The Ilocos Times

By Dominic B. dela Cruz, Staff reporter Pinili , Ilocos Norte—Besting other municipalities in the entire Region I , the local government units   of Pinili and Marcos won in the 2025 Regional Search for Local Legislative Awards (LLA), and they will automatically represent Region I in the national search. The award is in recognition of the exemplary performance of the Sangguniang Bayan in crafting ordinances and resolutions that support the foundation of effective local governance and development and their commitment to serving their constituents with integrity and excellence. In a letter received by Pinili Mayor Rommel T. Labasan thru Pinili Vice Mayor Maynard Francis R. Bumanglag, Department of the Interior and Local Government regional director Jonathan Paul M. Leusen Jr. congratulated the whole officialdom of Pinili for a “job well done” in the field of legislation. The municipalities of Pinili and Marcos won the LLA 2025 Regional Champion under the 1 st to 3 rd class...

  By Dominic Dela Cruz, Staff reporter Pinili , Ilocos Norte—The municipal government of this town, particularly the Office of the Sangguniang Bayan headed by Pinili Vice Mayor and council presiding officer Maynard Francis Bumanglag is eyeing the regional title in the 2025 Local Legislative Awards (LLA). Following its triumph as back-to-back provincial winner for LLA in 2023 and 2025, the Sangguniang Bayan faced the members of the regional assessment team as the official nominee of the Province of Ilocos Norte on October 15, 2025\ for the regional evaluation. Marking another milestone in pursuit of excellence in local legislation, Bumanglag hopes that the Pinili SB Office would be able to reap the regional top award this time unlike in 2023 when it became just a regional awardee. It was learned that the SB Office of Pinili bagged the provincial level top award under the 1 st to 3 rd class municipality during the recently concluded provincial assessment for LLA 2025 held...

Senator  Imee Marcos, who was the administering officer, with the Vice Mayor's League of the Philippines (VMLP) National Officials headed by interim national president Pinili Vice Mayor Maynard Francis Bumanglag, treasurer Dingras Vice Mayor Erdio Valenzuela.  Bumanglag delivers his message as the newly elected interim national president (inset). ( Photo courtesy of Pinili OVM) By Dominic B. dela Cruz,  taff Reporter Laoag City —Another Ilocano from the province of Ilocos Norte shone as Pinili Vice Mayor Maynard Francis Bumanglag was elected as interim national president of Vice Mayor’s League of the Philippines (VMLP). Senator Imee Marcos personally administered the oath of office of the newly elected VMLP Interim national officers headed by Bumanglag on June 5, 2025 in Manila during the second Quarter National Executive Board and Term-End Solidarity Meeting of the VMLP . The Ilocos Times learned that the VLMP national president ran for councilor, the vice pr...

Ilocos Norte 2nd District Rep. Angelo Marcos Barba speaks during the Street Pageantry and Showdown Competition of this year's Abel and Bawang Festival 2024 in Pinili. ( Doms dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Pinili , Ilocos Norte—Ilocos Note  2nd District Rep. Angelo Marcos Barba (AMB) graced this year’s Abel and Bawang Festival 2024 in Pinili with the theme ‘’Panangtagiben Iti Pakasaritaan, Biag Ni Nana Magdalena Pagsarmingan, Salukag Ken Gaget Ni Pinileno, Raniag Iti Masakbayan’’. Barba, who served as the guest of honor and speaker during the Street Pageantry and Showdown Competition on April 3, 2024, said in his speech that this year’s festival will not only celebrate the Pinileños tradition through the art of dance but also to embark on a captivating journey of the municipality’s beloved Inabel especially the National Living Treasure Magdalena Gamayo and the Ilocos Pride ‘’White Gold’’, the precious Ilocos garlic. Barba added that this year’s theme re...

  Pinili Vice Mayor and council presiding officer Maynard Francis Bumanglag (seated left) listens to SB member Jerry Fernandez (standing right) as the later moved for his ordinance granting a milestone award to senior citizens in the municipality of Pinili on its third and final reading while other members listen. The said measure was unanimously approved by all members present during the July 5, 2021 regular session. ( Doms Dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Pinili , Ilocos Norte—All members of the Sangguniang Bayan here unanimously approved, on its third and final reading, a measure granting milestone awards to senior citizens ages 80 years old and above. Pinili Vice Mayor and council presiding officer Maynard Francis Bumanglag said the measure is a tribute to senior citizens who have been developmental partners in the municipality and incomparably contributed in strengthening family as an institution. “ Sapay la kuma ta daytoy a gakat ket makatulong kad...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter Pinili , Ilocos Norte—The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) is throwing its support to cotton farmers of Barangay Lumbaan, this town with a PHP20 million worth irrigation project to boost their productivity. In a stakeholders’ forum attended by irrigators’ associations, loom weavers and cotton producers held at the Pinili Amphitheatre, NIA Administrator Ricardo R. Visaya said there is much potential in the cotton industry which farmers may consider as an alternative crop next to rice and other high value crops in the region. “We are extending PHP20-million support for cotton development in Pinili,” Mr. Visaya said in support of the government’s effort to revitalize cotton industry in the country. Cotton farmers in Lumbaan is adopting insect-resistant varieties of cotton to sustain raw materials needed in inabel weaving, the town is known for. “We are lucky as the pilot site of the project. As long as there i...

Magdalena Gamayo By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter LAOAG CITY—A center dedicated to preserve and strengthen the Ilokano weaving tradition will soon rise in Pinili town, home of national living treasure Magdalena Gamayo. Funded by the Ilocos Norte government with PHP4 million, Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc said the project aims to boost the inabel industry in the province as well as the micro, small and medium entrepreneurs who will directly benefit from it. “We wish to put up the center to show our support to our weavers and sustain the industry in the coming years,” he said. In Pinili, Ilocos Norte residents take pride of its loom weaving industry and the existence of “Lola Magdalena” who continues to inspire and pass on her loom weaving skills to the younger generation. In fact, the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in partnership with the Katutubo Exchange Philippines , municipal government of Pinili and the Sacrit...

Pinili ti umuna nga ili ditoy Ilocos Norte a makaipatakder iti multi-purpose hall kada barangay. Pinili , Ilocos Norte—Iti umabagatan a paset ti Ilocos Norte, iti ili ti Pinili ti kangrunaan a mabigbigbig kas “Garlic Capital” iti probinsia. Naiyugeden iti dakkel a paset dagiti mannalon ken kasta met dagiti mangidadaulo ti idudur-as saan laeng iti nasao nga ili ngem ti sibubukel a probinsia. Babaen ti pinangidaulo ni Ret. Col. Mayor Samuel S. Pagdilao Sr. ken ti nabileg a suporta da Bise Mayor Rommel T. Labasan, konsehal Maynard Francis “Mayo” R. Bumanglag ken dagiti dadduma pay a konsehales ken ofisiales ti ili, maipangpangruna ti pagsayaatan dagiti mannalon. Manipod tawen 2016 inggana ti agdama ket sumurok dua gasut a milion a pisos ti ti nailatang a pondo para ti pannakapadur-as ti benneg ti agrikultura. Kangrunaan a nagbalin a proyekto ti gobierno munisipal ket dagiti farm-to- market roads (FMRs) a naaramid para kadagiti umili. Nagserbi dagitoy a kalsada para ka...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Pinili , Ilocos Norte—The Ilocanos ’ love for green leafy vegetables is not just contained in backyard gardens, barangay streets and idle lots. This time, a primary school at Brgy. Badio, this town, is transforming its 6,235 square-meter lot into a haven for malunggay ( Moringa oleifera ) plantation. In time for the nutrition month celebration on July 27, 2018, around 147 pupils along with some 50 parents of the Badio Elementary School (BES) took off their shoes and slippers as they walked through the rice paddies within the school compound and planted malunggay cuttings on the sides. “We chose malunggay because it is full of vitamins and minerals. It is also easy to grow by the parents and children at home,” said Aileen Rambaud, BES principal. The lowly malunggay, also known as horse-radish tree is drought resistant and it grows well in Ilocos Norte soil. On the first year after planting, the tree can reach up to three m...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Pinili , Ilocos Norte—The Philippine National Police conducted a surprise earthquake drill at the Badio Elementary School in this Pinili town on the morning of July 19, 2018 to assess the knowledge and preparation skills of learners here in the event of calamity. At 9:45 in the morning, the school bell rang, which surprised the students. A grade 3 pupil, Hannah Luzcille Pagdilao and her classmates immediately ducked and covered their head with a book and moved out of the classroom since an “earthquake” has disturbed their on-going classroom activity. While they were at the open ground, the eight-year-old Ms. Pagdilao who became the team leader, started to count her classmates to check if there anyone trapped inside the classroom. In a corner, SPO1 Noel Abad along with PO Claire Ramiscal, Princess Aguinaldo, Sammy Sangbaan, Neil John Kieran Leano and Richard Rafanan of the Police Community Relations Office of the Ilocos N...