The Ilocos Times

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter LAOAG CITY—Ilocos Norte continues to be one of the most peaceful provinces in the country as it has been free from the clutches of the New People’s Army for the past seven years. Lieutenant Colonel Jearie Boy P. Faminial , commander of the 24th Infantry (Wildcat) Battalion, 7 th Infantry (Kaugnay) Division of the Philippine Army confirmed this following the first quarter joint Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council meeting held at the Capitol auditorium, this city on March 18, 2019. As directed by an Executive Order signed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte on December 4, 2018, Mr. Faminial said they are focused on institutionalizing the “whole nation approach” to address insurgency and deliver basic services and social development packages in conflict affected areas. Fortunately, “Ilocos Norte is not included in this package as it has been insurgency-free since 2012,” Mr. Faminial point

Just MoVe Forward and Create Valuable Future By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Laoag City —The Sunshine City of Laoag and the Northern Gateway of the Philippines will continuously move forward thru the leadership of multi-awarded Mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas embodied in her vision of the city becoming the Metropolitan Center of the North. The vision encompasses the accomplishments, awards and citations of Mrs. Fariñas garnered since she started in office in 2013. Livable, safe and progressive city In 2018, Laoag was named as third Most Livable City in the Philippines conferred by the Manila Times. On top of this, the city also won the Regional Gawad Kalasag Award from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the Office of the Civil Defense; and first Place in the Pillar of Infrastructure in the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index, Region I, by DTI and National Competitiveness Council. The Dept. of Interior and Local Gov

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Dingras , Ilocos Norte—The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) conducted its 45 th Annual General Membership Assembly (AGMA) meeting in four venues this year. The AGMA was held on March 30, April 7, 13 and 27, 2019 in Burgos, Batac, Laoag and Dingras, respectively. In a press interview, INEC’s Institutional Services Dept. (ISD) manager Menchie Cariaga took the opportunity with the members of the tri-media to invite all the member-consumer-owners of INEC to attend said meeting. The AGMA aimed to bring all the member-consumers-owners of INEC for presentation of the accomplishment reports of the cooperative for the year 2018 and its present status. Ms. Cariaga said the INEC general manager Engr. Felino Herbert P. Agdigos and INEC board president Enrico Ruiz reported on the managerial concern and the present status of INEC for the past year and present. Financial status of INEC was be reported so the public may know its

  By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter   Batac City—The P17 million expansion of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) expansion building in this city is 100% complete.   Jail/Insp. Antonio Sapaden made this announcement. He, however, noted that the building still needs it own transformer, thus there is still no electricity in the building.   Mr. Sapaden said the expansion building is intended for male persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) while the female detainees will remain at their existing dormitories.   He explained further that the transfer of the PDLs at the expansion building would depend on the presence of electricity including water availability.   He also added that they also still need to increase the perimeter fence’s height to avoid any escape attempt from the PDLs.   The two-storey building is located at the back of the existing jail at Brgy. Magnuang and was funded by the national government through the “Build-Build-Build” pr

  AMELIA  Bautista of Bagnos Multi-Purpose Cooperative receives the national awards of Bagnos from Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Vic M. Ines. The cooperative was awarded as 2018 Most Progressive Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization and Highest Grade in IT-Enabled Maturity Assessment. (Rommel R. Aquino photo) In 2000, the Bagnos Multipurpose Cooperative in Barangay Binacag, Banna, Ilocos Norte was in shambles. Of its remaining 39 members, only 12 were active. The capital for its consumer store, its sole business then, was down to a few thousand pesos. Nobody had the time to initiate a move to resuscitate it. The men were too busy working in the fields, while the women confined themselves with their household chores. Ironically, this cooperative called “bagnos”, an Iluko term for “guiding light”, was left without a direction, a lost cause. But this situation changed when a woman decided to stand up—a decision that turned the coopera

  By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte--“As your humble brother, I have made my choice and chosen a new path in my life.   If the people so desire, let me be the rallying point of their frustrations. If the people choose it to be, I offer myself to be their instrument of expressing the desire for political reform, economic progress, and social stability. May I enjoin each and every one of you now to consider this opportunity to be part of this historic people’s movement to change for the better.”. Atty. Hilario “Larry” Pajinag Valdez stated this as his prime reasons in his decision to run for the congressional seat of Ilocos Norte’s second district. Described by people as once a young farm boy who lived at Brgy. San Pablo, San Nicolas; living a simple life, but at a very early age he knew there was a calling set for him to realize. He saw where he was and understood that someday he will contribute to the economic indicator of his belov

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter LAOAG CITY—The Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) is again inviting out-of-school youth and vacationing students who wish to apply for summer job opportunities under the Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES). On March 25, 2219, several applicants joined a long queue at the Capitol lobby leading to the Provincial Public Employment and Service Office (PESO) located at the west wing of the Capitol ground floor for screening. According to the Provincial Public Employment and Service Office (PESO), there are 400 slots available to Ilocano youth aged 16 to 30 years old under the SPES program this summer. The beneficiaries shall render at least 15 days of service to different offices in the provincial Capitol starting April to May. Lizette Bitancor -Atuan, PESO head said “Applicants should submit a duly-accomplished application form issued by PESO, a photocopy of NSO birth certificate,   certificate