philippines may be losing as much as 10% of its gross domestic product (GDP) because workers are not always able to use their skills at their highest productive value, according to the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) senior research fellow Michael Ralph Abrigo . Speaking at the 2026 Development Policy Research Month (DPRM) Kick-off Press Conference and Media Awards on September 1, 2026, Abrigo said the country’s challenge is not limited to the production of skilled workers. It also involves ensuring that workers are deployed and allowed to work in ways that make full use of their capabilities. “What we estimate is as much as 10% of our GDP is actually lost because of this misallocation of talent,” Abrigo said during the open forum. He explained that talent misallocation occurs when the system does not allow skilled workers to use their skills at their most optimal level. It is different from unemployment or a lack of skills. A person can be employed,...

Batac City Councilor Martha Louise Aurora M. Borleo announces the passage of an ordinance temporarily suspending the payment of business taxes, rental fees and garbage fees for fire-affected vendors of the Batac Public Market . ( Doms Dela Cruz)   By Dominic B. dela Cruz;  Staff Reporter CITY OF BATAC— The city government of Batac has temporarily suspended the payment of business taxes, rental fees and garbage fees for market stall holders affected by the Batac Public Market fire for the third and fourth quarters of 2026. Batac Councilor Martha Louise Aurora M. Borleo said the measure was approved through an ordinance to provide temporary financial relief and help affected vendors resume and rehabilitate their businesses. The Batac Public Market fire damaged stalls and structures, destroyed inventories and disrupted business operations, leaving affected vendors with significant financial losses, Borleo said. Under the ordinance, payment of the covered fees for th...

Arlington , VA—The US Trade and Development Agency announced that the governments of the United States of America, the Republic of the Philippines and Japan will co-host the inaugural Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) Investment Forum from September 10-11, 2026, in Manila, Philippines . Sponsored by USTDA, the Forum will bring together 600 international investors, industry leaders, project developers, and government officials to showcase opportunities in the LEC and connect investors with infrastructure projects ready for financing. “America’s leadership in the Indo-Pacific is built on trusted partnerships and a shared commitment to secure, high-quality infrastructure,” said Thomas R. Hardy , USTDA’s Deputy Director. “The LEC Investment Forum brings together the United States, Japan, the Philippines and partner nations from across the world around one goal: turning priority projects into commercial reality, while advancing our collective vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific.” The ...

DICT Secretary Henry Rhoel R. Aguda (left) and LANDBANK President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz (center) lead the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance AI-powered solutions that will enhance MSME credit assessment , business development, and access to financing. They are joined LANDBANK Executive Vice President Charlotte I. Conde (right).   Micro, small , and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can soon benefit from faster and more accessible financing as LANDBANK and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) partner to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) in streamlining credit assessment and strengthening business support. LANDBANK President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz and DICT Secretary Henry Rhoel R. Aguda formalized the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 20 July 2026 at the LANDBANK Plaza in Manila. They were joined by DICT Undersecretary Christina Faye M. Condez-De Sagon, LANDBANK Executive Vice President Charlotte...

VALUE-ADDING. Judy Viernes shows his pickled garlic at the Garlic Incubation Center in Laoag City , Ilocos Norte on Wednesday (July 22, 2026). He is among the first garlic incubatees being assisted by the Taiwan Te chnical Mission in the Philippines to help revitalize the local garlic industry . (Lei Adriano) By Leilanie Adriano LAOAG CITY—Garlic growers and processors benefit from a microfinancing program supported by Taiwan, providing farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs with greater access to capital to improve productivity, expand operations and enhance the competitiveness of the local garlic industry. Eric Pin Yu Chen , representative for the Taiwan Technical Mission in the Philippines, told the Philippine News Agency on Tuesday that at least 10 garlic incubatees have been selected so far this year for the grant. "Each incubatee received PHP240,000. The amount can be used to start their business or to improve it,” he said in an interview at the Garlic Incubation ...

  As the southwest monsoon (Habagat) continues to bring heavy rains across the country, a new Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) study has found that routine rainfall reduces the number of hours Filipinos work each week, with day-to-day and short-term workers bearing the greatest impact. In the discussion paper “When Rain Falls, Work Slows: Rainfall Variability and Working Hours in the Philippine Labor Market,” PIDS research specialist John Joseph Ocbina and Senior Research Fellow Dr. John Paolo Rivera analyzed nationally representative Labor Force Survey (LFS) data alongside regional rainfall records from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). The findings suggest that frequent rainy periods—not only major storms and typhoons—can add up to meaningful productivity and income losses across the labor market. “At the aggregate level, rainfall exerts a statistically significant but modest negative associa...

  Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr., with the Philippine Textile Research Institute (PTRI) Director IV Julius Leaño alongside Ilocos Norte 2nd District Representative Angelo Marcos Barba, Vintar Mayor Richard Degala and Presidential Assistant for Northern Luzon Ana Carmela Remigio lead the launching of the Regional Yarn Production and Innovation Center (RYPIC) in Vintar, Ilocos Norte on July 3, 2026. The RYPIC is the first yarn production and innovation center in the Ilocos Region and the third in the country which marks a major step toward strengthening the local textile industry. The DOST continues to empower local weavers, textile producers, and entrepreneurs by providing access to science, technology, innovation, and modern production facilities. RYPIC now opens new opportunities for sustainable livelihoods while ensuring that the rich legacy of Filipino weaving thrives for future generations.  (Doms dela Cruz)

GOV'T INCENTIVES. Visitors at the Paoay sand dunes in this undated photo. The provincial government said on July 10, 2026 that it continues to offer incentives to filmmakers, offering its cinematic landscapes such as this. File photo  By Leilanie Adriano LAOAG CITY —The film industry in Ilocos Norte is getting a boost as the provincial government strengthens initiatives to attract local and international productions through a package of incentives and streamlined support services. The initiative aims to position Ilocos Norte as a premier filming destination by offering assistance with site matching, location fee waiver, logistical coordination, and access to the province's diverse natural landscapes, heritage sites, and cultural attractions. It is also part of the province's broader strategy to strengthen film tourism and promote Ilocos Norte as a competitive destination for local and international productions. “At present, the provincial government’s Media Inc...

Vintar, Ilocos Norte— Ilocos Norte is set to become Northern Luzon ’s hub for textile research and development with the forthcoming opening of the Regional Yarn Production and Innovation Center (RYPIC), locally known as “Panait ni Siwawer,” on November 20, 2025. The partnership for the establishment of the center was formally sealed through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed on October 16, 2025 in Vintar, Ilocos Norte , between the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI), the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte , and the Municipality of Vintar. The facility, the first of its kind in Northern Luzon and the third in the entire country, forms part of DOST-PTRI’s program titled “Fostering the Revitalization of Nascent Textile Innovation Ecosystems in the Region.” It aims to strengthen the textile value chain by enabling the production of natural yarns from locally sourced fibers such as bamboo , cotton, abaca , and pineapple . On...

BBM RICE. Residents buy rice for only PHP29 per kilo at the NIA compound in San Nicolas town, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. The activity was under a nationwide pilot program of the government to sell quality and affordable rice initially to the vulnerable sectors. (Lei Adriano) San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte —Senior citizens, persons with disability, and solo parents availed of cheap rice sold at PHP29 per kilogram during the grand launching of the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) Rice held at the National Irrigation Administration compound in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. “ Maraming salamat Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa inyong pagmamahal sa Region 1 lalong-lalo na sa bayan namin sa San Nicolas,” said Violeta Pasion, a resident Brgy.   18 Bingao in this town. The low-priced grains were sourced from the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) contract farming with irrigators' association members in the province. Along with Pasion, Epi...

National policy changes, coupled with training, advocacy, and incentives, can empower women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (WMSMEs) in Metro Manila to adopt circular economy principles. This shift can unlock significant economic opportunities, driving sustainable growth and environmental progress. These were highlighted at a webinar conducted by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) in support of the celebration of National Women’s Month. The webinar featured the study “Assessing the Adoption of Circular Economy among Women-Led MSMEs in Metro Manila: A Pilot Study” by Foreign Service Institute of the Philippines-Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies former chief research officer Jovito Jose P. Katigbak and senior foreign affairs research specialist Jemimah Joanne C. Villaruel. Despite the increasing prominence of circular economy or CE as a strategy for achieving sustainable development, the study reveals a concerning knowledge gap am...

Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Manotoc speaks during the “INvest: Ilocos Norte Investment Conference” at Ascott Bonifacio Global City in Metro Manila. Taguig City —"Consider me your partner and your advocate, I will be here personally to make sure that your business is also our business, and we take care of our investors in Ilocos Norte. Make it happen in the Philippines, make it happen in Ilocos Norte,” remarked Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc as he delivered his welcome message at an investment conference hosted by the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) on Aug. 27, 2024 Government officials, foreign ambassadors, and representa tives from private businesses participated in a one-day event titled “INvest: Ilocos Norte Investment Conference” at Ascott Bonifacio Global City in Metro Manila. Organized by the Ilocos Norte Trade and Investment Center, the event featured experts in the field of investment promotions who shared experiences and valuable guidan...