The Ilocos Times

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Paoay, Ilocos Norte —Major transactions of the local government unit here remains paralyzed as of press time following the expiration of a 60-day temporary restraining order the court issued to halt the dismissal of Paoay Mayor Jessie Galano. Since September 10, 2018, some government employees have started to complain about the delay in receiving their salaries as piles of documents due for signature and processing are stocked at the mayor’s office. Paoay Vice Mayor Eileen Llaguno-Guerrero confirmed this in an interview as the Department of Interior and Local Government has not issued any directive so far regarding the mayor’s case. “Based on our inquiry at the DILG provincial office, there is no order yet from the regional and central office. As a result, all important transactions at the Paoay government remain pending for approval at the Mayor’s Office,” said Ms. Guerrero. On June 21, 2018, the Court of Appeals granted

Laoag City —To further strengthen the capacity of schools on disaster and emergency response, the DepEd Schools Division of Laoag City conducted a training on first aid and basic life support at the Bulwagan ng Liwanag from August 16-17, 2018. School Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (SDRRMS) coordinators of the division office and all public elementary and secondary schools in Laoag City attended the two-day training. Representatives from the Bureau of Fire Protection Laoag City including FO1 Herbert Acoba, FO1 Kingsley Dan Sacro, FO1 Jayson Tolentino and FO1 Eljohn Christopher Ubaldo served as lecturers and facilitators. The activity culminated with simulation workshops, allowing the participants to apply various techniques on bandaging, carrying and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, among others. Meanwhile, assistant schools division superintendent Dr. Joye D. Madalipay cited the importance of preparedness by being well informed of what to do in case

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY — Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda Josefa “ Imee ” R. Marcos has raised the alarm, urging farmers here to prepare for the advent of the El Niño phenomenon, which is likely to occur until the later part of this year. To mitigate its impact, the Ilocos Norte government is set to consult with farmer associations here on what is best to be done on this abnormal weather phenomenon. “Tell us what you need and how we can be of help to you,” said Ms. Marcos citing the need to make a rehabilitation plan to address the impact of abnormal weather. The governor wants farmers to brace for the weather phenomenon, which is likely to happen after the series of heavy rains that hit the province in the past weeks. Usually, El Niño occurs starting from October to December. Though there was no typhoon signal in the province for the past few days, heavy rains swamped some parts of the province which caused multi-million-damage to agri

Laoag City —The Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) has coordinated with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), National Museum, and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to stop the demolition of Puente de Barit. Social media had drawn attention to road development projects of the DPWH Ilocos Norte 1st Engineering District, which include the demolition and replacement of the Puente de Barit, a 200-year-old bridge built during the Spanish era. However, Republic Act (RA) 10066, “An Act Providing for the Protection and Conservation of the National Cultural Heritage, Strengthening the NCCA and its Affiliated Cultural Agencies,” mandates the protection of heritage structures. “It’s very unfortunate that incidents like this happen, especially in our province where culture and heritage are sources of livelihood for a lot of people. The bridge in Barit is an important heritag

Laoag City —The Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) participated in the 3 rd Quarter National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC). Members of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) evaluated the emergency exercise, in which employees from each provincial department, led by the Provincial Risk Reduction Management Council or Resiliency Office, took part. They were also joined by children ages four to five years old enrolled at the Provincial Capitol Learning Center. Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Mariano “Nonong” V. Marcos II reiterated the importance of knowing what to do in emergencies such as earthquakes, saying, “ Sana seryosohin natin itong drill at isipin na parang tunay na sakuna . Who knows what will happen? You can never tell. Tinatamaan pa man din tayo minsan ng lindol dito .” NDRRMC under the Office of Civil Defense spearheaded the NSED with an objective to educate the p

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Laoag City —More government agencies and local government units have reported more damages from the week-long monsoon rains. Department of Public Works and Highways second engineering district engineer Mathias Malenab said they have estimated at least PHP74 million national roads damages as of August 28, 2018. The damages are on four parcels of roads in the Ilocos Norte-Apayao Road, particularly at Brgy. Maananteng in Solsona. DPWH pegged the damages for the said road at PHP67 million. DPWH listed the damages as eroded road shoulders and slope collapse. Other damaged roads were the Batac-Pinili Road at Brgy. Buanga in Pinili; and the Ilocos Norte-Abra Road at Brgy. Poblacion in Nueva Era. The said roads incurred eroded road shoulder, which the DPWH estimated at PHP5 million and PHP2 million, respectively. A landslide also damaged the two lanes of the Pinili-Nueva Era Road at Brgy. Liliputen in Nueva Era. The DPWH has ye

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—Owing to the higher number of dengue cases involving children in the province, health officials here recommended the emergency purchase of dengue kits as public hospitals are now running out of supply. In view of this, Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos said the provincial government will be procuring some dengue kits for distribution to the different provincial government-run health facilities. As of July, the Provincial Health Office has recorded 437 dengue cases with five deaths in the towns of Dingras, Solsona, Badoc and Laoag. According to Dr. Josephine Ruedas, PHO officer-in-charge, a box containing 25 dengue kits costs more than PHP25,000. To ensure that the Commission on Audit (COA) will allow the emergency purchase of dengue kits, Ms. Ruedas said they will be attaching a state of calamity declaration of the municipality of Dingras as supporting due to rise in Dengue cases in the said