The Ilocos Times

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—Retired Philippine Air Force Col. Ricardo Nolasco Jr., owner of Hannah’s Beach Resort and Convention Center in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte passed away on Wednesday evening, July 11, 2018. He was 67. “He did not survive an open-heart surgery,” said Ronald Dominguez, spokesperson of the largest resort at Brgy. Balaoi in Pagudpud. Known as the architect behind the transformation of Pagudpud town as a premiere destination of the north, Mr. Nolasco put up Hannah’s Beach Resort in what was originally meant as a family vacation resort. The rest is history when it expanded into more than 300-room executive villas and cabanas, with on-going infrastructure developments and set up various amenities. As a result, hundreds of domestic and foreign tourists visit here daily. The resort is on a cliff by the beach, which provides a spectacular view of the sparkling blue lagoon. “Yesterday will go down my lifeline as one

Laoag City — The Ilocos Norte Sangguniang Panlalawigan is considering a tax holiday on real property tax for companies or businesses looking to invest in the province, Senior SP member Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc said. He shared that the SP is reviewing the provincial investment code, particularly the possibility of a tax holiday. “Just to incentivize yung mga big business to come in and set up shop sa atin —so long as we know that hindi nila [maapektuhan] ang local industries, or yung smaller businesses. Ayaw nating i -take yung market nila ,” he said of agriculture, small manufacturers, and handicrafts. “With these big businesses, we want them to come in, pero we want yung tamang negosyo — hindi kahit sino lang .” They would lean towards companies bringing to Ilocos Norte a high number of quality local jobs. In addition, the provincial board intends to further integrate micro, small, and medium enterprise (MSMEs) into the investment code. Mr. Manotoc mentio

SP member Matthew Manotoc attends the inauguration of another public playground and turnover of school materials at Filipinas East Elementary School in the Town of San Nicolas. (Alaric Yanos) Laoag City —The Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd)-Ilocos Norte inaugurated six new playground facilities in various elementary schools in the province from July 4-6, 2018. Beneficiaries were Piddig South Central Elementary School , Carasi Elementary School, San Marcelino Elementary School in Dingras, Paoay Central Elementary School, Don Mariano Marcos Memorial Elementary School in Pinili, and San Mateo Elementary School in Batac City. Senior Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc headed the inauguration of the playground facilities. “I hope this will be a very important place, not only for the school, but for the community where children can play and families can socialize,” he said.

By Bernard Ver Contributor Piddig , Ilocos Norte—The local government unit here, led by Piddig Mayor Georgina Salazar-Guillen, in partnership with the Dept. of Trade and Industry (DTI) held an entrepreneur forum with the local market vendors association here. Agri mentor Vix Madlangbayan served as the resource speaker. He discussed marketing and marketing trends as part of business planning procedures. Piddig municipal government consultant Engr. Eddie Guillen said that “Capitalists in Piddig indeed need more production techniques, values, practical knowledge and strategies, and consultation services to foster successful and sustainable agri-enterprises.” The forum aimed to help town folks and share knowledge to Piddig entrepreneurs as part of the town's development strategy on agribusiness industry, an initiative project of the LGU Piddig.

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—Ilocos Norte Officials and residents want clarification on the recovery of more than PHP327 million which the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) plans to pass on to its consumers in Luzon. Sponsored by the committee of the whole, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan passed a resolution asking the management of NGCP to make a full disclosure of its request to the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) for a provisional approval for the collection of the force majeure pass-through costs from its customers in Luzon. The collection, if approved, will take effect on 2018 to 2020, or until NGCP fully recovers the total amount. Ilocos Norte Vice Governor and SP presiding officer Eugenio Angelo M. Barba said “Electric consumers here need to be enlightened why is there a need for them to shoulder the costs NCGP incurred from the damages caused by typhoon Nina in December 2016”. When sought for comment, Lilibeth Gay

Laoag City —The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), in cooperation with the Department of National Defense (DND) and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), conducted the Incident Command System (ICS) Executive Course on July 10, 2018, at the Provincial Capitol Auditorium. Local chief executives and department heads of the provincial government attended the one-day training together with representatives from the academe. This was to make the ICS more comprehensive and responsive to different agencies, according to Engr. Pedro S. Agcaoili, officer in charge of the Provincial Resiliency Office. “ Talagang napakaganda ng naidulot ng Republic Act 10121 o Philippine Disaster Risk and Management Act dahil napakaaktibo na ng mga agency at local government unit na pinangungunahan ng disaster management ng lugar natin ,” Mr. Agcaoili stated. Topics comprising the training included the key principles of ICS, c

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Badoc, Ilocos Norte —Farmers groups in this town Norte are all smiles as they finally received farm machineries and fertilizers on July 5, 2018 courtesy of the municipal government. Funded under the tobacco excise tax share of Badoc town, the municipal government distributed at least 31 tractors to all the town’s barangays along with 4,307 sacks of fertilizers. “ Agyamankami unay kadagitoy a traktor ken abono. Dakkel a tulong kadakami a mannalon [We are thankful for all these tractors and fertilizers. These are great help for us farmers],” said Luciano Gamayo, of Barangay 13-B, Bato. During the distribution, municipal agriculturist Leonora Escarda reminded farmers to take good care of the new farm machineries to ensure its long- term use. As part of the agreement, the farmer organizations and barangay officials shall take charge of maintenance of the tractors while extension workers from the Municipal Agriculture Office