The Ilocos Times

  By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City —The city government here is appealing to all health professionals who are bona fide residents or trace their roots in this city from here and abroad to lend their expertise pro bono in transforming the Laoag City General Hospital (LCGH) from a health institution on the verge of bankruptcy to a truly earning economic enterprise. In their regular session, the Sangguniang Panlungsod unanimously approved a measure sponsored by the committee on health appealing to all health professionals to elevate the present economic status of the city hospital. Laoag councilor Jaybee Baquiran, who sponsored the measure, said the present administration was shocked to discover the hospital’s present condition. The 10-year-old city hospital was earlier announced as “a noble and economically feasible” as it was declared to be an economic enterprise. Mr. Baquiran, who chairs the committee on health, explained the present administration discove

By Leilanie G. Adriano ( Staff Reporter) LAOAG CITY—As various schools in this city gear up for distance learning under the new normal, some riders here have signified their intent to distribute learner’s modules for free. In a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed between the Department of Education Laoag City and the Motorcycle Philippines Federation 128, Inc., both parties agreed that the modules, which teachers developed, the riders will distribute and retrieve for free to the city’s barangay village, including other municipalities if applicable. Dubbed as project “Volunteer Riders Organized for Optable Module” (VROOM) Delivery, Gary D. Ronquillo, the motorists’ federation provincial coordinator said in an interview that as partners for education in the “new normal”, they are offering their services for the welfare of children in Laoag and Ilocos Norte. “Over the years, we [riders] had been used to public service. This is the least we can do for our children during this time

By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City —The city’s Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) federation president and ex-officio Sangguniang Panlungsod member alleged that Laoag SK federated vice president Juan Carlos Tabios III is moving to oust her from her current position. Laoag SK president Anzhelyka Faye Lao, in a privilege speech delivered during the city council’s August 14, 2020 regular session, said she is disappointed to learn that Mr. Tabios has allegedly circulated a manifesto against her. She added that Mr. Tabios had been allegedly meeting with other SK officials in this city one by one to sign the manifesto. Ms. Lao disclosed that other SK officials in the city have approached her and said that Laoag councilors Roque Benjamin Ablan and Jaybee Baquiran were allegedly “pressuring and persuading” them to sign the manifesto. She stressed that those who approached her did not mention Mr. Tabios as the one allegedly pressuring them. She added that she considers Mess

  By Dominic B. dela Cruz (Staff Reporter) Laoag City —The Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) reverted Brgy. 55 Barit-Pandan as drug-affected after the joint provincial intelligence workshop in which two drug personalities were identified to be residents of the said barangay, thereby affecting its “drug-free” status. Laoag City Local Government Operations Officer Janet Duarte made the announcement which she said was based on a DDB resolution declaring Brgy. Barit as “drug-affected” barangay. Ms. Duarte said RA 9165 [Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002] mandates the government to pursue intensified and unrelenting campaign against illegal drugs and shall endeavor to secure the assistance of the local government units in drug operations. The DDB was created as the policy making and strategy formulating body in the planning and formulation of policies and programs on drug prevention and control. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) was likewise created for an efficient

  BATAC  Mayor Albert D. Chua and other members of the city council hand over a certificate of recognition to Batac Water District manager Dona Sagun for her office’s help of three drums of chlorine to the city government to help in the city’s COVID-19 response. Batac also awarded the same to other 38 individuals and establishments. (Doms dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz (Staff Reporter) Batac City —Living up to the concept of “bayanihan”, the city governments of Batac and Laoag recognized individuals, non-government organizations, government organizations, business establishments and others who extended their assistance to their respective constituents during the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. Batac Mayor Albert D. Chua, along with the members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod headed by Batac Vice Mayor Windell D. Chua personally handed over certificates of recognition to 39 awardees on June 29, 2020 at the SP session hall here. The Batac government acknowledged with profound gra

  OUTGOING  P/Lt. Col. Amador B. Quicho (left) formally turns over the reins of the Laoag City Police Station to incoming chief of police P/Lt. Col. Rafael D. Lero (right) during a simple turn over ceremony as Ilocos Norte provincial director P/Col. Christopher N. Abrahano (center) looks on. In Mr. Quicho’s send-off speech, he said that in his stay as Laoag police chief he became the his “best version as a policeman”. Likewise, Mr. Lero in his response, said: “Things that we done for the betterment of the city will continue, for us to achieve the momentum to make the city a better place to work, visit and do business”. Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew M. Manotoc and Laoag Mayor Michael M. Keon also witnessed the turnover ceremony. (Doms dela Cruz)

  Laoag Mayor Michael M. Keon meets with Barangay 7 chairperson Henry Yumul regarding the barangay’s implementation of waste segregation. Mr. Yumul presented the plans and programs of their barangay regarding the said program. (Doms dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City —"Everybody should understand that Laoag City is among the few cities in the Region left without a comprehensive waste segregation program. This is the reason why we are also left with no choice but to act fast and immediately fast track the implementation of the program, and subsequently open the sanitary landfill in Barangay Balatong”. Laoag Mayor Michael M. Keon made this announcement after the city government received a “Notice of Violation” from the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) for the closure of the existing open dumpsite at Brgy. Lagui Sail, this city. In relation to this, Keon thanked Brgy. 7 Nra. Sra. De Natividad led

BARTER FOR A CAUSE. Children in Barangay Lagui-Sail, Laoag City receive a learning kit courtesy of A&A Foundation and the Ilocos Norte 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company. Some of the donated school supplies were sourced through an online barter system where a kilo of calamansi is exchanged with a writing pad, pencil or crayons. ( Lei Adriano) By Leilanie G. Adriano ( Staff Reporter) LAOAG CITY–At least 50 incoming Day-Care pupils at Barangay Lagui-Sail, this city are beneficiaries of a locally organized “barter for a cause” program, which is becoming a trend online, at least in the province of Ilocos Norte. On July 1, 2020, four-year old Ysabel Pastor from Sitio West of the said barangay, received her very first eight-color crayons along with pencils, writing pads, sharpener, eraser and a pack of multivitamin syrup from a group of Ilocos Norte cops spearheading the gift-giving activity. Ysabel is among the incoming Day-Care pupils of Barangay 54-A Lagui-Sail that benefited in

  File photo of the Laoag City Jail By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City —The Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in this city released half of its total persons deprived of liberty (PDLs). Jail/Sr. Insp. Rodel Cadpino announced that they released 85 of the total population of 170 PDLs as of July 16, 2020. He explained that the releases were results of plea-bargaining agreements reached by the PDLs. The said agreements were in line with a recent Supreme Court memorandum circular. Other PDLs were also acquitted, Mr. Cadpino added. The jail officer also disclosed that most of the 85 PDLs released faced illegal drugs charges/ “ Iti lang advantage iti bassit PDL na ket matutukan tayo amin isuda ken nalawa iti space dan kumpara idi ket nailet, ” Mr. Cadpino said.   With the current pandemic, Mr. Capidno also noted that the Laoag jail is on total lockdown since March. As a result, they have restricted visitations. BJMP, however, allows PDLs to g

By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City —To ensure proper implementation of projects, the Sangguniang Panlungsod here requested the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regional and district offices to provide the city engineering office a Program of Works (POW) on all DPWH projects in the city. Laoag Vice Mayor and council presiding officer Vicentito M. Lazo said they based their request on implemented and completed DPWH projects in the city but were found defective, which requires immediate repairs or replacement. Among those projects were the rehabilitation/concreting of the Laoag-Vintar road at Brgy. 23, this city where some sections need removal and replacement; and the San Mateo flood control project that collapsed due to below standard materials and not in accordance with the POW. Mr. Lazo, who sponsored the measure, said the defective projects when undetected or if detected requires remedial and/or curative measures, loss of public funds but pre

  Laoag Mayor Michael M. Keon meets all the city’s barangay chairpersons in two batches as he wants to strictly implement the city’s solid waste management program with the new sanitary landfill’s opening. (Doms dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City —The city government here again reiterated its desire to fully and strictly implement its solid waste management program, with a focus in waste segregation. In a bid to achieve this, Laoag Mayor Michael M. Keon met with all of the city’s barangay chairpersons to tell them to prepare for the closure of the controlled dumpsite at Brgy. Lagui-Sail and the subsequent opening and operation of the new sanitary landfill at Brgy. Balatong. During the said meetings, which occurred in two batches, Keon said that since the city’s rural barangays have plenty of vacant lots, the barangay chiefs there could create communal compost pits. He also learned from the barangay heads that waste segregation at the source is not

By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City —The 11 th Sangguniang Panlungsod of Laoag has restarted its probe on the missing PHP85.4 million. The third committee hearing—in aid of legislation—was held June 3, 2020 at the SP Session Hall. Laoag Vice Mayor Vicentito M. Lazo presided over the committee hearing with city government personnel allegedly involved from the cash division Milagros R. Quiape, Karen Mae Salvador-Racadio, Lani T. Ruiz, Antonete Bareng, acting city treasurer Diomedes Gayban and city accountant Edgar Pascual attending. The hearing follows SP Resolution 2020-02, sponsored by Mr. Lazo, which calls for the investigation of the still unresolved issue. The resource persons were put on oath by city legal counsel Josephus Neres. Records show that the city government is missing PHP85.4 million as of December 2016, during the incumbency of former city treasurer Elena Asuncion. Upon learning of the missing amount, Mrs. Asuncion fled to the United Sta

By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City In the resolution, which Laoag councilor Juan Conrado A. Respicio sponsored, it states that the request was due to numerous reports that there are local elective officials in the city conducting quarrying operations in their areas of political jurisdictions thus resulting to gross violations of Provincial Ordinance No. 010-2019 and other existing laws, particularly RA 6713 entitled “An act establishing a code of conduct and ethical standards for public officials and employees”. It further states that “conflict of interest” arises when a public official or employee is a member of a board, an officer, or a substantial stockholder of a private corporation, or owner, or has a substantial interest in a business, or his rights and his duties therein may be opposed to, or affected by the faithful performance of official duty. Section 12 Paragraph XVI and XVII of Provincial Ordinance No. 010-2019 states that, “national officials incl

By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City —City Mayor Michael M. Keon thanked the Chinese government for donating 10 tons of rice, or 2,000 bags, on June 10 at the City Hall multi-purpose court. The rice was turn over personally by Consulate of the People’s Republic of China in Laoag head of post and consul Zhou Youbin personally turned over the rice with Ilocos Norte Governor Mathew Joseph M. Manotoc also gracing the event. Of the 2,000 bags of rice, he city government will donate 40 bags to the Mariano Marcos Memorial and Medical Center in Batac for the nurses and frontline workers while the rest will be distributed to jeepney and tricycle drivers in the city. The Ilocos Times learned that the Chinese rice donation is the first relief operations of the Chinese government to the city during this pandemic. The distribution coincided with the 45 th anniversary of the China-Philippine diplomatic ties. Mr. Keon hopes that both governments will continue to have a “

By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano ( Staff Reporters) LAOAG CITY—There is no stopping the Department of Education (DepEd) in Laoag City to reach out to its learners even in the face of the coronavirus disease. If face-to-face and online instruction is not possible for learners, Laoag City Schools Division Superintendent Vilma Eda said teachers can also explore radio as an alternative mode of learning. In partnership with the Ilocos Norte College of Arts and Trades located at the heart of the city, the school-based FM Broadcast Station, DWAT-FM 93.9 MHz went live on Monday to test its effectivity to young learners. Once everything is in place following its repair, Ilocos Norte learners will be the first to utilize radio-based instruction in the entire region. The station will also serve as a training venue for campus journalists in radio broadcasting as well as a laboratory for students enrolled in Electronics Products Assembly and Services. “At this point in

Laoag City —The city government here hiked tricycle fare to PHP20 for the first kilometer and an additional PHP2 for succeeding kilometer. The fare adjustment is part of the "new normal" as only one passenger is now allowed per tricycle. Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, the city fare was at PHP12 for the first kilometer and an additional PHP2 for the succeeding kilometer. The new fare rate for persons with disabilities is PHP18. Senior citizens and students were not mentioned in the ordinance. The new fare rates will last until the general community quarantine is in effect; provided the GCQ lifting will also result in the rescinding of the one-passenger rule. Those who voted for the new fare rates are Laoag councilors Juan Conrado A. Respicio II, Handy T. Lao, Justine Clarence G. Chua, Edison U. Chua, Roque Benjamin C. Ablan, Jaybee G. Baquiran and Edison H. Bonoan. Voting against the ordinance were Laoag councilors Roger John C. Fariñas, Derrick B. Lao, and Jason

By Leilanie G. Adriano  Staff Reporter  LAOAG CITY—Michael Opiña and six other families composed of 23 members from Bagong Silang, Caloocan City were stranded in a Laoag boarding house when Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc declared a total lockdown in the province on March 30, 2020.  Relying on their daily income from selling promo detergent powder which they sell from house to house in the city, Mr. Opiña said they are thankful for good Samaritans such as members of the Philippine National Police manning the village checkpoint near them who share their food whenever they have extra.  Seeing the plight of the stranded sellers along with their small children whom they brought along with them in the city made the Barangay Pila bypass road border control personnel sad as they are just among those families who are struggling for food in time of the COVID-19 crisis.  Police Staff Sgt. Randy Canonizado of the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office and one of those assig

Laoag Vice Mayor and council presiding officer Vicentito Lazo speaks during an outreach regular session at Barangay 38-B Mangato, this city on March 11, 2020. (Doms dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter Laoag City —Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod here proposed the relocation of their office from the City Hall old building to the ABC building at Brgy. 2, this city. During their last outreach session at Brgy. 38-B Mangato, Laoag Vice Mayor and council presiding officer Vicentito M. Lazo announced the proposal during the “Chairman’s Time”.   In an interview, Mr. Lazo admitted that they did not notice that the SP session hall’s ceiling’s materials have started falling. During an inspection, the City Engineering Office said there is a PHP1.5 million fund available for the rehabilitation of the said session hall. Aside from the PHP1.5 million, Mr. Lazo also learned that there is another PHP1 million fund surplus for the purchase of motor vehicl

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter Laoag City —In line with President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s directive in his 2019 State of the Nation Address, the city government of Laoag continued the clearing roads of illegal structures and constructions. City interior and local government officer Janet Duarte said the national government has ordered strict implementation of Duterte’s directive. Ms. Duarte added that the directive mandates all local officials to enjoin and exercise their powers essential to reclaim public roads which are being used for private ends in the process, rid them of illegal structures and constructions. Local government officials are also encouraged to develop and implement strategies that will address the displacement issues caused by the implementation of the directive. Local chief executives were also directed to revoke permits that gave authority to private entities to occupy public roads, alleys and other thoroughfares. In line with this

Laoag ABC President Mikee Fariñas presents some corrections of the minutes of the previous regular session during the February 12, 2020 outreach regular session held at Brgy. 58 Casili, Laoag City while Laoag Vice Mayor and presiding officer Vicentito Lazo and members of the city council listen. (Doms dela Cruz)