The Ilocos Times

By Leilanie G. Adriano & Reynaldo E. Andres Staff reporter & contributor Batac CITY—Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis became the seventh president of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) when she took her oath on July 31. The Board of Regents at the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) unanimously voted for the 52-year-old Professor III of MMSU’s College of Arts and Sciences on the same day. Dr. Agrupis also became the first MMSU graduate to hold the university’s highest post. Shortlisted among six applicants for the position vacated in 2015, Dr. Agrupis will serve as MMSU president until July 31, 2021. Leading student rallies to leading the university More than 30 years ago, this fearless campus leader led rallies against Dr. Consuelo S. Blanco, MMSU’s first president for alleged suppression of student organizations and student publications. On August 2, 2017 she entered the president’s office no longer armed with protest placards and leaflets, but

The Laoag City PNP investigation division interrogates Arnel Reyes and Norma Michelle Llacuna after the buy-bust operation. ( Laoag police photo) By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Laoag City —The Laoag police arrested a known drug personality who earlier surrendered in the ongoing “war on drugs”; and her partner in a buy-bust operation. Identified as Arnel Reyes, 40 years old, married, cellphone technician, and a resident of Brgy. 50 (Buttong) this city, the police nabbed the suspect at Brgy. 2 (San Andres) in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte. The police also arrested Mr. Reyes’ live-in partner, identified as Norma Michelle Llacuna, 39 years old, single, self-employed, and resident of Brgy. 15 in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, who was also at the operation’s site. Mr. Reyes is under the Laoag police watch list as a “street-level target” (STL). He is already facing illegal drugs case in court. Ms. Llacuna, on the other hand is under the drug watch list of the Bacarra Muni

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—Representatives from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) visited the province recently to call for proposals for arts and culture projects for next year. For 2018, Ferdinand Isleta of the NCCA Arts Section said there are at least eight priority projects which qualified groups and individuals could pursue for funding. These are categorized per sub-commission which include: arts, heritage, cultural dissemination, cultural communities and traditional arts. While in Ilocos Norte, the NCCA enjoined all civil society organizations (CSOs), peoples’ organizations (POs), indigenous peoples’ organizations (IPOs), individuals, local government units (LGUs), government agencies (GAs), state universities/colleges and public schools to submit their project proposals not later than August 31, 2017. “We encourage empowered artists and cultural workers in Ilocos Norte to share their bright ideas and knowledge in pro

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Batac City —The Sangguniang Panlungsod here passed another resolution asking Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director-General Ronald “Bato” M. dela Rosa to allocate funds for the construction of a type “A” police station here. In 2015, Batac’s 3 rd Sangguniang Panlungsod passed a similar resolution. At that time, then Batac mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta initiated the conveyance of a city government-owned property along Brgy. Billoca here to the PNP. Conveyed through a deed of donation, the lot has an area of “more or less 1,000 sq. meters; it was intended for the construction of the said police building. Mr. Nalupta officially executed the deed of donation on February 18, 2016, for the city government; then PNP Region I director P/Chief Supt. Ericson T. Velasquez acted as “donee” for the PNP. Currently, the Batac police station is one-storey building. Officials here said the building is “deteriorating” and “with very limit

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—Owing to occurrence of bombing incidents and terrorist threats around the country, the government now requires licenses to purchase potassium nitrate. This development affects mango growers as the said chemical is important to induce more flowers for mango trees. Potassium nitrate, however, is an active ingredient in manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs); thus, the license requirement to ensure that the chemical will not land in terrorists’ hands. Previously, anyone can buy potassium nitrate or even calcium nitrate in farm supply stores. This, however, is no longer the case as the Philippine National Police started regulating the sale of the said chemicals. Even the chemicals’ sellers need to secure their own permits to sell them. Appropriate charges and penalties await violators of this regulation, the police said. They added that the legal charges will be “non-bailable. In view of this, Ricard

LAOAG CITY—Public schools here are slowly adopting to change. Out with manila papers, old dilapidated books and in with computers, power point projectors and other state-of-the-art learning materials. Newly-installed Ilocos Norte schools division superintendent Vilma Eda is embarking on massive reforms and transformation in the teaching-learning process, urging all schools to think global and pursue 21st century skills development for all school learners.  As an initial step, Ms. Eda initiated the improvement of the physical make up of offices and benchmarking activities for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the continuing conduct of whole brain literacy self-mastery capability building for personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd). The new DepEd Ilocos Norte head, who is an awardee of the “very innovative person” (VIP) said it is high time that old-time school innovate itself to the rapid changing technology in response to the needs of millennial l

LAOAG CITY—To further promote Ilocos Norte’s cinematic landscape as a film destination, the Philippine Film Export Services Office (PFESO), under the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), is eyeing the establishment of a cinematheque, a media hub to bring in local films to residents here.  According to Rogerio Bismonte Jr. of the Ilocos Norte government’s media incentives desk, PFESO representatives are on exploratory visit in the provinces’ various tourism sites here while looking for a possible site to establish a local film center. There are at least five cinematheques in the Philippines, and the nearest to Laoag is in Baguio City. Once established in the province, the PFESO said the cinematheque would make it easier for them to promote Ilocos Norte as a film tourism destination here and abroad.  To do that, the PFESO has recommended the passing of an ordinance in the municipal, city or provincial level for the creation of a film commission to implemen