The Ilocos Times

Laoag City —Ilocos Norte is again maximizing agricultural innovations to sustain its food security through the use of the first automated multi-crop drying machine (AMCDM) in the Philippines. On October 23, 20202, the sustainable development center (SDC) headed the test run of the machine at the Takuat Training Center in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte. “This (AMCDM) is first of its kind in the country. Through this, we aim to help our farmers and the micro, small, and medium enterprises in the province. We can process their surplus produce and preserve it for longer shelf life. Also, we can utilize this for export,” SDC head Edwin Cariño said.  Dr. Lorcelie B. Taclan, who is from Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte and the main creator of the manual form of the multi-crop drying machine, worked together with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to upgrade the machine into an automated heat pump dryer.  “The heating temperature of the machine is 35-50 centigrade. We will not be cooking

Manila —In observance of World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, 2020, the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines announced the launch of a new President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)-funded program, which will begin this month. Through PEPFAR, the U.S. government has committed more than PHP875 million (US$18.2 million) over two years for U.S.-Philippines bilateral efforts, with implementation by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), U.S. Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration, and U.S. Department of Defense. The PEPFAR program will address the increasing number of people who are living with HIV in the Philippines, which has the fastest growing HIV epidemic in the Asia-Pacific region . The most recent data from the DOH-Epidemiology Bureau of the Philippines estimates that more than 110,000 Filipinos are living with HIV in 2020; 37,000 have not been diagnosed, and among those previously diagnosed, at least 18,500 still need

  State-run Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center initiates a virtual workshop-simulation of Tangguyob: An integrated referral and disaster management system among health-workers and IT specialists from several public health facilities across the province. The referral system is set to be fully implemented on December 1, 2020 and is eyed to strengthen MMMH&MC's health-care provider network with institutions in Ilocos Norte as well as its neighboring provinces. ( Photo courtesy of Jazper Quemquem) City of Batac—As it aims to strengthen the cooperation among health facilities across Ilocos Norte and its neighboring provinces, state-run Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMHMC) in this city is gearing to fully implement a digital integrated referral system on December 1, 2020. Dubbed as “Tangguyob”, which refers to a local carabao-horn instrument used in the early days to summon people for a tribal meeting or affair, the system was developed t

By Leilanie G. Adriano  (Staff Reporter) San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte—The most business-friendly town in Ilocos Norte is losing businesses due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Jean Merry Talavera, head of the business permits and licensing office at the municipal government here confirmed this in a radio interview saying 94 local businesses in the area have closed shop. "Among these include bars and other businesses that belong to non-essential category,” she said. Pre-pandemic, this town has earned its Hall of Fame award from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry as the country’s most business-friendly municipality under the municipal category level 1. To date, San Nicolas town is the home of Robinsons Mall, business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, Balai Condominium, 365 Center, Savemore, 7-Eleven, car sales branches of Hyundai, Honda, Nissan, Ford; Metro Bank branch, Gertes Resort, Midland Terraces Resort, Black Nazarene Hospital, Coral Sand Lumber

By Dominic B. dela Cruz (Staff Reporter) Laoag City —The Court of Appeals (CA) first Division has dismissed the petition of Laoag councilor Roger John Fariñas on the disapproved City Ordinance No. 2016-111 granting franchise to Alejendro “Bong” Taylan to operate the Laoag City Sports Complex (LCSC) for a period of five (5) years. CA Associate Justice Nina G Antonio-Valenzuela penned the decision dismissing the petition. The Sanggunian Panlalawigan earlier disapproved the city ordinance on February 2017; based on a committee report which said subject ordinance was void for being “ultra vires” as it failed to indicate the citizenship of the franchisee (Taylan). The said ordinance also did not indicate the scheduled days of cockfighting, the location of the cockpits and the effectivity of the franchise. An earlier petition prayed that the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 12 will issue a writ of certiorari against the higher sanggunian for its disapproval. However, the provincia

By Leilanie G. Adriano  (Staff Reporter) LAOAG CITY—This city will revert to the less restrictive general community quarantine (GCQ) starting Dec. 12, 2020 after a two-week reimposition of a strict modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ). Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc announced this on the evening of Dec. 9, 2020, saying the decision was  based on the significant decreasing number of average daily positive COVID-19 cases in the city”. "Things will normalize in Laoag and we will gradually go back to our new normal,” he said as he reiterated that even if they remove barricades and checkpoints in barangay and city borders, he reminded residents not to be complacent as the threat of the COVID-19 is still here. Of the 262 total confirmed cases in Laoag, as of press time, at least 88 had recovered. At present, there are 174 active cases but 101 of them are persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the Ilocos Norte provincial jail. All of them did not show

By Leilanie G. Adriano  (Staff Reporter) LAOAG CITY—The Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources on Dec. 7, 2020 released the rescued Brahminy kite, formerly known as red-backed sea eagle and locally known as “lawin,” into the wilds of a thickly forested mountain of Brgy. Sulbec in Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte. DENR personnel watched as the lawin as was set free from its cage. At first, the bird seemed reluctant to leave the cage despite encouragement from the DENR personnel. Eugenio R. Santos Jr., in-charge of the office of the chief, technical services division took custody of the Brahminy Kite after it was turned over to the DENR office on the afternoon of Dec. 5, 2020. Mr. Santos said the Brahminy Kite is of the raptors species common in the Philippines and is considered as endangered and protected. Initially, the DENR planned to turn over the Brahminy Kite to the Fort Ilocandia Bird Sanctuary but Mr. Santos said it is better if it they release to the wild to find his pack