The Ilocos Times

Laoag City —In light of their consistent and effective efforts to eliminate the use of illegal drugs in the province, the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office (INPPO) was given the 2018 National Anti-Drug Abuse Council Performance Award by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) last month. In 2018, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) declared Ilocos Norte “54% drug-free,” specifically in the municipalities of Marcos, Carasi, Dumalneg, Adams, Burgos, Currimao, Banna, and Vintar, and another 279 barangays. In the last quarter of 2018, the INPPO conducted 75 drug-clearing operations which led to the arrest of 84 drug offenders, and seizure of 345 grams of marijuana and 154 grams of shabu .   According to P/Insp. Wilma Palting, Police Community Relations (PCR) officer, the award is proof of the INPPO’s strong drive to eradicate illegal drugs. She noted that this is seen in the decreasing number of cases related to illegal drugs that furth

New Laoag officer-in-charge P/Supt Mar Louise T. Bundoc pays a courtesy call to Laoag Mayor Chevylle V. Farinas at the mayor’s office. ( Doms dela Cruz  ) By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Laoag City —With the midterm election coming in May, the Philippine National Police reshuffled police chiefs all over the country. In Laoag City, P/Supt. Mar Louise Bundoc was named the city’s police officer-in-charge. Mr. Bundoc paid a courtesy call to Laoag Mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas as he reported for duty. After the courtesy call, Mr. Bundoc said in an interview that his priority programs in the city will be his “strong campaign” against illegal drugs and peace and order. To achieve this, Mr. Bundoc appealed for the cooperation of everybody, especially the barangay officials and tanods to report at the nearest police assistance centers or police outposts any illegal activities or crimes that transpire in their respective barangays. However, Mr. Bundoc also

No quorum. A near empty Sangguniang Panlungsod session hall welcomed the council’s January 14, 2019 regular session as the seven-member majority bloc were absent with only the five-member minority bloc attending the said session. ( Doms dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Laoag City —The lack of a quorum stalled deliberations on the city’s proposed 2019 annual budget during the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s January 14, 2019 regular session. The majority bloc, which earlier rejected the passage of the annual budget on January 3, 2019, were all absent: councilors Handy T. Lao, Portia Pamela R. Salenda, Ferdinand Domingo, Edison Bonoan, Roque Benjamin Ablan, Justine Chua and Michael M. Keon. The five-strong minority bloc, composed of councilors Roger John C. Fariñas II, Shirley O. Sin, Edison Siazon, and ex-officio members Liga ng mga Barangay Laoag President Mary Michelle Louise “Mikee” V. Fariñas and Sangguniang Kabataan federated president Faye Lao, howev

Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Angelo Barba leads the opening of the OTOP hub at the Laoag International Airport. (Lei Adriano) By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) launched the One Town, One Product Philippines Hub (OTOP PH Hub) at the Laoag International Airport on January 17, 2019, giving more opportunities for micro and small enterprises in the region to showcase their products. Held at the departure area of the airport, DTI-Region I Director Florante Leal said the opening of OTOP PH hub in Laoag provides local entrepreneurs “more access to market” and eventually increase their income. “We thankful for the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines because they have acceded to our request and gave us the venue for free,” said Mr. Leal citing locally-manufactured products now are not just seen in local markets but also in big shopping malls and also at the airport. Initiated by DTI in 2002, OTOP Philippines

Lima . Numero a saan unay a dakkel ngem saan met unay a bassit. Masansan, daytoy ti bilang a kaus-ustuanna laeng. No ad-adu ngem lima, agbalin a makasuya. No met nababbaba, amanganta nakurang ti anagna. Kas iti panangibislin kadagiti kapanpanunutan, no nasursurok ngem lima ti ilimogmo, agtungpal a makaulaw. No met nababbaba ngem lima, agtungpal a kawaw. Iti daytoy nga isyu, intay rugyan a pagraramanan dagiti naduma-duma a putarmi a listaan dagiti “lima” – dagiti listaan a mabalin a pagsarmingan. *** Lima a rumbeng nga aramidem no adda buhaw iti asidegmo: 1. Mangsarakka ti natibker a pagkaptam tapno saannaka a maipurwak ti alipugpogna. 2. Umadayoka kadagiti nalaka a marpuog wenno matumba. Amanganta matupakanka no mawagwag dagitoy gapu iti kinapangasna. 3. Saanmo nga ikankano ni buhaw. Ngamin no madlawna nga adda “audience”, ikarkarona ti   panagpug-awna. 4. Saanmo a dengdenggen dagiti puyotna. Amanganta sumgar dagita dutdotmo ket mapasubsubam isuna. Si

Laoag Mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas, who is running for reelection, joins the unity walk, interfaith rally and peace covenant signing at the Aurora Park held January 14, 2019 and attended by all the candidates for the 2019 midterm elections. ( Doms dela Cruz)

Laoag City —A total of 33,029 Ilocanos and residents of nearby provinces benefited from more than three years of partnership between the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to conduct regular mobile outreaches. In 2015 and 2016, a total of 8,589 and 5,303 availed of PRC services, respectively. Only three outreaches were conducted in 2016. After Senior Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc pushed for Provincial Resolution No. 028-2016, the PRC visited monthly and a total of 15,617 were serviced in a year. The resolution requested “the PRC to conduct a monthly PRC mobile outreach in the province through the PGIN.” License processing and renewal, authentication of documents, and certification of board ratings are some of the services made available in Laoag City during the mobile outreaches. Otherwise, one would have had to shell out more resources and travel to the PRC offices in Baguio Ci