The Ilocos Times

By Bernard Ver Contributor Piddig , Ilocos Norte—Town mayor Georgina Salazar-Guillen led other local officials here in breaking ground for the new site of their rural health unit (RHU). The new RHU site is situated near the town’s municipal hall. It will be in front of two other new buildings, the fire and police stations. “These are the fruits of our sacrifice and hard work. We've started again various projects for this year and that is only for the first quarter of 2018,” Mrs. Salazar-Guillen said. The mayor added that she endorsed the RHU building's proposal and funded thru the initiative of House majority leader Rep. Rodolfo “Rudy” C. Fariñas (1 st district, Ilocos Norte) and Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Ria Christina Fariñas. They expect the project’s completion in 2019.

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Vintar , Ilocos Norte—The Soroptimist International of Ilocos Norte, with Atty. Atty. Amuerfina A. Respicio leading it, adopted Brgy. Mabanbanag in this town for its “Adopt-A-Barangay” project. The group signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA)was signed with Brgy. Mabanbanag chairperson Evelyn Carsola. Present during the signing were Vintar mayor Larissa Foronda; Dr. Louie Agnir-Paraan, Vice-President of Northern Christian College and Laoag City councilor Portia Respicio Salenda, both officers of Soroptimist of Ilocos Norte, witnessed the signing along with other barangay and local education officials. After the MOA signing, club officers distributed new pairs of shoes, shirts and stuffed toys to all the 45 pupils of Mabanbanag Primary School. Soroptimist International Northern Luzon District Director, Dr. Asuncion Pagdilao, former Mayor of Pinili, Ilocos Norte witnessed the distribution.

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Badoc, Ilocos Norte —Former Badoc mayor Tomas Torralba jumped for joy upon hearing the news at the Supreme Court on April 27, 2018 that his son, Klinton is one of the top-notchers in the 2017 Bar Examinations released on April 26, 2018. A video of the proud dad immediately went viral on social media as friends and relatives from abroad, and in the province expressed their warmest congratulations to the Torralba family. With a grade of 88.65%, Klinton Torralba, a faculty of civil law at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila ranked ninth in the exam. The 2017 Bar Examinations recorded a passing rate of 25.55%. Out of the 6,748 bar examinees, a total of 1,724 passed. In his social media account, the young Torralba believes, “The impossible is after all possible,” as he narrated the metamorphosis of a butterfly that inspired his life story. “You need not have the most beautiful and bigges