The Ilocos Times

By Dominic B. dela Cruz,  Staff Reporter LAOAG CITY —The city government of Laoag has expressed its appreciation to Davies Paints Philippines Inc. for supporting the repainting of all 92 Child Development Centers (CDCs) across the city. Laoag councilor Donald Nicolas said the Sangguniang Panlungsod has authorized Laoag Mayor James Bryan Q. Alcid to enter into and sign a tripartite agreement with Liga ng mga Barangay President and ex-officio Sangguniang Panlungsod member Roque Benjamin C. Ablan and Davies Paints Philippines Inc., represented by Vice President for Business Development Engr. Maria Rosario Quintos. Under the proposed agreement, Davies Paints will donate 450 pails of paint valued at PHP1.3 million for the repainting of the city’s 92 CDCs. Nicolas said the project responds to the need to maintain and improve the facilities where young children receive early childhood care and development services. Repainting the centers will help improve their physical co...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz, Staff reporter LAOAG CITY —The city government of Laoag has posthumously honored 12-year-old Mark Khianne Asuncion of Barangay 33-A La Paz for his courage and selfless attempt to save two cousins during a drowning incident in the barangay last year. The Sangguniang Panlungsod approved a resolution commending Asuncion as a “ Young Hero of La Paz ” for risking his own life to rescue his cousins, an act that ultimately cost him his own young life. Laoag Councilor Jaybee Baquiran , who cited the boy’s extraordinary courage and presence of mind, said Asuncion immediately responded after seeing his two cousins in danger on September 12, 2025. According to the resolution, the two cousins were in a life-threatening situation when Asuncion intervened. He managed to rescue both of them and bring them to safety, but tragically drowned in the course of the incident. The council recognized Asuncion for placing the safety and lives of others before his own and d...

  DRUG-CLEARED. The Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing conducts validation and deliberation on the drug-cleared status of Laoag ’s additional barangays. With the latest declaration, all 80 barangays of Laoag are now drug-cleared. (Photo courtesy of LMB Laoag) By Dominic B. dela Cruz, Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—Laoag City has been declared “100 percent drug-cleared” after the Regional Oversight Committee on Barangay Drug Clearing (ROCBDC) validated and deliberated on the status of 18 additional barangays on September 9, 2026. Liga ng mga Barangay President and ex-officio Sangguniang Panlungsod member Roque Benjamin Ablan said the latest declaration brought all 80 barangays of Laoag to “drug-cleared” status. The validation and deliberation were conducted at the Philip Corpus Velasco Socio-Civic and Cultural Center in Barangay 1, Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, upon the motion of PDEA Regional Office 1 Director and ROCBDC Chairperson Julius M. Paderes Jr., PhD ,...

Laoag Vice Mayor Rey Carlos Fariñas receives his Certificate of Completion and Certificate of Appearance during the face-to-face session and graduation of the Executive Education Program for Young Legislators , held August 30 to September 1, 2026, at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy of the National University of Singapore . (Photo courtesy of VMO)   By Dominic B. dela Cruz, Staff Reporter LAOAG CITY—Vice Mayor and Sangguniang Panlungsod presiding officer Rey Carlos Fariñas has completed the Executive Education for Young Legislators (EEYL) program at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP) of the National University of Singapore, bringing home new insights on governance, public policy and leadership. The executive education program ran from July 23 to August 31, 2026, with Fariñas attending the face-to-face session and graduation activities from August 30 to September 1 at LKYSPP. The program was conducted in partnership with the National Movement of Youn...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz, Staff Reporter LAOAG CITY— Mayor James Bryan Q. Acid delivered his first State of the City Address (SOCA) on September 7, 2026 at the Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena, highlighting the administration’s accomplishments during its first year in office and outlining projects and programs planned for the coming years. Dubbed “Makatkatwen ti Alisto a Serbisyo,” the address was delivered during a special session of the 13 th Sangguniang Panlungsod presided over by Laoag Vice Mayor Rey Carlos Fariñas. The council unanimously approved the suspension of its rules to accommodate the mayor’s SOCA. Among the administration’s priorities during its first year were disaster preparedness, public safety, digitalization, social services, health, agriculture, tourism and infrastructure.   Public safety and disaster response The city government strengthened its disaster and emergency response capabilities through the installation of additional AI-powered CCTV camer...

  Councilors vote on the measure authored by Laoag Councilor Justine Chua establishing a three-tier permit and price-tracking system for the hog industry in Laoag City . ABC President Rbee Ablan, SK Federated President Rionell Jan Respicio and Councilor Eric Ang voted in favor, while Councilors Jeff Fariñas, John Michael Fariñas and Atty. Jason Bader Perera abstained. (Doms Dela Cruz) By Dominic B. Dela Cruz.  Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—The Laoag City Sangguniang Panlungsod is moving to impose a three-tier permit and price-tracking system for the hog industry to improve transparency in the trading of live pigs and monitor price increases from hog raisers to the retail market. City Councilor Justine Clarence G. Chua, chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture and author of the measure, said the system is designed to identify where price increases occur, determine whether they are justified and curb unreasonable markups along the pork supply chain. Chua said the tradin...

By Dominic Dela Cruz,  Staff Reporter LAOAG CITY—The city government of Laoag has requested Ilocos Norte 1 st District Representative Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” A. Marcos and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis to support the establishment of a CHED satellite office in Laoag City . Laoag Vice Mayor and Sangguniang Panlungsod Presiding Officer Rey Carlos Fariñas said the proposed satellite office would make higher education services more accessible to students, parents, faculty members and higher education institutions throughout Ilocos Norte . CHED is mandated to promote quality, affordable and accessible higher education programs and services nationwide. Fariñas noted that Ilocos Norte is a major educational hub in Northern Luzon, serving thousands of students, faculty members, researchers and administrators from public and private higher education institutions. Among the province’s major institutions is Mariano Marcos State Unive...

Laoag Mayor James Bryan Q. Alcid , representing the Laoag City government, and Sunrise Event President and General Manager Princess Galura sign the contract for the international triathlon to be hosted by Laoag City in March 2027 . ( Photo by Larry Pedralvez) By Dominic B. dela Cruz,  Staff Reporter LAOAG CITY—Laoag City is set to host its first international triathlon in March 2027 following the signing of a contract between the city government and the Sunrise Event and Ironman Group on August 18, 2026. The contract signing was held at the Laoag City Conference Room, with Laoag Mayor James Bryan Q. Alcid representing the city government and Sunrise Event President and General Manager Princess Galura signing for the event organizer. The city government has approved PHP20.2 million for the Laoag City Sports Development and Tourism Promotions Project to support the staging of the international triathlon. Galura said Sunrise Events has been organizing Ironman and inter...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz,  Staff reporter LAOAG CITY —The city government of Laoag has adopted and institutionalized the Department of the Interior and Local Government ’s ( DILG ) “Safer Cities Initiative” to strengthen public safety, order and decency in public spaces. The nationwide initiative calls on local government units to enact and strictly enforce community safety measures. Laoag City Vice Mayor and Sangguniang Panlungsod presiding officer Rey Carlos Fariñas , who authored the measure, said it is timely amid recent violent incidents in schools involving minors. He said measures such as curfew enforcement , noise regulation and public decency standards can help prevent disturbances and promote a safer environment for residents and visitors. Under the measure, existing city and provincial regulations on curfew, excessive noise and public drinking will be harmonized and strengthened. Minors 17 years old and below are prohibited from loitering, roaming or staying in public ...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz, Staff reporter Laoag City —The city government of Laoag will establish a comprehensive school safety, violence prevention, and emergency response program for all public and private educational institutions within the city. The initiative aims to provide mechanisms for preventing school-related violence, including shooting incidents, stabbings, armed attacks, and other security risks, through a unified school safety framework. Laoag Vice Mayor and Sangguniang Panlungsod presiding officer Rey Carlos Fariñas announced the measure in light of the tragic school shooting incident in Tacloban City on June 22, 2026, where minors planned and executed a deadly attack. The incident highlights the urgent need to strengthen school safety measures, early detection systems, and coordinated response protocols to prevent similar occurrences in Laoag City. Fariñas, who authored the ordinance, cited existing national laws that protect children and provide intervention progr...

Laoag City —For the first time, the city of Laoag has emerged as a national winner in the 51st Gawad Saka Parangal sa Natatanging Magsasaka at Mangingisda, earning recognition at the Department of Agriculture ’s annual search for outstanding contributors to the agriculture and fisheries sectors. Held June 29 at the Philippine International Convention Center, the Gawad Saka awards honor farmers, fisherfolk, agricultural workers, extension managers, local government units and other partners whose work has helped strengthen food security and rural development across the country. Laoag’s national victory marks a milestone for the city’s agri-fishery sector. City Agriculturist Sheila Marie Opelac said Laoag submitted six entries this year, three of which advanced to the national finals: Outstanding Corn Farmer Geoffrey Santiano Pascual , Outstanding Agricultural Extension Manager Sheila Marie N. Opelac , and Outstanding Local Government Unit, Laoag City. She said the city’s finalist...

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...