The Ilocos Times

By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) City of Batac —As the Christmas season goes into high gear the New Year beckons, four local government units in the province said they will have a reduction of their annual budgets in 2023 compared to this year. Batac Vice Mayor and Sangguniang Panlungsod presiding officer Atty. Windell D. Chua said this city will have a decrease of PHP70 million for next year compared to the current budget. From the PHP903,677,575.48 2020 annual budget, the Batac council only approved PHP833,473,836.08 for the 2023   annual budget. Among the major reasons for the decrease, Chua said, was the National Tax Allocation (NTA) share reduction wherein the city government here had PHP 107 million less, or 14.46%, from their last year’s share. Chua promised though that services offered by the city government,   particularly in the agricultural sector, health, social welfare and infrastructure projects will not be affected, adding only the budget for capital o

ACTING  Solsona Vice Mayor Jonathan De Lara presides the Aug. 10, 2021 regular session of the Sangguniang Bayan as he was officially designated as the acting vice mayor of Solsona by DILG Sec. Eduardo Año. ( Doms Dela Cruz ) By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Solsona , Ilocos Norte—The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) central office thru Secretary Eduardo M. Año has formally ordered Sangguniang Bayan member Jonathan De Lara to assume as acting vice mayor of Solsona. De Lara’s designation, dated August 5, 2021 as acting vice mayor of Solsona, was to fill up the temporary vacancy created in the said office due to the assumption as acting mayor of Solsona Vice Mayor Bob Sacro. Sacro assumed as acting mayor due to a 60-day preventive suspension order issued to Solsona Mayor Joseph De Lara by Ilocos Norte Governor Mathew Joseph M. Manotoc dated July 16, 2021 for an administrative case. DILG regional director Julie J. Daquioag further informed DILG OIC

Solsona Sangguniang Bayan members Jonathan De Lara (standing right) and Nestor Dela Cruz (standing left) discus with the other council members the proposed municipal ordinance prescribing omnibus guidelines on the implementation of preventive measure against ASF in Solsona as Solsona Vice Mayor and SB presiding officer Bob G. Sacro (seated center) and other SB members listen. The said measure was approved in its third and final reading in the regular session and was authored by De Lara. ( Doms Dela Cruz ) By Dominic B. dela Cruz  (Staff Reporter) Solsona , Ilocos Norte—With the imminent African Swine Fever (ASF) threat to the hog industry of here, members of the Sangguniang Bayan unanimously approved an ordinance prescribing omnibus guidelines in the implementation of preventive measures against this virus with accompanying penalties to those who would not abide by them. In order to arrest the negative economic impact brought by ASF, Sangguniang Bayan member Jonathan De Lara said

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter Solsona , Ilocos Norte--The municipal government here has realized its dream to have a new evacuation center, and at the same serve as quarantine facility, as they held a groundbreaking ceremony for the project on June 30, 2021 at the project site, Brgy. Santiago, this municipality. Solsona Mayor Joseph De Lara said the project was in response to his request to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) main office thru DPWH Region I Director Rommel Tan on October 2019.    De Lara believes the project “will be of great help especially in this time of pandemic as it will serve as a quarantine facility and evacuation center in case of calamities”. The one-storey building will sit in a lot with a total land area of 1,450 square meters; the lot is owned by the provincial government and municipal government of Solsona, and is the municipality’s counterpart for the project. The Ilocos Times learned that the project has a total cos

Solsona Mayor Joseph De Lara opens the 14 th  Gameng Festival in Solsona with the torch lighting in front of the municipal hall held in the early morning of Jan. 29, 2021. Despite the challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the municipal government celebrated the one-day festival via digital connectivity thru virtual as a “new normal” setting. With a very limited time in terms of preparation, the municipal government only conducted ecumenical service attended by the different church leaders, some Sangguniang Bayan members, punong barangays and selected DepEd officials to observe health protocols and the singing of Solsona Hymn “Adda Biag Iti Leleggakan”. Additional highlights of the fiesta included a video contest for “TikTok Competition”, “Promotional Video” contest and a photography contest. (Photo courtesy of LGU-Solsona)

Solsona Sangguniang Bayan member Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino (standing right) speaks during the deliberation of the annual investment plan (AIP) disapproval, which was moved by SB member Mark Dennis Del Castillo (seated left) while other members including Solsona vice mayor Bobby Sacro listen. Said motion for disapproval was later approved. ( Doms Dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Solsona , Ilocos Norte—The Sangguniang Bayan (SB) here disapproved the annual investment plan (AIP), which is a pre-requisite in the approval of the annual budget for CY 2021, on December 14, 2021 during their outreach session held at Barangay Talugtug in this municipality. As a result of the lengthy discussion, the voting profile showed that five members of the Sanggunian disapproved the AIP, while three voted in favor with one member abstaining. SB member Mark Dennis Del Castillo, who sponsored the measure said the reason for the disapproval was the “failure of different de

Solsona Mayor Alexander Calucag answers queries from the local media. (Berong Ver) By Bernard Ver Contributor Solsona, Ilocos Norte - Solsona Mayor Alexander Calucag disclosed that there are missing funds from the local budget intended for farmers in this town. Mr. Calucag made the revelation a day after Commission on Audit representatives visited him at this office. Mr. Calucag said COA rendered queries to the municipality thru Audit Observation Memorandum (AOM) all over the week to seek missing funds amounting to more or less PHP11 million that were allegedly handed thru the past administration to farmers. After a thorough examination, COA discovered that only PHP4 million were delivered to the zanjeras of Solsona.   The issue began when former Solsona Mayor, now Vice Mayor Joseph de Lara requested the COA to look up the missing funds. Unknowingly, the inclusive years are from 2013 to 2015 covering Mr. De Lara's term as mayor. Mr. De Lara i

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Solsona , Ilocos Norte—The Department of Trade and Industry unveiled another Negosyo Center to cater to residents of easternmost town of the province. This is now the 10 th Negosyo Center in the province, which DTI expects to boost economic growth and development among its business stakeholders. Other Negosyo Centers in the province are located in Laoag, Batac, Burgos, Bacarra, San Nicolas, Badoc, Dingras, Piddig and Banna. Led by DTI regional director Florente Leal and Solsona Mayor Alexander Calucag, a simple launching program and ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on September 6, 2018 at the Solsona Public Market where they established new center. According to Mr. Leal, it is the department’s aim “to bring government services closer to its people” and one way of doing so is to establish more Negosyo Centers in the Philippines. Under the Go Negosyo Act, micro, small and medium enterprises will have a better ease of doi

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Solsona , Ilocos Norte—Residents in the flood-prone areas of this town lauded the town’s local government for upgrading its capacity for disaster preparedness. This is because a brand new six-wheeler truck with crane is now on standby whenever a strong typhoon hits this part of Northern Luzon. In previous years, the municipal government’s rescue team are dependent on old heavy trucks to transport typhoon victims in evacuation areas or to a safer ground. “We purchased the rescue vehicle to promote resiliency and to ensure zero casualty during calamities,” said Solsona Mayor Alexander Calucag. In time for the observance of the National Disaster Resilience Month this July, hundreds of government employees, municipal and village officials, students and other public and private organizations and agencies joined the “Walk for Resilience” around the major thoroughfares of Brgy. Poblacion here. Organized by the Municipal

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Solsona , Ilocos Norte—Missing the old Baguio City when almost every corner still smelled of fresh pine trees? Adventure-seekers found a similar spot on a trip to the Ilocos Norte-Apayao road located between the boundary of Brgys. Manalpac in this town and Butao in Calanasan, Apayao, some 40 kilometers from Laoag City. Thousands of curious visitors or mountaineers ride on a motorbike or a 4x4 off-road vehicle to reach the newly-paved Ilocos Norte-Apayao road. Leading to its picturesque view deck is a sea of clouds when you reach the top before sunrise covered with rich flora and fauna. For those who have been to this site, seasoned trekkers see reminders of the Ambangeg trail of Mt. Pulag. With the influx of tourists visiting the so-called “Old Baguio City” which has already become viral in social networking sites, the local government unit of Solsona is determined to improve

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Solsona , Ilocos Norte—Students and visitors entering the Solsona National High School will have a renewed spirit the moment they are out of the school campus in Brgy. Manalpac in this town. Nestled at the foot of the mountain overlooking a green corn fields, the SNHS offers a breath a fresh air with its clean environment, well-kept rooms akin to a 21 st century school with wide and flat screen television sets, cheerful students, and a model of recycled plastic and tin materials converted into pocket vegetable gardens and ornamental plants. As an alumna of this school, Rose Baja says her face always lit up every time she visits her school with so many improvements now since she graduated 30 years ago. Ms. Baja said she takes pride of her alma mater for nurturing its students and for caring the planet. Inside the enormous compound of the school are beautiful landscapes of potted and hanging plants that adorn the path