The Ilocos Times

DOT's Milagros Gonzales at the Laoag International Airport (DOT photo) By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporters Laoag City —Amidst on-going territorial dispute between China and the Philippines on the West Philippine Sea, Chinese tourists are likely to be visible again in this northern gateway of Luzon following the resumption of chartered flights ferrying passengers from Guangdong, China to Laoag on June 13. Carrying 156 confirmed passengers, the maiden flight of China Eastern Airlines on June 13 is a welcome development for the local tourism industry, said Ma. Milagros Gonzales, provincial director of the Department of Tourism Laoag sub-office. Initiated by the Guangdong International Travel Group, Ms. Gonzales said the DOT is now preparing an airport grand reception and welcome dinner at a hotel in Laoag City for Guangdong tourists to attract more charterers to the city. Beginning June 13, chartered flight from Guangdong to Lao

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Batac City —Citing the high amount that would have been given to barangay chairpersons and kagawads who served for three consecutive terms, Batac Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta vetoed City Ordinance No. 3 SP2015-03. The said ordinance would have authorized the conferment of Exemplary Public Service Award (EPSA) to the city’s barangay officials who have served three consecutive terms. Mr. Nalupta pointed out that the P50,000 for barangay chairperson and P30,000 for kagawad are too high and the city government would again have difficulties in producing the said amounts. The three-term mayor also said there are many other programs and activities in the City Development Plan (CDP) that also needs funding. He stressed that the CDP is a five-year plan and all programs, projects and activities for that time span have been incorporated along with their estimated costs. He also stressed that the vetoed ordinance may also become a source

By Reynaldo E. Andres Contributor             BATAC City —The winds of change are now blowing over the Mariano Marcos State University in this city, one of the top universities in the country. Since May, a search committee organized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) through Chairperson Patricia B. Licuanan began to scrutinize and evaluate the documents of the five candidates for the top MMSU post. The candidates, who will present themselves in a public forum at the University Teatro Ilocandia on June 15 are Dr. Joselito L. Lolinco, dean of the MMSU Graduate School (GS); Atty. Ramon A. Leaño, MMSU’s vice president for administration and business; Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis, a professor and concurrent project leader of MMSU’s bio-ethanol project; Dr. Carmelo J. Esteban, former dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Sustainable Development (CAFSD) and the MMSU GS; and Dr. Ricardo S. Guanzon, a medical officer of the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical

Writer Eion Colfer hit the bull’s eye when he said: “Illegal is always faster”. Well, obviously, haste is the root of all evil. The devil extinguishes patience in man’s heart and replaces it with the different shades of darkness, like greed. The transformation is fast, and when circumstances require, it can even upgrade its speed to conform to the demands of hell. Let’s take for example the issue of driver’s license fixing in the Land Transportation Office (LTO). For faster processing of their license, drivers transact their application through a fixer. But those who are in a hurry to have a driver’s license turn to makers of fake licenses. And now—with ease and convenience—you can shop for a fake driver’s license online. Some reports disclosed that a counterfeit driver’s license scam is now active in the internet. Vernon Sarne, a writer for a motoring online site, bared that one of his readers sent him screenshoots of a driver’s license which was bought onlin

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Laoag City —The Departments of Public Works and Highways, and Tourism have identified at least six road projects in Ilocos Norte for 2015. Ma. Milagros R. Gonzales, Laoag sub-office senior tourism operations officer made this announcement saying the road projects would lead to tourist spots in the province. Among the projects are the 3-kilometer concreting of the Tangaoan-Pallas road leading to the Paraiso Ecotourism Project and Reforestation Project in Piddig; the concreting of the Laoag-La Paz Sand Dunes road measuring 0.9 kilometer; the construction and improvement of the gravel road with bridge leading to the Bantoc-Suyo-Baruyen Windmill in Bangui measuring 2.7 kilometers; the construction and improvement of earth and trail road leading to the Napidad view deck and water falls of Takulao Mataltala and Pao in Dumalneg measuring 3.5 kilometers; the construction and improvement of the Lanao-San Isidro road leading to Bolo River and

BORACAY ISLAND—Research plays a crucial role in raising awareness and facilitating discussions of important Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)-related issues and processes to help support the vision and goals of APEC. In his keynote address at the opening of the 2015 APEC Study Centers Consortium (ASCC) Conference in Boracay Island on May 12, Deputy Director-General Rolando G. Tungpalan of the National Economic and Development Authority noted that the APEC study centers have been instrumental in fostering regional cooperation among tertiary and research institutes in the APEC region through the promotion of increased academic collaboration on key regional economic challenges. According to Mr. Tungapalan, the analytical work that the APEC study centers put in will be valuable in sharpening policymakers’ tools for addressing cross-cutting issues especially on services, trade and investments, supply chain connectivity, and enhancing regional economic integration through the

Dried up. Hectares of farmland and fish farms in Vintar and Batac are drying up, causing millions of damages for farming and fishing communities in this northern part of Luzon. ( Lei Adriano) By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Vintar , Ilocos Norte—Ilocano farmers in this town raised the alarm as they may no longer hit production target this year as prolonged drought continue to pester vast tracks of agricultural lands here. Vintar is the province’s top rice producer. Over the years, officers and members of Zanjera Taguipuro, an organized rural farmers’ organization here have observed the lack of water supply to sustain the growth of their plants while rivers and underground water sources have already reached critical level. At Brgy. Salsamagui, withering plants and dried up farm lots are creating discomfort for farmers. Compared to previous years of the same period this year, Manny Agbayani said they could no longer plant for a third cropping due to l