The Ilocos Times

Infographic courtesy of DOLE Ilocos Norte LAOAG CITY—The Dept. of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and several private companies here have teamed up to boost the special employment of students and out-of-school youth (OSY) in the province. Janelyn Martin, DOLE Ilocos Norte head, said that around 550 jobs are open for students and OSY with the possibility to be hired as part-time or permanent employees. The Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) aims to provide temporary employment to poor but deserving students, out-of-school youth, and dependents of displaced or would-be displaced workers during summer and/or Christmas vacation or any time of the year to augment the family’s income and help ensure that beneficiaries are able to pursue their education. To further maximize the contribution of SPES to the success of young Filipinos and to the country’s job generation and facilitation efforts, the Marcos administration has strengthened the program and increased its budget allo...

By Leilanie G. Adriano OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST. Hidilyn Diaz talks about the role of education in developing future weightlifters, at a press conference on Feb. 21, 2025 in Ilocos Norte. She also said weightlifting should be a regular event in the Palarong Pambansa. Leilanie Adriano LAOAG CITY—Olympic gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz is on a mission to make young Filipinos love and engage in sports, particularly weightlifting. Diaz is touring Ilocos Norte to inspire and develop the next generation of athletes. The country’s first Olympic gold medalist recently met with officials of the Dept. of Education to advocate weightlifting to be included as a regular event in the Palarong Pambansa, rather than just a demonstration sport. "We really have to work on spreading the sport by having events and to have education for technical officials and coaches,” Diaz said in an interview on Feb. 21, 2025, noting that the key to weightlifting education is to start from top to bottom. She ...

By Dominic C. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City —All brgy tanods in this are expected to receive additional benefits, Laoag City councilor Roger John Fariñas announced after they approved an ordinance calling for those. Fariñas, who sponsored the measure, said Section 393 of the Local Government Code of 1991 (LGC) states that barangay officials, including barangay tanods and members of the Lupong Tagapamayapa, shall receive honoraria, allowances, and such other emoluments as may be authorized by law or barangay, municipal, or city ordinance. He also said that Chapter 4, Section 393 (d), of the LGC, provides, that, “All duly appointed members of the barangay tanod brigades or their equivalent, which number shall not be more than twenty (20) in each barangay, shall be granted insurance or other benefits during their incumbency, chargeable to the barangay of the city or municipal government to which the barangay belongs’’. Section 16 of the LGC further provides that every loc...

Vintar Mayor Richard Degala formally announces to the members of the media the 24-hour operation of the Vintar District Hospital starting Feb. 10, 2025 as he thanked Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew M. Manotoc for giving additional manpower for the said hospital’s operations. ( Doms Dela Cruz) Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Vintar , Ilocos Norte—Town Mayor Richard Degala formally announced that the operation of the Vintar District Hospital is now open on 24-hours staring Feb. 10, 2024. “Napalalo iti ragsak ken yaman ko ta finally , matungpalen tay nabayagen a kalkalikaguman dagiti appo a kakailiak ditoy Vintar aglalo dagitay padak a taga Surong ta ag 24 orasen daytoy Tamdagan District Hospital tayon wennu Vintar District Hospital’ en tapnu mas mapaalisto a mataming ta no adda emergency ket talaga a marigatan dagti padak a taga away a maitaray dagiti pasyente”, Degala said. The mayor thanked the provincial government of Ilocos Norte headed by Governor Matthew Joseph M. M...

The recent move of a Laoag councilor to give cash incentives to Laoag City’s elementary and high school students who participated in the Regional Schools Press Conference is a step in the right direction towards helping further development journalism locally. But, as much as it is a needed boost to local campus journalists, the question is why only now? And the more curious thing is why at this juncture when the midterm elections is just a few months away? Journalism has been dying a very slow death, not only here in our locality, but also around the world. The advent of social media has both sidelined and blindsided genuine journalism as everyone who has a camera phone and an internet connection can now become a “reporter” by posting what they can see and what they can hear. Unfortunately, this becomes more of misinformation and disinformation, as regular people not trained properly in the way of journalism often miss out on verification and analysis of issues and situations. A...

  Laoag  vice mayor Rey Carlos Fariñas personally hands over 61 foam mattresses, acquired from his personal finances to persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)-Laoag as earlier requested by Jail Warden Sheila Marie Sapaden. “Dagitoy ket regalok para iti panang selebrar da iti Valentines Day ta nakitak a saan da a komportable gapu ta daanen dagiti agdama nga us-usaren daken nangibati tayo pay bassit a pinagsasangwan da,” Fariñas said. (Photo courtesy of the Office of the Vice Mayor)

Laoag  councilor James Bryan Alcid (standing left) promises to give PHP100,000 to the 200 participating students as their token cash incentives for the recently concluded Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) held at Dagupan City during the last regular session in the presence of the junior city officials. ( Doms Dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City -City councilor James Bryan Alcid promised to give PHP100,000 as token cash incentives to all the 200 participating Laoag students in the recently conducted Regional Schools Press Conference (RSPC) held in Dagupan City recently. Alcid made the promise during a regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod wherein it was reported that the DepEd Laoag Division has demonstrated outstanding performance during the RSPC emerging as the overall champion in the elementary level and first runner-up in the overall result of the event, further showcasing the talent, hard work, and dedication of both the students...