The Ilocos Times

Paolo Bediones By Dominic B. dela Cruz, Staff Reporter San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte—A member of the Marcos clan and a television personality has announced his intention to run for this town’s mayoralty post. Paolo Barba Bediones, a popular television host face the local media in this town saying he returned to San Nicolas to reactive his voter’s registration at the local Commission on Elections office as he has failed to vote the past two elections due to his work and to announce his plan to enter politics. The Ilocos Times learned that there was a time when the name “Bediones” was floated to run for office but it did not push through because, according to him he was not yet ready then. ‘ ’Kailangan po handa tayo hindi lamang po sa mental kundi ang buong pagkatao at kinailangan ko din ayusin at iyong mga puwedeng tapusin sa showbusiness dahil more than two decades din iyun at sa pagka broadcast journalist din. Nag aral din ako ng Masteral on Entrepreneurship at Asian Institu

By Leilanie G. Adriano  (Staff Reporter) San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte—The most business-friendly town in Ilocos Norte is losing businesses due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Jean Merry Talavera, head of the business permits and licensing office at the municipal government here confirmed this in a radio interview saying 94 local businesses in the area have closed shop. "Among these include bars and other businesses that belong to non-essential category,” she said. Pre-pandemic, this town has earned its Hall of Fame award from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry as the country’s most business-friendly municipality under the municipal category level 1. To date, San Nicolas town is the home of Robinsons Mall, business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, Balai Condominium, 365 Center, Savemore, 7-Eleven, car sales branches of Hyundai, Honda, Nissan, Ford; Metro Bank branch, Gertes Resort, Midland Terraces Resort, Black Nazarene Hospital, Coral Sand Lumber

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 Leilanie G. Adriano ( Staff Reporter) San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte—Some housewives in Brgy. San Guillermo, this town, are working double time to ensure all frontliners have access to washable face masks to protect themselves from COVID-19 scare. As the entire Luzon is currently under enhanced community quarantine and authorities here are strictly regulating the movement of people from one place to another, Virginia Jose and a few others in the village who are into dressmaking business tried to craft do-it-yourself face masks. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, the selling of disposable face masks from commercial drugstores has been scarce, prompting them to create their own. “At first, we only thought of producing for ourselves and family but we were inspired to produce more for the safety of our community,” said Mrs. Jose. Using leftover fabric from the making of singlets and t-shirts for fun run and other sporting events which they do for a living, Mrs. Jose’s team reproduced

Coronation of Brgy. 11 Day Care Center Mr. & Miss Valentines 2020 King Mark Jacob Gonzales & Queen Erich Angel Bonador (seated center) along with parents King Bryan Dela Cruz and Claire Diego with day care worker Miriam Currimao.

By Bernardo B. Ver II Contributor San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte—For the second time, the Brgy. 11 San Fernando Day Care Center (DCC) won the Federated Day Care Center King and Queen of San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte in celebration of this year’s Universal Children’s Month with the theme, “Karapatang Pambata: Patuloy na Pahalagahan at Gampanan Tungo Sa Magandang Kinabukasan”. His Royal Highness King Mark Jacob B. Gonzales and Her Majesty Queen Diovel Zameiah Ulep were crowned on November 25, 2019 at the Barangay 11 Basketball Court with Phemy Rose Raquel-Javier as crowning guest and speaker. Of the 24 Day Care Centers in San Nicolas, Barangay 11 DCC, represented by King Mark Jacob and Queen Diovel Zameiah, received the highest amount garnered in the federation. King Mark Jacob is an American citizen and the son of Maricon Rosan B. Gonzales of Los Angeles, California and presently under the guidance of his grandparents Rosendo and Susan Dela Cruz-Batangan and aunt, Ma

  San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte—For the first time in its history, Barangay 11 San Fernando in this town launched its first-ever and official “Allawagi Festival” from October 19 to 27, 2019, with Brgy.11 chairperson Dominic B. Dela Cruz leading the event. The Allawagi Festival is based on Barangay Ordinance No. 03 series of 2019, “An Ordinance Declaring Every Third Week of October Of Every Year As The Official Dates In Celebration of The Allawagi Festival of Barangay 11 San Fernando, San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte And Providing Funds Thereof”, which was sponsored by all members of the Sangguniang Barangay including the chairperson. The festival started with a walkathon as opening salvo within the barangay at exactly 5:00 am of October 19, 2019, with hundreds of residents participating. This was followed by a Zumba held at the barangay basketball court. On the same day, a simple program formally opened the barangay fiesta with Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative di

By Bernardo B. Ver II Contributor Laoag City —Motorists traversing the Laoag City to San Nicolas route are complaining of the heavy traffic. The heavy traffic began with the implementation of the “no left turn” policy along the Manila North Road from this city to neighboring San Nicolas town. P/Lt. Col. Amador Quiocho, Laoag City police chief, said it was only a dry-run to study the severe traffic congestion in the area. Traffic flow is slowing down as more vehicles enter and exit this city. A bypass road was recently opened going to this city from Paoay but it has not totally solved the city’s traffic congestion problems. The Ilocos Norte provincial government, meanwhile, is now planning to add another diversion road to ease the messy flow of vehicles. Expert says that road obstructions in San Nicolas are one of the main problems that the government has encountered since 2016. According to Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc, the vehicles on the “double

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte—The police here filed on murder charges against a janitor of Save More Market in this town, who is the prime suspect in the killing of 26-year-old Juvilyn Bardiaga from Santiago, Isabela, assistant store manager of the said establishment on July 15, 2019. Police Major Paul Benedict Parado, San Nicolas police chief confirmed this on following the filing of charges against the suspect identified as John Mariel Dador aka “Tisoy” at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office. Based on the testimony of 16 witnesses including a CCTV footage taken at the victim’s apartment at Barangay 2, this town, the suspect was allegedly seen forcing his way through the apartment’s restroom window. The victim was found dead with a rice cooker cord in her neck in the morning of July 16, 2019. Fellow workers of the victim also narrated that after the victim scolded Mr. Dador, he uttered threatening words against her. As of pres

  By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte--“As your humble brother, I have made my choice and chosen a new path in my life.   If the people so desire, let me be the rallying point of their frustrations. If the people choose it to be, I offer myself to be their instrument of expressing the desire for political reform, economic progress, and social stability. May I enjoin each and every one of you now to consider this opportunity to be part of this historic people’s movement to change for the better.”. Atty. Hilario “Larry” Pajinag Valdez stated this as his prime reasons in his decision to run for the congressional seat of Ilocos Norte’s second district. Described by people as once a young farm boy who lived at Brgy. San Pablo, San Nicolas; living a simple life, but at a very early age he knew there was a calling set for him to realize. He saw where he was and understood that someday he will contribute to the economic indicator of his belov

EMPLOYEES  from the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) conducts an environmental caravan at Brgy. 11 San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte to offer free survey and titling. Residents of the said barangay headed by Brgy. 11 chairperson Atty. Luciano Caraang thanked the CENRO for accommodating them in their program. Residents from other barangays also availed of the DENR service. (Doms dela Cruz)

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—The Dept. of Agrarian Reform (DAR) will give San Nicolas farmers a chance to enhance their knowledge and skills in growing highly in-demand vegetables and increase their productivity. Through DAR’s specialized training courtesy, the Catuguing Farmers Association of Brgy. San Guillermo in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte is among the first recipients of the program in the province, according to Philippine Councilors League (PCL)-Ilocos Norte chapter president and ex-officio Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Domingo Ambrocio, who hails from San Nicolas town. As chairperson of the committee on agriculture, Mr. Ambrocio said DAR and the municipal government of San Nicolas will be signing a memorandum of agreement for this purpose. Under the DAR’s Agrarian Reform Community Connectivity and Economic Support Services (ARCCESS), the department provides free training to selected farmers organizations to venture into sustainable agricul

San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte —T he Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) with the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte-Public Employment Service Office (PGIN-PESO) inaugurated the PRC Offsite Service Center in this town on February 6, 2018. The PRC center is located at a mall here. Since 2015, the PGIN-PESO has been partnering with the PRC for monthly mobile outreaches, paving the way for over 10,000 professional licenses to get their licenses in Ilocos Norte. In 2017 alone, mobile outreaches serviced more than 15,000 professionals. The PRC mobile outreach was part of Ilocos Norte governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos’ “Manang Imee=Trabaho” campaign, which aimed to address the problem of local unemployment and the migration of professionals abroad. Senior Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Matthew M. Manotoc, representing the PGIN, said “I’m sure na malaking tulong ito sa mga professional in Ilocos and maybe now, when Ilocanos s