The Ilocos Times

THREE newly elected Ilocos Norte municipal mayors have successfully completed the Newly-Elected Officials (NEO) Program Online Orientation Course being administered by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). They are Marcos Mayor Arsenio Agustin, Carasi Mayor Rene Gaspar, and San Nicolas Mayor Melanie Grace Valdez. The online course, which is the first component of the NEO Program, is a pioneering venture of the Department through the Local Government Academy (LGA) in its tireless effort to capacitate local government units and their officials through online training modules. DILG Secretary Mar Roxas awarded the certificates of completion to the 22 newly-elected officials, who are mostly neophytes, during the Grand Graduation Ceremony held May 28 at the Heritage Hotel in Pasay City. “ Binabati ko ang ating mga mayor na nagsilahok at nakatapos ng kursong ito dahil sa ipinamalas ninyong pagsisikap at pagpupursigi na maging mas epektibo at mabuting lin

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter June 18, 2014 LAOAG CITY—For transparency’s sake, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan is set to invite national agencies implementing various infrastructure projects in the province to provide updates about their on-going projects here. Citing the Local Government Code of the Philippines, SP member Vicentito M. Lazo said that local government units are tasked to monitor nationally-financed infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges and irrigation systems and buildings among others. Atty. Lazo’s proposal came in the wake of an unfinished construction of a bridge along the national highway of General Segundo Street in Laoag City, causing traffic among motorists and commuters. On June 2, the Department of Public Works and Highways of the first district of Ilocos Norte temporary opened the bridge with no railings and unpaved approaches to avoid traffic congestion in Laoag City due to the opening of classes. Atty. Lazo however obse

Farmers and scientists are scrambling to find ways to prevent climate change from grabbing food from the table. Glimpses of what they are doing were presented during the 44th Scientific Conference of the Crop Science Society of the Philippines (CSSP). “Climate change is projected to become a progressively more significant threat in the coming decades,” said CSSP president Ramon Oliveros. “Current agricultural approaches need to be modified and innovative adaptation strategies need to be in place to efficiently produce more food in stressed conditions.” “The effects of climate change are already being felt as shown by more intense and frequent rains which pose additional threats for farmers in coping with their food production,” said Aurora M. Corales of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice). “Helping farmers improve their livelihoods by enhancing their capacity to adapt to climate variability is a new challenge to development workers,” said Ms. Corales who

LC @ 49. Laoag Mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas leads the official of the city is celebrating the city’s 49 th Charter Day on June 19, 2014. (Doms dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter Laoag City —With Laoag City celebrating its 49 th Charter Day on June 19, Mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas turned to the people for gratitude as they are the driving force that has made city one of the most progressive and popular city not only nationally but also internationally. Ms. Fariñas though reserved her biggest thanks to the “Almighty, for without Him, Laoag City would not have been this progressive.” The event was marked by a simple ceremony highlighted by the release of white balloons by Laoag’s councilors, department heads and city government employees led by Ms. Fariñas, as well as barangay and national agencies’ officials. The release of white balloons, Ms. Fariñas explained, is a “sign of freedom”. Laoag City police officer-in-charge P/Supt. Jeffrey Gorospe

“Why are we so corrupt?” That was the question cultural activist Joy Virata lobbed at Francisco Sionil Jose.  I’m pushing 90, Jose said. Virata must have considered my being ancient, perhaps enhanced by a little knowledge of history. Jose has authored novels set in the context of Philippine history to essays.  He won the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism and Literature in 1980 and shortly thereafter the Pablo Neurda Centennial Award. Historian William Henry Scott analyzed an inventory, in the 1896 revolution, Jose recalled. It listed   broken pens, battered chairs, “trivia put down by outgoing bureaucrats illustrating their honesty”. In the 1930s, politicians spent their own money for their elections campaign. Many were impoverished by their aspirations. Former Secretary of Health Juan Salcedo and, Sen. Juan Flavier used public transport. Cabinet Secretary Conrado Estrella and Sen. Emmanuel Pelaez traveled without any escort. Today, even a small city mayor careen

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter PAGUDPUD, Ilocos Norte—After failing to adhere to the provisions of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, this town’s open dumpsite was ordered shuttered. Situated at Barangay Caunayan, the controversial garbage dump was ordered by closed the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources pending the municipality’s construction of a sanitary landfill. Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Juan delos Reyes confirmed this following the submission of the municipality’s closure plan. While still searching for a possible location of the proposed Pagudpud sanitary landfill, Mr. Delos Reyes said the municipality may consider rehabilitating the open dump site of Pagudpud into a controlled dumpsite. To date, Pagudpud Mayor Marlon Sales reported that in preparation to the closure, the Pagudpud local government initiated plans such as the development of compost pit in every household including the conduct of information,

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter Laoag City —Celso Ragudo, the principal witness who was supposed to pin down suspended Bangui Mayor Diosdado Garvida for indiscriminate firing may face indirect contempt of court charge if he does not appear during the hearing at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on June 24, 2014. On June 17, 2014, Mr. Ragudo was supposed to be the last witness against Mr. Garvida in the SP’s third and supposedly final hearing of the administrative charge filed against the Bangui mayor. Mr. Ragudo however was a no-show. In an affidavit Mr. Ragudo voluntarily filed at the SP, he said he saw Mr. Garvida fire his gun while attempting to stop unlicensed quarry operators at a private lot owned by Kremlin Alupay of Brgy. Taguipuro in Bangui, Ilocos Norte. Mr. Ragudo, on June 17, though did not appear on the hearing even after the issuance of a subpoena by the provincial board. Atty. Victor Corpuz, Mr. Alupay’s legal counsel, said they tried to convince