The Ilocos Times

By Leilanie G. Adriano & Bernard Ver Piddig , Ilocos Norte—The municipal government here installed 14 air-conditioning units in the town’s Farmers’ Trading Center. The office of Rep. Rodolfo “Rudy” C. Fariñas (1 st district, Ilocos Norte) provided the PHP15 million funding after Piddig Mayor Georgina Salazar-Guillen lobbied the Ilocos Norte representative. The funding includes a makeover for the building for the air-conditioning units to function well. The Dept. of Public Works and Highways implemented the project. The trading center is a multipurpose building serving not only farmers, but is also a venue for the municipal and school activities, especially sports and seminar workshops.   “I am glad for these building improvements; it will be more convenient for the people of Piddig, Ilocos Norte, and the visitors as well,” said Mrs. Guillen. Built during the previous administration, the center, formerly known as Gakki center, also becomes an evacuation

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY — A bridge dating back to the Spanish colonial era is under threat from a government road project; and local history advocates are urging the preservation of the historical landmark. The Puente de Barit at Brgy. Barit, this city, is among the heritage structures in the province, according to Fr. Ericson Josue of the Diocese of Laoag. A historian, Mr. Josue said three other bridges designed with the same three arches were built at Brgys. Tupec, Bulangon and San Mateo. He said the bridges might be as old as the Spanish churches in Ilocos Norte province that were built before 1888. But, just like some surviving colonial bridges in Ilocos Norte, the Barit Bridge never became the subject of extensive conservation efforts, he said. Order to stop On August 10, 2018, social media posts reported that workers undertaking a road widening project there tried to demolish the approaches of the bridge. A post

Ni Loida Alimboyoguen Yamamoto ti nagkaykaysaan Ilocos Surian Association of Hawaii [ISAH]  a baro a presidente para iti 2018-2020 babaen iti napalabas nga eleksion idi Hunio 5, 2018 iti Susannah Wesley Community Center. Ni Yamamoto ti umuna a babai a mangidaulo ti ISAH kalpasan dagiti immuna a nagpresidente   sipud pay nabangon idi Pebrero 27, 1977, kas kada: Atty Peter Aduja [Vigan]; John Quiocho [Caoayan-Narvacan]; Mario Albalos [Vigan]; Dr. Sid Villafuerte [Sto Domingo]; Peping Billena [Caoayan-Santa]; Rey Custodio [Candon]; Ben Cabreros [Narvacan], Julio Quiocho, Jr. [Caoayan]; Danny Villaruz [Santa] kapautan a president 2001-2018. Agdama a bise presidente ti Vigan Assn of Hawaii & Associates ni Yamamoto; nag-OFCC ken secretary; nag-runner-up iti Mrs. ISAH 2008, ken aktibo iti komunidad. Tubo iti Vigan City, maikatlo a tubo ti Vigan a mangidaulo iti ISAH. Dagiti dadduma a nabotosan iti nasao nga eleksion nga inturong ni Amado Yoro, ken kakaduana, isu da: Ben Cab

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAOG CITY—The Ilocos Norte schools supervisors and principals will undergo reshuffling effective August 1., 2018 Ilocos Norte schools division superintendent Vilma Eda said reshuffling is “good as it provides school heads the opportunity to share their home-grown expertise to other schools”. Under a Department order, it states that school heads in the province who have served five years in their assigned school must move out to also serve in other schools. “When you go out of your comfort zone, the more that you will be trained and developed other competencies for the betterment of schools,” said Mrs. Eda in a press conference held at the division office. According to Ms. Eda, reshuffling is also a way of sharing management skills and applying good practices when one is exposed to different areas. Among these include improvement the physical conditions of the school and development of better relationships with t

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—To intensify the campaign on proper waste disposal, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan is urging concerned local government units from the provincial, municipal and barangay levels to support the proposed “Ilocos Norte Anti-Littering Ordinance.” Sponsored by senior SP member Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc, he expects the simultaneous implementation of anti-littering campaigns in the 21 towns and two cities of the province to send a strong signal to the public that Ilocos Norte means business. “We need to standardize because we don’t want any garbage scattered elsewhere,” said Mr. Manotoc following the conduct of a public hearing held at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan session hall. Long before the passage of the provincial ordinance, Brgy. Sungadan (Paoay) chairperson Efren Valdez said his constituents are already practicing proper waste disposal. Mr. Valdez, however noted that there are some erring public transport buses

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—The Catholic Church ordained a 29-year-old deacon on July 31, 2018 in his home-parish of Saint Gabriel in Nueva Era, Ilocos Norte. The first mass of Rev. Metchell Valdepe ñ a was at 3:pm after his presbyterial ordination in the morning. For the Diocese of Laoag led by Bishop Renato Mayugba, parishioners said they are “excited and thankful for the rare privilege granted” by the Vatican to a deacon. This refers to a special plenary indulgence, the Vatican ’ s Apostolic Penitentiary granted to whoever attends his first mass. The decree was signed on June 28, 2018, in the name and authority of Pope Francis, by His Eminence, Mauro Cardinal Piacenza, the Major Penitentiary. The decree mandates that whoever attends the first mass of Fr. Valdepe ñ a shall receive a special plenary indulgence. For a devout Catholic like Rommel Sagucio, he said “A plenary indulgence is believed to remove all the temporal punishment due

The K-9 unit of the BJMPRO-I and PDEA regional office I conducted a surprise and massive “greyhound operation” in all the dormitories of the Laoag City jail on July 31, 2018. The operation aims to totally eradicate any contraband inside the jail facility. Jail warden Herminigildo Rivera said this is in line with the thrust of the jail bureau of drug-free jail facilities nationwide. The operation did not yield any illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, communication devices, firearms and other contraband materials. (Doms dela Cruz)