The Ilocos Times

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Laoag City —"Drinking from the tap”, a phrase people have long been using as the norm in terms of the potability of service water. The status of service water, not being drinkable from the tap, which is similar in most cities and municipalities in the Philippines could possibly be due to several reasons, such as old pipe systems of houses and of the utilities, damaged pipes, and illegal connections, to name a few. With sufficient capital and appropriate technical knowledge, water distribution utilities can replace old and damaged pipes, but illegal connections are of different matter; it becomes a social challenge. In the case of illegal connections, it highlights the shared responsibility of taking care of the water network between the customer and the utility. It is because both parties feel the adverse effects of illegal connections are: the water utility is having an increased non-revenue water (NRW) level, while the consu

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—As two multi-national business-process outsourcing companies here are expanding, the provincial government’s Public Employment Services Office held special recruitment on March 22-24 at the Provincial Capitol. According to PESO officer-in-charge Ann Marie Lizette Bitancor-Atuan, the two BPO companies in the province needed more employees to fill-in many in-demand positions such as accounting assistant, BPO resource management group associate manager, operational excellence senior analyst and many more. Aside from the special recruitment activity, the PESO also conducted career coaching for applicants to know what to expect once the BPO companies employ them. Three years ago, one of the BPO companies started hiring and training people in Ilocos Norte including graduating students and experienced professionals, to provide health and finance administration for the company ’ s global clients across Europe and North Americ

By Bernard Ver Contributor Piddig , Ilocos Norte—The municipal government here, in coordination with the Dept. of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) distributed the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) fund to local recipients. DSWD allocated a total of PHP1 million AICS fund for this municipality. The Piddig government distributed PHP250,000 for the first 55 beneficiaries; and PHP142,000 to another 27 beneficiaries. Under AICS, DSWD provides educational, medical, burial and transportation assistance to persons or families in crisis situations. They specifically targeted those belonging to the informal sector, indigenous group and other marginalized, vulnerable, and differently-able individuals. The DSWD, through its Protective Services Program, places emphasis in ensuring that indigent and vulnerable individuals are provided with the necessary assistance thru AICS to help them cope during crisis situations. "These are the things that we

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) started the 2018 “ Geotagging of Building Structures” this April 2018 for identified sample barangays in the entire country. The 2018 geotagging activity is a five-year rolling scheme technology-aided map updating that aims to validate the sampling frame for household-based surveys and to prepare the PSA for the application of spatial analysis and intelligent visualization of information using dynamic digitized maps by 2020. The activity started in 2016 and it will cover sample barangays/Primary Sampling Units scheduled for 2017-2018 Labor Force Survey (LFS) rounds and other household-based surveys. For the next three years, the geo-tagging of building structures is geared to develop digital building footprints in the Philippines and to augment regular field updating of GIS-based maps.   The geotagging of buildings results

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines has cited the Laoag International Airport (LIA) for its green project initiatives. Under the Group A category, the Laoag International Airport placed second runner-up next to Puerto Princesa and Iloilo International Airports. In support of the green airport concept and energy efficiency enhancement to reduce airport-wide carbon intensity, LIA’s Civil Aviation Manager Ronald Estabillo said in an interview that the Laoag airport continues to develop and improve for the better. Among the green project initiatives of the airport include the installation of solar-powered street lights, planting of bougainvillea plants and trees from the entrance gate of the airport to the terminal building including its water saving measures and proper disposal of wastes.   According to Mr. Estabillo, this is not the first time that the Laoag airport received the award as the

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

VINTAR  vice mayor Victor Racimo leads the release of at least 10,000 tilapia fingerlings Sitio Nagalangan, Tamdagan in Vintar, Ilocos Norte. The Ilocos Norte provincial government provided the tilapia fingerlings.(Doms dela Cruz )