The Ilocos Times

Consulate of the People's Republic of China in Laoag Consula and Head of Post Zhou Youbin and MMSU President Shirley Agrupis opens the China corner at the Batac university. (FIle photo)   By Zhou Youbin Consul and Head of Post, Consulate of the People's Republic of China in Laoag 2020 is destined to be a special chapter in history. Due to the impact of the pandemic, people's daily life has been disrupted. The world is facing tremendous changes. October 1 st of this year marks the 71 st anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and it also happens to be the Mid-Autumn Festival (Mooncake Festival) in the traditional Chinese lunar calendar. Though we could not celebrate the festivals together in person like usual, I have still received greetings from many Filipino and Chinese friends. The warmth of the festivals are shared among friends. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, under the strong leadership of the CPC Central Committee with President Xi Ji

  Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc and Marcos town mayor Antonio Mariano lead the inauguration and blessing of the newly-constructed isolation facility. The area is located near a mountainside at Brgy. Lydia, Marcos, Ilocos Norte with 13 rooms available for quarantine. (Photo courtesy of the Office of Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc) By Leilanie G. Adriano ( Staff Reporter) Marcos , Ilocos Norte—The municipal government here inaugurated a 13-room modern and spacious isolation facility at Brgy.   Lydia, in this town. Worth PHP6 million and sourced from the government’s “Bayanihan fund” with a counterpart from the municipal government’s development fund, Marcos mayor Antonio Mariano said they will use the newly-constructed multi-purpose building as a quarantine site for returning residents. During a simple inauguration ceremony attended by provincial and municipal officials, Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc lauded Marcos town officials led by Mr. Marian

CRISNER  Lagazo and a maruista exchanging deals at Eat Good Vibes Cafe in Laoag City on Monday. The young farmer bartered his long purple eggplant in exchange of school supplies to be distributed to Ilokano learners in the province. ( Photo courtesy of Eat Good Vibes Cafe)   By Leilanie G. Adriano ( Staff Reporter) LAOAG CITY—A young farmer from Brgy. Sulbec, Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte is bartering his freshly picked long purple eggplant in exchange for school supplies. Through the Maru Barter Ilocos, an online community where more than 10,000 members offer their products or services in exchange for something but with no cash allowed for every successful deal, Crisner Lagazo thought of dealing his eggplant crops, which are abundant this rainy season. Since Sunday evening, a photo of Mr. Lagazo’s eggplant plantation along with a tray of long purple eggplants has generated so many hits from the online barter community being administered by an inspiring young woman entrepreneur and owne

  In August, 2020, the Chinese Consulate in Laoag donated a total of 50,000 disposable masks, 5,000 KN95 masks, 400 sets of coveralls, and 100 pieces of goggles to help local communities in Ilocos Norte to resume their respective work. The Chinese consulate distributed the said medical equipment to Mariano Marcos State University, Paoay National High School, and St. Santiago School for their preparation for the new school year. They also distributed several sets of materials to the Laoag International Airport to help airport personnel prepare for the resumption of flights to the province. The Chinese consulate also gave Ilocos Norte border personnel PPEs to help them handle the increasing number of returning residents. Chinese consul & head of post Zhou Youbin said: “We especially hope to show our deepest respect to all frontliners.”

  By Dominic B. dela Cruz (Staff Reporter) Laoag City —The Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) reverted Brgy. 55 Barit-Pandan as drug-affected after the joint provincial intelligence workshop in which two drug personalities were identified to be residents of the said barangay, thereby affecting its “drug-free” status. Laoag City Local Government Operations Officer Janet Duarte made the announcement which she said was based on a DDB resolution declaring Brgy. Barit as “drug-affected” barangay. Ms. Duarte said RA 9165 [Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002] mandates the government to pursue intensified and unrelenting campaign against illegal drugs and shall endeavor to secure the assistance of the local government units in drug operations. The DDB was created as the policy making and strategy formulating body in the planning and formulation of policies and programs on drug prevention and control. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) was likewise created for an efficient

  Senator Ma. Imelda Josefa “Imee” R. Marcos expressed alarm at the spike in cases of child sexual abuse online since lockdowns were imposed to stop the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Ms. Marcos filed Senate Resolution 487 to investigate how such cases in March to May alone more than tripled to about 260,000 from a year earlier, based on reports from the Department of Justice and the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The Philippines has gained a reputation as the “global epicenter of the live-stream sex abuse trade” and the top global source of child pornography, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The recent arrest in Pampanga of American pedophile Michael Kent Clapper, on a tip from the US embassy in Manila, is just one of many police operations conducted since the mid-March lockdown, with the Philippine Internet Crimes Against Children Center rescuing 34 minors from Luzon to Mindanao who were involved in online pornograp

  By Leilanie G. Adriano ( Staff Reporter) LAOAG CITY–Closed for more than two weeks, Ilocos Norte’s smallest town composed of one barangay is now accepting local tourists—but only from this province. Home to over 2,000 peace-loving indigenous peoples, waterfalls and hanging bridges, the town of Adams temporary suspended the entry of visitors from August 10-25, 2020 following the surge of coronavirus infections in the province. Executive Order No. 28-2020 which Adams mayor Rosalia Dupagen signed barred the entry of non-residents, re-echoing Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc’s directive to cooperate with authorities and help contain the spread of the virus. “Adams is now open to tourism activities,” said municipal tourism officer Anavic Medrano on August 27, 2020, delighting netizens who want to visit Adams town, known for its local fruit wines and scenic destinations. Ms. Medrano, however clarified that only Ilocos Norte residents can visit Adams until further n