The Ilocos Times

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter IN A MOVE to further promote Ilocos Norte as a prime tourist destination, the Ilocos Norte provincial government has begun development of Ilocano beauties who would represent the province in national and international beauty tilts in the future. “Beauty and brain competitions are gaining popularity in the Philippines and so we would also like to make our presence felt in national pageants,” said Ian Ree Raquel, Ilocos Norte provincial tourism officer.   Presently, at least 23 candidates who will represent the different municipalities and cities for the Miss Ilocos Norte 2014 are being trained by personality development experts in the province with emphasis on public speaking, proper dressing and make-up including  acting like a beauty queen among others. “We would like to help develop their potential,” said Raquel as these local beauty queens who have general following in their respective communities shall also undergo orientatio

Rate increase pegged at P0.33/kwh By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter Dingras , Ilocos Norte—Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative officer-in-charge Engr. Felino Herbert P. Agdigos announced that power rates for March will increase. Based on the unbundled rate schedule for the March billing the generation charge increased the distribution charge however was unchanged. INEC collects P0.99 per kilowatt-hour for the distribution charge as approved by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC). Agdigos explained that generation charge is the fee paid for the electricity generated by power suppliers. Currently, INEC sources 90 percent of its power supply from San Miguel Energy Corp., with a contract that lasts until 2016. The remaining 10 percent of INEC’s electricity supply comes from Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM). Should there be a shortage of supply this summer season, Agdigos said they could get the needed shortfall from WESM, allaying fears of power supply

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter CONTINUING its tourism buildup, the Ilocos Norte government is set to put up another art installation in the sprawling sand dunes in Paoay, Ilocos Norte to attract more tourists this northern Philippine province. For this year, a festival of neon lights assembled like the façade of the St. Augustine Church will serve as the centerpiece event of the La Milagrosa Festival this May. Now on its third year, the La Milagrosa Festival was initiated under the administration of Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos in honor of La Virgen Milagrosa, the province’s patron saint. The weeklong festival will kick off on May 1 with the launching of the Paseo de Paoay, a new multi-purpose commercial building designed by Palafox Associates, headed by Felino “Jun” A. Palafox, a prominent Filipino architect and urban planner from Ilocos Norte, whom the provincial government commissioned to prepare Ilocos Norte’s master plan for tourism

BURGOS’ TREES GIVE WAY TO WINDMILL PROJECT. Residents here are wary about soil erosion and siltation of rivers and water canals in view of the impact of the massive earth movement and cutting of trees permitted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the on-going construction of the Burgos windmill project which is expected to commence during the last quarter of this year. (Lei Adriano) By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter Owing to the on-going controversies surrounding the issuance of quarry permits allegedly monopolized by several contractors, a member of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan has urged concerned authorities to strictly monitor the gathering of sand and gravel in river beds covering 21 towns and two cities of Ilocos Norte.    Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Da Vinci M. Crisostomo delivered a privilege speech on April 7 exposing an alleged “abuse of authority” committed in granting quarry permits to favored operators who are allegedly being

Pangnayon iti negosiona a maysa a boutique ti pangusaran ni Dona Leano a taga Brgy. Pagdilao, Pinili, Ilocos Norte iti binulodna a kantidad iti LACASA Livelihood program. Kuna ti pangulo ti Gender and Development (GAD) Office a ni Nelinda Erice a naiyawat ti gatad ken ni Leano kabayatan ti Manang Imee’s Capitol Express idiay Pinili kabayatan ti panagturongan ti grupo ni Gobernador Imee Marcos. Ti nasao a cheke ket agbalor iti sangapulo ribu a pisos. Kiniddaw met daytoy ti maseknan iti immun-una a panagturong ti Capitol Express idiay Pinili. Immun-una ngem iti daytoy, 10 ribu a pisos met ti pateg ti inyawat ti gobernador ken ni Gloria Pacio a taga Brgy. Naguilian, Nueva Era nga addaan met iti sangkabassit a negosio nga school vending wenno school supplies. Inlawlawag ni Erice nga iti mabiit ket adda manen 20 a sabali pay a beneficiaries manipud kadagiti nagduduma nga ili ditoy probinsia a maipaayan iti nayon a puonan iti negosio kadagiti sumarsaruno nga ibibisita

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter To promote equality between lowlanders and highlanders, both must have representation in the municipal councils with tribal communities, indigenous peoples in four tribal municipalities in Ilocos Norte urged. Like the Isnags of Carasi town, Evelyn Corpuz, the town’s municipal accountant and spokesperson of the Isnag tribe told IPs in the municipalities of Dumalneg, Adams, Vintar and Nueva Era to assert their right to have an equal representation in their town’s respective Sangguniang Bayan. Just like having an ex-officio representative for the Liga ng mga Barangay in the municipal councils, the IPs must also have their representative in the respective councils where they live so they could assert their rights when local lawmakers enact resolutions and ordinances. For three years now, Corpuz reported that the Isnags of Carasi enjoy a representation at the town council backed by the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP