The Ilocos Times

By Leilanie G. Adriano  (Staff Reporter) LAOAG CITY—This city will revert to the less restrictive general community quarantine (GCQ) starting Dec. 12, 2020 after a two-week reimposition of a strict modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ). Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc announced this on the evening of Dec. 9, 2020, saying the decision was  based on the significant decreasing number of average daily positive COVID-19 cases in the city”. "Things will normalize in Laoag and we will gradually go back to our new normal,” he said as he reiterated that even if they remove barricades and checkpoints in barangay and city borders, he reminded residents not to be complacent as the threat of the COVID-19 is still here. Of the 262 total confirmed cases in Laoag, as of press time, at least 88 had recovered. At present, there are 174 active cases but 101 of them are persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Ilocos Norte provincial jail. All of them did not show

By Dominic B. dela Cruz  (Staff Reporter) Laoag City —As the number of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continue to increase in this city, the Sangguniang Panlungsod passed three resolutions, which Laoag mayor Michael M. Keon earlier certified as urgent.   Public jeepneys to transport APORs within the city Foremost among these is the granting of authority to the mayor to sign a memorandum of agreement with Laoag jeepney operators and drivers to ferry authorized persons outside residence (APOR) from the city’s boundaries to designated unloading areas, and vice versa. Laoag councilor Edison Bonoan, the council’s transportation committee chair and the measure’s sponsor said the MOA will last until the provincial government lifts the localized modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) that took effect on Nov. 27, 2020. Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc’s localized MECQ order bars public transportation from entering the city. As a result, APORs who do not

I only have a few regrets in life, and most of these regrets result from incidents when I was not kind enough, not from times when I was not harsh, vindictive, self-affirming enough. In these times of crisis, I consciously choose to be a lot kinder to people, our leaders included. There will be a time to evaluate their performance. The moment of reckoning will inevitably come. But, for now, they're all we've got. This is what’s on my mind as Ilocos Norte ranks on top among provinces that recorded COVID-19 cases in a day (92) and as Laoag City is placed under localized modified enhanced community quarantine. The latest turn of events actually come as a surprise because Ilocos Norte is known to have heavily regulated and heavily guarded borders. Why the spike in cases? We do not want to point fingers, but I think we should stop blaming our people. By and large, they, we, are not pasaway . People will follow strict measures as long as these are consistently and intelligentl

By Dominic B. dela Cruz  (Staff Reporter) Laoag City —Mayor Michael M. Keon threw his full support to the government’s anti-terrorism initiatives to end local communists and armed conflict, which is spelled out through President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s Executive Order No. 70. Mr. Keon stated his full support to the initiative in a Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) press conference regarding the “Capacitating Urban Communities for Peace and Development “ DILG provincial director Randy Dela Rosa, Laoag chief of police P/Lt. Col. Rafael Lero and Philippine Army 2 nd Lt. Nolhajie Jawadin attended the said press conference. In his speech, Mr. Keon said he believes the government “really needs to take care of its people and provide necessary programs and services especially to the common tao because they are the most vulnerable sector of society to be lured in joining the misguided ideologies of these terrorist groups”. Relative to this, the Laoag government o

By Leilanie G. Adriano (Staff Reporter) LAOAG CITY—The city government here is eyeing the establishment of an organic composting facility in a three-hectare idle lot located at Brgy. Camangaan, this city. The organic composting facility aims to reduce the volume of wastes being generated in the city as the collected biodegradable wastes will be converted as organic fertilizer for farmers. Laoag mayor Michael M. Keon said this is a welcome development for all Laoag residents as the project is expected to create more jobs and to prolong the lifespan of the city landfill. "The proposed site will be put up on a 3-hectare lot offered by the family of Virgil Corpuz, uncle of our OIC provincial environment and natural resources officer, Estrella “Baby” Sacro, subject to a usufruct agreement, which will be effective for a period of 25 years and may be renewed thereafter,” said Mr. Keon. In addition to the organic composting facility, the city will also host a plastic recycling

It was bound to happen. Laoag City now has the highest incidence of COVID-19 cases in Ilocos Norte. It also has, as I write this, the highest number of active cases, making up 74 percent of total infections in the province. As a capital city with the biggest and most dense population, this was not unexpected at all. Last November 14, 2020 alone, 14 new cases were announced, all from Sitio Dungtal in Brgy. 23. It was a record high, not only for Laoag City but for the entire Ilocos Norte province. In the middle of this spike in cases, Laoag applied a new measure: home isolation now in place for COVID-19 patients in Brgy. 23 and also in Brgy. 5. As with anything that is new, home isolation was met by people with apprehension and fear. Some were understandably wary about having COVID-19 patients a stone’s throw away from their own homes, not least because the enemy is unseen, and they would embrace paranoia with arms wide open if that is the best way to be safe. I myself was surpr

  Laoag mayor Michael M. Keon personally hands over a PHP100,000 check to Reymunda Raras of Brgy. Gabu Norte on Oct. 26, 2020 at her residence. The check is the city government’s incentive for Nana Reymunda as she turned 100 on Sept. 11, 2020. The centenarian has five children with multiple grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Joining them during the handover is Brgy. Gabu Norte chairperson Rodel Legaspi, CSWD officer Perlita Cabello and BASCA president Jovito Sablay. ( Alwin Formantes photo)

By Dominic B. dela Cruz  (Staff Reporter) Laoag City —Mayor Michael M. Keon and the city social welfare and development office (CSWDO) personally visited the families of Mrs. Fe Cadelinia and Mrs. Anita Ventura of Brgy. Dibua South this city immediately after a fire incident on November 5, 2020. Reports said the houses of Mmes. Cadelinia and Ventura were totally damaged by the fire; while the house of Ofelia Cadelinia, located near them, was partially damaged. In an interview with Mrs. Ventura, she said all their belongings inside their house were all burned and they were unable to save anything. CSWDO officer-in-charge Perlita Cabello said each of the three families received food packs from the city government consisting of eight kilos of rice, 12 packs of noodles, 20 sachets of coffee, 12 cans of sardines and eight cans of corned beef. The CSWDO also gave additional food packs for each family: six kilos of rice, four cans of sardines, four cans of corned beef and five twin

By Dominic B. dela Cruz  (Staff Reporter) Laoag City —After a thorough study and a series of deferments, the Sangguniang Panlungsod has approved this city’s new traffic and order code. Laoag councilor Edison Bonoan thanked Laoag vice mayor and council presiding officer Vicentito M. Lazo for helping him in finalizing the ordinance as well as other council members who supported the measure. Mr. Bonoan, as the movant, noted that the ordinance applies to the operation of motorized vehicles—either private or public, animal-drawn vehicles and bicycles including electric bikes—and the conduct of pedestrians.   Traffic routes In the ordinance, the traffic route along Jose Rizal Street is designated as two-way street with parking not allowed on both sides. Likewise, the new code also designates “one way west bound”, “one way east bound”, “one way north bound” and “one way south bound” with their respective traffic signs. During peak hours, there will be “no left turn from” 7

Laoag City —Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the city government of Laoag has opened the Laoag sand dunes and Aurora Park for tourists. City tourism officer Ana Carmela Remigio made this announcement after the two sites’ closure for months when the city was under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). In an executive order (EO) issued by Ilocos Norte Governor Mathew Joseph M. Manotoc, the province has re-opened tourism sites but only to the provinces in Region I and Baguio City under the “Ridge and Reef Travel Corridor” with a set of guidelines and facilities that support safe leisure travel starting October 1, 2020. It also states the need to revitalize the tourism sector and assist those who rely on it. For the sand dunes, Mrs. Remigio said operators are “on call” with the help and guidance of Laoag tour operators. In addition, the city tourism office has trying to innovate something to offer to tourists like the promotion of the Cataban Weavers Association products made of wate

By Dominic B. dela Cruz  (Staff Reporter) Laoag City —The city government of Laoag has proposed PHP910,121,177.48 million annual budget for 2021, an amount lower compared to this year’s budget of PHP928,331,364.63, or a decrease of PHP18 million or 1.96 percent. The local finance committee said the proposed 2021 budget was a result of a “thorough study, review and evaluation” on the proposals of the different offices of the city government. According to the said committee, the decrease was due to the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which slowed collections on local sources since the national government declared a public health emergency in March 2020. The economy started to slow down as a result of the sudden closure of business establishments and other sources of income.    The budget was adopted using the mechanism of a participatory budgeting to “ensure prudent, transparent and accountable allocation and use of the public funds to improve the q

By Dominic B. dela Cruz  (Staff Reporter) Laoag City —The city’s Sangguniang Kabataan federation president and Sangguniang Panlungsod ex-officio member Anzhelyka Faye Lao expressed surprise on the issue of an alleged case filed against her at the Office of the President. Ms. Lao, in an interview during a regular session, said she does not know anything about any complaint filed against her at the Office of the President; she, however said she is aware of an administrative charge filed by Barangay 47 (Bengcag) SK chairperson Mary Diane Domingo. Ms. Domingo filed an administrative charge at the Office of the Sangguniang Panlungsod for “grave misconduct and gross inefficiency resulting to loss of confidence against Lao”.    The complaint stemmed from an event in November 2018 during a seminar, training, team-building session attended by all Laoag SK chairpersons, which the budget or funding was allegedly questioned. The complaint also indicated the alleged incompetence of Ms. La

By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City —As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic rages on, the Sangguniang Panlungsod here approved an ordinance providing priority lanes for differently abled persons (DAB), senior citizens (SC) and pregnant women in commercial establishments and government facilities. Laoag councilor Handy Lao said the ordinance aims to address reports that DABs, SCs and PWs are the people most adversely affected by the socio-economic situation; and they also encounter other barriers in entering public and private facilities. Mr. Lao, who authored the measure, stressed that these additional “barriers” for the said groups just add more burden to them, especially in these times. He noted that “giving compassion and respect to these marginalized sectors”, this should translate to giving them priority and express lanes in entering aforementioned establishments and facilities. Mr. Lao disclosed that establishments’ non-compliance with the

  By Dominic B. dela Cruz  (Staff Reporter) Laoag City —To ensure the safety, security and well-being of every citizen, Laoag councilor Jason Bader Perera authored a measure amending city ordinance No. 019 series of 2009 on the installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) system for business establishments in this city. Mr. Perera presented his proposed ordinance for second reading expanding the coverage in the application, requirements for a minimum specifications, number and location to be installed and regulating the examination, duplication and recording of CCTV footages. He added that the purpose of the ordinance will not only to deter crimes but to aid in the investigation of any “contestable act”, however several establishments refuse to let their CCTV be examined to give a duplicate copy which defeats the very purpose of the CCTV ordinance. With the help of CCTV systems, numerous criminal activities and accidental occurrences were captured and this could be of gre

By Dominic B. dela Cruz  (Staff Reporter) Laoag City —As the novel coronavirus pandemic rages on, local government units in Laoag, Batac and San Nicolas offered discounts to their respective public market rentals. In this city, the Sangguniang Panlungsod here passed an ordinance that grants 30 percent discount in rentals, including surcharges and penalties, for lessors at the Laoag City Public Market and Commercial Complex who are categorized as “non-essential goods” businesses. These non-essential goods businesses were earlier restricted to open by the national government during the enhanced community quarantine that lasted from March to May, 2020. As a result, these businesses are still trying to cope and mitigate the economic and financial fall-out from the two-month strict lockdown, wherein only those essential businesses were allowed to operate. Laoag councilor Justine Clarence Chua, who authored the ordinance, said the grant will begin immediately upon approval of Laoag

By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City —The city’s Commission on Election (Comelec) office is now open for voter’s registration starting on September 1, 2020 onwards. The elections office is open from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm. City elections officer Atty. Julius Balbas announced that the filing of applications for registration start on Tuesdays thru Saturdays without satellite voter’s registration. He added that applicants must be 18 years old on or before May 2022 election period. He also stated that the elections office will also accept transfer and corrections of records application. Transferees should bring with them their identification cards or certification from their present barangay where they are staying; while new applicants should bring with them birth certificates and valid IDs. The elections officer also advised applicants to bring with them their application form, which they can download at www.comelec.gov.ph ; applicants, however should be fill out t

  By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City —Laoag City General Hospital (LCGH) officials strongly denied allegations that the hospital is on the “verge of bankruptcy”. In a press conference held October 1, 2o20 at the LCGH, chief of clinics Dr. Mary Ann Yasay-Luis and hospital administrator Dr. Elizer Asuncion presented the accounts payable of the hospital since June 2011 to June 2019, in the amount of PHP78 million. The debt is to hospital suppliers. The longtime LCGH administrator said the new administration “unluckily inherited” these payables. He added “it’s not easy to manage the hospital without fund available on its day-to-day operation, however, the operation of the hospital must continue to operate in order to serve the people who are in need of medical assistance”. Mr. Asuncion also pointed out that when the new city administration assumed the reins of power, LCGH was already living akin to “ isang kahig, isang tuka ” existence. Due to the PHP78 millio