The Ilocos Times

San Nicolas Mayor Edmar Vincent Bonoan delivers his first State of San Nicolas Address (SOSNA) 2026 in a special session conducted by the Sangguniang Bayan headed by San Nicolas Vice Mayor and presiding officer Napoleon Hernando before the people of San Nicolas held at the Robinsons Mall Cinema 4 on August 10, 2026. ( Doms dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz,  Staff reporter SAN NICOLAS, Ilocos Norte—Mayor Edmar Vincent Bonoan delivered his first State of San Nicolas Address (SOSNA) on August 10, 2026, highlighting the administration’s first-year accomplishments, ongoing programs and development priorities for the municipality. The address was delivered during a special session of the Sangguniang Bayan, presided over by Vice Mayor Napoleon Hernando, and attended by municipal and barangay officials, government agencies, stakeholders and residents. Bonoan thanked San Nicoleños for entrusting him and his administration with the responsibility of leading the municipality. He s...

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. personally visits the site of the fire at the Batac Public Market and awards PHP 150 million as initial funding for the construction of a new Batac Public Market, as Mayor Mark Christian “Markee” Chua presents the proposed site and building. Governor Cecilia Marcos, 2nd District Congressman Angelo Marcos Barba, and city officials headed by Vice Mayor Albert Chua were also present during the inspection. ( Photo courtesy of CMO Batac)   By Dominic B. dela Cruz. Staff reporter City of Batac — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. visited the Batac Public Market to personally inspect the damage caused by the July 5, 2026 fire and meet with affected stallholders. During his visit, the President turned over PHP 150 million in funding to the City Government of Batac for the construction of a new public market through the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF). President Marcos was joined by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian , Ilocos Norte 2 nd District Congr...

VMLP National President Maynard Francis Bumanglag and National Chairman Anthony D.L.S. Suva lead the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Philippine Councilors League (PCL), led by President Benjie Abalos and Chairman Atty. Raul Corro, as well as the Philippine League of Secretaries to the Sanggunian (PLEASES), led by SB Secretary Timothy Vista of Jamindan, for the eLegis Reference System , held last July 29, 2026, in Cagayan de Oro . (Photo courtesy of VMLP) By Dominic B. dela Cruz.  Staff reporter Pinili , Ilocos Norte—President Ferdinand E. Marcos Jr. will formally lead the launching of the eLegis Reference System, a program of the Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines (VMLP), in cooperation with the Philippine Councilors League (PCL), the National Movement of Young Legislators (NMYL), and the Philippine League of Secretaries to the Sanggunian (PLEASES), this November in Cagayan de Oro. VMLP National President and Pinili Vice Mayor Maynard Francis Bumang...

Cities with fully automated business permitting systems recorded stronger growth in local business tax revenue than cities that had not fully automated their permitting processes, according to a new study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS). The study, titled “Relevance of e-Governance in Revenue Generation among Philippine Cities,” found that cities with fully automated Business Permits and Licensing Systems (BPLS) were associated with an 18.16-percentage-point increase in local business tax (LBT) revenue growth compared with cities that had not fully automated their permitting processes. These cities also recorded higher levels of active business establishments, suggesting that streamlined digital services can encourage business formation and expansion. Authored by PIDS supervising research specialist Tatum Ramos and Vice President Marife Ballesteros , the study examined data from 138 cities to determine whether digitalizing business permitting contribu...

Laoag City —The Laoag City government’s Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) has stood by its disqualification of Northpoint Alliance Motors Corporation (NAMCO), the losing bidder in the city government’s PHP92-million procurement of 80 vehicles, despite the company’s protest. In its letter addressed to Laoag Vice Mayor Rey Carlos Farinas, NAMCO said it was disqualified without its sealed bid being opened, allegedly on the ground that one of its owners is a provincial board member. The company argued that the official does not directly or indirectly influence the decisions and funding of Laoag City. NAMCO also questioned the BAC’s specifications, saying they appeared tailor-made for a particular brand and that the winning bidder failed to meet three requirements, which it said should have resulted in a failed bidding. It added that the winning bid amounted to PHP91.16 million, compared with NAMCO’s PHP83.98 million offer, or a difference of PHP7.18 million that it said could have been us...

Laoag City —The 13 th Sangguniang Panlungsod of Laoag has approved an ordinance granting holiday-with-pay benefits to job order (JO) and contract of service (CoS) workers of the city government, citing the constitutional right to health, the Mental Health Act, and related civil service issuances. The proposed measure, titled “Holiday with Pay Benefit of the JO and CoS Workers of Laoag City,” seeks to extend to JO and CoS personnel a benefit similar to the wellness leave granted by the Civil Service Commission to government workers under Resolution No. 2501292 and Memorandum Circular No. 01, Series of 2026. The ordinance also cites Republic Act No. 4622, which provides for the payment of regular daily wages to government laborers and employees during special public holidays. Under the ordinance, all Laoag City Job Order and Contract of Service workers, regardless of length of service, are entitled to holiday leave with pay during regular, special and local holidays, except those as...

  By Dominic B. dela Cruz,  Staff reporter Solsona , Ilocos Norte—The Sangguniang Bayan (SB) of Solsona, led by Vice Mayor and presiding officer Jonathan De Lara , held the municipality’s first State of the Legislative Address (SOLA) on June 1, 2026, coinciding with the blessing and inauguration of the new SB session hall. De Lara marked the milestone as a chance to reflect on the SB’s first 365 days of public service and to report legislative accomplishments. He told constituents the body approved 975 resolutions and enacted 64 municipal ordinances in its first year, emphasizing that each measure was intended to promote good governance, strengthen public services, protect the environment, support education and health care, enhance peace and order, and stimulate local economic growth. All members’ accomplishment reports were presented via PowerPoint during the event. De Lara thanked fellow councilors for their professionalism and commitment, the executive department unde...

Bangui Mayor Denton Lawrence Garvida delivers his 365 days State of the Municipality Address (SOMA) before the municipal council, municipal hall employees, barangay officials and the people of Bangui. (Doms dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz, Staff reporter Bangui , Ilocos Norte—Mayor Denton Lawrence G. Garvida delivers his first State of the Municipality Address (SOMA), “A Year of Service. A Vision for the Future,” at the Bangui People’s Center during the Sangguniang Bayan ’s second Special Session on June 30, 2026, marking his 365 days as local chief executive. Garvida reviews the municipality’s accomplishments, outlines ongoing projects and sets priorities for 2026–2027, stressing that local governance is a shared task among the municipal, provincial and national governments, barangays, civil society, the private sector and residents. Administrative governance and partnerships drive many projects. The LGU partnered with Mariano Marcos State University on tilapia grow‑out sit...

Laoag  council ex-officio member Roque Benjamin Ablan presents his measure expressing the Liga Ng Mga Barangay support for the passage of House Bill No. 5066, otherwise known as the “Magna Carta For Barangays”, introduced by Rep. King George Leandro Antonio V. Collantes 3 rd  district,  Batangas) which was later approved by the body. (Doms dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz, Staff reporter Laoag City —The Liga ng Mga Barangay (LMB) Laoag City Chapter has expressed their support for the passage of House Bill No. 5066, or the “Magna Carta For Barangays”, introduced by Rep. King George Leandro Antonio V. Collantes (3 rd district,   Batangas). LMB-Laoag President Roque Benjamin Ablan announced their support after the Sangguniang Panlungsod members unanimously approved a resolution of support to strengthen barangays as the backbone of governance. Section 384 of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, declares that “The b...

City of Batac —"Leadership begins with a vision—one that is rooted in faith, shared with the people, and lived in service,” said Ilocos Norte Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos as she marked her first 100 days in office at the Ilocandia Cultural Center in this city on October 10, 2025. In her address, Araneta-Marcos outlined her administration’s early accomplishments, emphasizing responsive governance, disaster resilience, and inclusive development. She cited the institutionalization of monthly alignment meetings between the executive and legislative branches, the full approval of Salary Grade 3 for entry-level government workers, and the creation of new offices such as the Provincial Information Office and Agriculture Biosystems Engineering Office, among others. “I cannot work with unhappy people. One of my first priorities was to make the Capitol a happier place,” she said. In the face of multiple typhoons and natural disasters, Araneta-Marcos underscored the province’s shift...

Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a powerful ally in exposing corruption, but without integrity, accountability, and political will, it will never be enough. This was the central message of experts and former public officials at the 11th Annual Public Policy Conference (APPC) organized by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) as part of the 23rd Development Policy Research Month (DPRM). Plenary Session 3, titled “AI-Augmented Fight Against Corruption,” highlighted both the promise and perils of AI in governance. Speakers agreed that algorithms may detect patterns of fraud and misuse, but only human integrity and strong institutions can effectively close the loop on accountability.   Promise and limits of AI tools Dr . Jacopo Costa, Senior Specialist at the Basel Institute on Governance , described AI as both a frontier and a warning. He explained that AI’s real strength lies in processing large volumes of data, detecting hidden patterns, and helpin...