Fire razes Ilocos Norte grocery store

By Leilanie Adriano

LAOAG CITY – The Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) on Wednesday urged the public anew to take all necessary precautions as fire hit a grocery store in a building located in Barangay 2, Garreta, Badoc, Ilocos Norte.
    Responding firefighters from the BFP in Badoc station said the investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the fire which started around 5:20 a.m. at the grocery building owned by Emma Baldovi and was declared fire out on the first alarm at 6:45 a.m.
    The BFP has earlier launched the “Oplan Paalala-Iwas Paputok” nationwide to avoid firecracker-related incidents, and BFP personnel in Ilocos Norte have been on full alert status or “Code Red" from December 23, 2023, to January 1, 2024.
    In an interview, Fire Officer III Lee Jay Lucero, chief of the Public Information Unit of BFP-Ilocos Norte, said all personnel are on standby to respond to fire that may be caused by faulty Christmas lights and firecrackers, among others.
    He also reminded the public of fire safety tips and the proper lighting of firecrackers.
    “Para maiwasan ang mga sunog sa mga bahay dahil sa paputok, maaring maghanda ang mga residente ng fire extinguishers o mga timba na may tubig para mas maagang maagapan kung magka-sunog (To avoid fire in houses due to firecrackers, residents could prepare fire extinguishers or pails of water for immediate use in case of fire),” he said.
Households with "anahaw" (palm leaves) roofing are likewise advised to wet the roofing an hour before the New Year’s revelry as a precautionary measure in case a lighted firecracker falls on the roof.
    In the meantime, Lucero said personnel of BFP-Ilocos Norte have been continuously inspecting firecracker vendors to confiscate any illegal fireworks, check their permits to sell, and make sure that they have emergency fire extinguishers in their stores.
    Prohibited firecrackers include watusi or dancing firecracker, piccolo, pop pop, Super Lolo, boga, big Judah’s belt, Goodbye Philippines, Mother Rockets, Lolo Thunder, pillbox, Big Bawang, kwiton, kabasi, Atomic Bomb, five star, pla-pla, og, giant whistle bomb, and unlabeled firecrackers.
    As per Republic Act No. 7183 or the law on pyrotechnic devices, persons caught manufacturing, selling, distributing, and purchasing illegal firecrackers may be imprisoned from six months to a year, and may be fined from P20,000 to P30,000.
    The BFP is also encouraging the public to use alternative noisemakers like “torotot” or horns, car or motor honks, banging pot lids, and pan covers as improvised cymbals, tambourines or drums, or play music to welcome the new year. – PNA

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Ilocos school in forest gets internet boost

by Leilanie Adriano

LAOAG CITY – Internet connectivity at the Sideg Elementary School (SES), a rural school located on a hilltop of Paoay’s agro-forested land, got a boost with the installation of a SpaceX-powered satellite dish on Thursday.
    “We are blessed in Sideg for being selected as a beneficiary of Starlink. We no longer need to search for signal and connect to a faster internet downtown whenever we need to pass our digital reports or when our students need to do their research online,” said Arlyn Dumaoal, officer-in-charge of the SES in an interview.
    The school is regarded as the smallest school in the second district of the province in terms of student population as it only has 41 learners from kindergarten to Grade 6.
    Alegado said the improved internet connectivity in their area would result in their competitive advantage while making the teaching-learning process more engaging and fun for them.
    Sourced from the personal funds of Senator Loren Legarda, the satellite dish powered by Starlink Internet, a satellite Internet constellation operated by American aerospace company SpaceX, was installed on one of the rooftops of the school.
Legarda's childhood nanny, "Nanay Fely," hailed from Sideg village.
    “Sideg ES takes pride in having a Nanay Fely who was able to raise a senator like Ma'am Loren. We treasure all these blessings and make it useful for the children,” Madelyne Alegado, who teaches Grade 5 and 6 learners, said.
    Before getting access to Starlink, the school only relied on local telcos for their internet connection.
    Alvin Pascual, sales engineer officer of Data Lake PH, an authorized reseller of Starlink in the Philippines, told the Philippine News Agency that they could just detach the satellite disk and bring it down temporarily for safety during a super typhoon.
    “Latency is 30 milliseconds while the download speed can be up to 500 Mbps (Megabits per second) and upload speed of up to 80 Mbps,” he said as he shared the features of the newly installed Starlink to boost the school's digital connectivity.
Aside from the SES, the Paoay East Elementary School also got the same internet upgrade.
    Both schools also received a total of 90 tablets for selected learners from the senator last Oct. 28, 2023, that they can use during their information and communications technology classes. -- PNA
 

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Ilocos Norte power coop goes after delinquent consumers

By Leilanie Adriano

LAOAG CITY – The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative has started to impose stricter measures against delinquent consumers and has issued around a hundred demand letters to collect from erring clients.
    Acting general manager Cipriano Martinez, in a press conference held at the INEC main branch in Dingras town on Wednesday, said they have to be aggressive in cutting off power connections of delinquent consumers after these were given an ultimatum of three months' notice to be able to settle unpaid bills.
    INEC record shows that the electric cooperative has around PHP28 million unpaid bills every month and Martinez said this will hamper the electric cooperative to provide better services if their financial situation continues to bleed.
    One of those issued with a demand letter is the management of the Laoag City General Hospital (LCGH), which has around PHP5 million credit, including arrears.
    Martinez said they have arrived at a compromise agreement with the City Government of Laoag, and the hospital already paid an initial payment of PHP1 million.

    “We have agreed with Mayor Michael M. Keon because he was instrumental in helping facilitate a compromise agreement with the LCGH management,” he said.
    During the pandemic, the lone power distribution utility here extended the implementation of “no disconnection policy” for displaced workers or low- income households that cannot pay their electricity bills. Other establishments, particularly those involved in public services, were included. – PNA
 

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Scientist raises concerns about unverified probiotic products

By Leilanie Adriano

LAOAG CITY - A scientist from the University of the Philippines - Los Baños has cautioned consumers on the proliferation of health and wellness products that allegedly promote health benefits despite the lack of scientific evidence.
    Dr. Rodney H. Perez, in a presentation at the start of the three-day Asian summit on probiotics and functional foods in Batac City, Ilocos Norte on Monday, said there is danger in consuming these products as these may do the opposite.
    Probiotics is a widely misused term and some manufacturers are exploiting it without meeting the required criteria, the expert from UP’s National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (NIMBB), said.
    Perez enjoined members of the academe and institutional partners to push for a harmonized guideline on the establishment of minimum requirements for a microorganism to be qualified as a probiotic for its efficacy as well as the safety of the consuming public.
    The multi-awarded biotechnologist said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have prescribed guidelines on probiotics in the Philippines but he raised the need for these to be updated, with the help of the academe and the Philippine Society for Probiotics and Functional Foods, Inc. (PhilProFF).
    Perez is a recipient of the Young Asian Biotechnologist Prize from the Society for Biotechnology, Japan (SBJ) in 2021 for his exemplary research in the fields of Food Microbiology, Microbial Technology, and Biotechnology, particularly on bacteriocins. He is the first-ever Filipino to receive this title. -- PNA
 

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Ilocos Norte transport groups: No strike over modernization program

By Leilanie Adriano

LAOAG CITY – Ilocos Norte was strike-free on Thursday as local transport groups did not join the transport strike being staged by Manila-based jeepney drivers and operators because they support the jeepney modernization program.
    General manager of the Metro Ilocos Norte Council (MINC), Athena Nicolette Pilar, confirmed this in an interview on Thursday as public utility vehicle (PUV) operations in the province remained normal based on their latest monitoring.
    "In support of the public transport drivers and operators, we continue to distribute P3,000 worth of fuel subsidy to them,” Pilar said, referring to the fuel subsidy program that was rolled out in October and has benefitted about 15,000 drivers and operators affiliated with the MINC.
    MINC is a department under the provincial government that deals with transportation affairs.
    The annual fuel subsidy program was launched in 2021 and was implemented twice in 2022. The budget is separate from the national government’s Pantawid Pasada Program.
    Aside from the cash assistance, MINC members also have free life insurance coverage, medical coverage, and at least a 10 percent discount on generic medicines. -- PNA
 
 

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Partners leave jobs to start profitable seedling production

By Leilanie Adriano

LAOAG CITY – Two young farmers in Batac City, Ilocos Norte now find fulfillment in being engaged in farming after leaving their respective jobs in 2022.
    Kevin Wayne Baga, 27, and his girlfriend, Ana Cristina Guiang, 26, are owners of KA-Bukid Propagation Farm, which produces seedlings for local farmers to grow. Both are licensed agriculturists who believe that farmers need quality seedlings to maximize the potential of their produce.
    Located just a few meters along the Manila North Road in Sitio Nagabaan, the farm won in the 2021 Young Farmers Challenge Fund program of the Department of Agriculture. Using their P100,000 grand prize as start-up capital, the two set up the seedling nursery within a 2,000-square-meter agricultural lot owned by Kevin’s grandmother.
    Kevin used to work in a private seed company and agri-machinery firm, while Ana taught short-term agriculture courses offered by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
    As both realized seedling propagation needs tender loving care, they took a risk and quit their jobs to pursue a livelihood in agriculture.
    “We never regret our decision because we love our job and we are happy helping our fellow farmers,” Kevin and Ana said in a joint interview with the Philippine News Agency at the KA-Bukid Farm on Monday.
    Like in any enterprise, Ana said one must be “hands-on” to make it work.
    "You need to focus and think of ways how to make it a profitable venture,” she added.
    Aside from serving walk-in clients or joining agri-trade fairs to establish a network with clients, the Ka-Bukid Farm is also active on social media where they post their ready-to-plant seedlings such as tomatoes, eggplant, sweet and hot pepper, papaya, fruit-bearing trees and ornamentals, among others.
    They are also open for reservation, pick up, and delivery as they propagate high-value seedlings all year round. To date, the nursery has a capacity of 1,600 trays. Each tray is sold at PHP250.
    “It is a good business because you just don’t earn for money, you can help farmers too by ensuring that the seedlings they are planting are free from pests and diseases,” Ana said, as cited that the farm has also become a source of sustainable livelihood to their elderly kin Norma Rayosa, 65, and Romula Clemente, 60.
    “Seedling propagation is quite an easy and fulfilling job even for seniors like us,” said Lola Norma as she went about her work in the nursery.
    Both she and Romula sometimes help in harvesting vegetables at the production area as they grow high-value crops.
    With a high demand for quality seedlings among Ilocos farmers, the KA-Bukid Farm plans to expand the nursery to cater to more clients in nearby provinces like Ilocos Sur, Cagayan and Apayao.
    The farm is also being eyed as a learning site for practical agriculture. The process of accreditation with the Agricultural Training Institute is ongoing. -- PNA 
 
 
 

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Council: Issue parking stickers to city PWDs

BAGUIO CITY – The City Council urged the City Mayor’s Office through the Persons with Disability Affairs Office to issue car stickers to be used by persons with disabilities (PWDs) for parking in the city.
    Under resolution 706, series of 2023, councilors stated PWDs, like normal people also use cars to for their mobility in their daily activities and to transact businesses with government and private offices such as going to work, buying family essential needs, medical check-up, among others, thus, all PWDs who own vehicles should be provided or issued with their corresponding identification number by the local government through the PDAO.
    During the recent Senior Citizens Official for a Day (SCOFAD) session, the SCOFAD Council adapted the proposal of SCOFAD Councilor Estella M. Florendo urging he City Mayor’s Office through the PDAO to issue car stickers to be used by PWDs for parking their vehicles.
    The council said rights and privileges of PWDs are stipulated under Republic Act  9442 or the Magna Carta for Disabled persons and for other purposes and other special laws such as Batas Pambansa Bilang 344 or Accessibility Law for the welfare and protection of PWDs as they integrate themselves into society.
    Section 2 of Batas Pambansa Bilang 344 states in case of public conveyance, devices such as prominent display of posters or stickers shall be used to generate public awareness of the rights of the disabled and foster understanding of their special needs.
    The body said issuance of car stickers to PWDs owning motor vehicles will allow them to easily attend to their desired daily activities and transact business with government and private offices with ease because people managing parking areas in the city can recognize them and lead them to their designated parking slots for PWDs.
 

 Ilocos Norte bikers required to wear high-visibility vests at night

By Leilanie Adriano

LAOAG CITY – The Ilocos Norte police announced Wednesday that starting Dec. 16, all drivers and riders of motorcycles and bicycles will be required to wear high visibility vests when passing through the national highway and all provincial, city/municipal, and village roads within the province at night.
    This is under Provincial Ordinance No. 046-2023 passed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan in July to minimize road accidents by ensuring visibility and road safety.
    "For now, motorists and their backriders are given until Dec. 16 to obtain their own reflectorized vests. Those who are unable to use reflectorized vests after Dec. 16 will be fined,” Col. Julius Suriben, provincial director of the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office, said in a media interview.

To ensure the strict implementation of the ordinance and avoid penalties for would-be violators, a massive information drive is ongoing in the province.

The ordinance, which also covers electric bicycles or e-bikes, tricycles, "kurong-kurong" (makeshift sidecar) and farm machinery, will be in force between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. daily and when visibility is poor due to bad weather.

The provincial administrator, in cooperation with the municipality and barangay local government units, will work together with the Philippine National Police and the Land Transportation Office to deputize apprehending officers.

The corresponding penalties for violators range from P500 to P1,500 for the first, second, and third offenses or its equivalent community service from three to seven days.

Data obtained from the Ilocos Norte police showed a total of 222 road mishaps from Jan. 1 to Dec. 6 this year.

Suriben said most of the accidents were caused by “human error” such as miscalculation, reckless driving, driving under the influence of liquor, over-speeding, and overtaking.

While making an effort to strengthen the ethics and education of drivers, the Ilocos Norte police hope that there will be fewer vehicular traffic incidents after the ordinance is fully implemented.

As of this posting, many tricycle drivers are already seen wearing high-visibility vests along the national highway. -- PNA

 

 

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Ilocos Norte top teachers cited in Bannuar Awards

By Leilanie Adriano

LAOAG CITY – An educator who champions the use of information and communications technology (ICT) led nine other Ilocos Norte teachers as this year’s Bannuar Awards winners.
    Marc Paul Calzada was a teacher of Sarrat National High School (SNHS) when he initiated Project STAR (Strengthening Teachers’ Aptness Skills) in 2021 to empower educators in utilizing ICT tools to teach their students online because of the pandemic.
    He also initiated the implementation of Project Sarrat National High School in Action for Robotics, Research and Advanced Technology. It helped four SNHS learners bag three major awards in the 2021 World Robot Games, participated in by 28 teams from different countries.
    One of the students' innovations is the A.C. BOT (After-Covid Robot), a walking machine that automatically dispenses alcohol for disinfection and comes with a dust bin and an automatic night lamp.
Calzada transferred to Mariano Marcos State University this year, specifically at the College of Teacher Education.
    The other winners in the annual service awards for outstanding educators are Rafael Simeon of the Piddig National High School, Rowel Alexander Ross Orocero of Darayday Elementary School, Mirasol Rosete of Badoc South Central School SPED Center, Rolando Esteban of Caruan Elementary School, Alvin Jay Bancud of Saud Elementary School-Badoc District, Richard Ian Bert Bolosan of Cadaratan National High School, Junel Corpuz of Ilocos Norte National High School, Maria Suerte Fontanilla of     Libnaoan Elementary School, and Gilbert Isla of Ferdinand E. Marcos Senior High School.
    This service award recognizes and rewards Ilocano teachers for their “heroic deeds, exemplary works, innovative ideas, inventions, discoveries, superior accomplishments, commendable behavior, extraordinary acts in the public interest, and other personal efforts contributing to efficiency, economy, and improvement in government operations which lead to organizational productivity.”
    Nominees should have a length of service of at least five consecutive years in the teaching profession; have consistently performed high quality of work; have exhibited a high degree of professionalism; possess a performance rating of at least Very Satisfactory in the last five performance rating periods prior to nomination; have morality and integrity both in public and private life; have not been suspended, charged, or found guilty of any administrative, criminal, or civil offense/case; and have completed academic requirements for Master’s degree.
    The awardees received PHP30,000 each, a plaque of recognition, and a gold medallion during the awarding ceremony on Tuesday, according to Dany Daquioag, chair of the board of assessors.
    The program was sponsored by the Energy Development Corporation (EDC) in partnership with the provincial government.
    “We are grateful for this opportunity to be a part of this initiative to recognize our hardworking teachers who go above and beyond their call of duty,” Maria Nancy Ibuna, EDC corporate relations head, said.
    Ibuna pointed out that while the company continues to advocate for the shift to clean and renewable energy, education plays a key role in equipping future generations with the skills and knowledge to become champions of the environment.
    Like in the previous year, the Bannuar awardees committed to advocate environment protection and preservation in support of the government and EDC’s flagship reforestation program called Binhi (Seed), which aims to promote native and endemic trees in Northern Luzon. 
 

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Ilocos Norte bags 2nd ‘Seal of good local governance’

By Mariell J. Pahinag

LAOAG CITY -- The provincial government of Ilocos Norte was honored with second Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) award from the Dept. of the Interior and Local Government in recognition of its dedication to transparency and accountability in public governance.
    The SGLG is a program that rewards and recognizes local government units (LGUs) dedicated to enhancing their performance continually, aiming for progress and growth.
    The 10 performance areas stipulated by the SGLG underwent thorough evaluation, encompassing local governance indicators covering financial administration and sustainability, disaster preparedness, social protection and sensitivity, health compliance and responsiveness, sustainable education, safety, peace and order, business-friendliness and competitiveness, environmental management, tourism, heritage development, and culture, arts, and youth development.
    The SGLG recognition reflects the provincial government's collective effort toward accountable and transparent governance, demonstrating ongoing dedication to better serve the people of Ilocos Norte, more so, it highlights Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc’s commitment to enhancing the governance standards in Ilocos Norte.
    The LGU awardees of the 2023 Seal of Good Local Governance (SGLG) award will be granted with incentive fund subsidy aimed at supporting their "high-impact" projects within their respective localities, aligning with the national development agenda as established under Republic Act 11292, also known as the SGLG Act of 2019.
    Aside from the provincial government, the towns of Bacarra, Marcos, Pasuquin, Pinili, and Solsona also received SGLG awards under the municipal categories.
    In 2014 and 2015, PGIN achieved the Good Financial Housekeeping Certification from SGLG. Subsequently, in 2016, Ilocos Norte received its first SGLG award.
    The awardees among the 28 provinces, 64 cities, and 401 municipalities will receive the prestigious award on Dec. 13 and 14.
 

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Solar tech ups salt produce in Ilocos village

By Leilanie Adriano

LAOAG CITY – A dying salt farming tradition is making a comeback in the coastal village of Saoit in Burgos, Ilocos Norte with a renewed effort to bring solar energy to the salt flats.
    In the olden times, salt farmers here worked under the scorching heat of the sun to produce salt from briny tidal water. However, most of them barely earned enough to support their families.
    Larry Baniaga, president of the Burgos Salt Makers Association, said there is a rising demand for solar salt in the food processing industry as well as for chemical and water treatment industries, and they are optimistic that using the technology could change their lives for the better.
    He told the Philippine News Agency in a phone interview on Wednesday that they are thankful for the collaborative effort of various government agencies such as the Department of Science and Technology, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University and the local government units of Burgos and Ilocos Norte for helping them to rise above poverty while ensuring a more sustainable and environment-friendly alternative method of salt production.
    Following their recent training on solar sea salt production using high-density polyethylene, Baniaga said their salt production has become more competitive in the market.
    “It is cleaner and of better quality than before,” said Baniaga as he noted that the solar drying method is more economical and eco-friendly than the traditional cooking method where they have to gather wood from the mountains to cook salt.
    In Barangays Saoit and Pagali alone, Baniaga said they can produce an average of 15 tons of salt weekly. The current price of salt is pegged at PHP35 per kilo or PHP1,500 per sack at 50 kilograms. The peak of salt production is from March to June.
    “Our salt production, though it is seasonal, is a big help for us as an alternative source of income,” said Baniaga as most of the villagers depend on farming and fishing.
    To enhance the production and supply of salt in the salt-producing towns of Ilocos Norte, the Ilocos Norte government and its partner agencies inked a memorandum of understanding on March 3, 2023 for the "One ASIN" (Accelerating Salt Innovation in Region 1) project at the Regional Freshwater Aquaculture Technology Demonstration Center (RFATDeC) in Paoay, Ilocos Norte.
    The project aims to boost the livelihood of salt makers, particularly in the towns of Currimao, Badoc, Pasuquin, Vintar, Pinili, and Burgos who received almost PHP2 million worth of assistance to improve their products. 
 
 
 

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Manila North Road in Pagudpud impassable due to major landslides

LANDSLIDES and rockslides hit the Manila North Road at Pancian village in Pagudpud town, Ilocos Norte hampering mobility among travelers. (Photo courtesy of the DPWH-Ilocos)

By John Michael Mugas 

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte—A portion of a national highway in Pagudpud town in Ilocos Norte province has been closed to motorists on Sunday, Dec. 3, due to “major” landslides, the regional Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said.
In an advisory, the DPWH said that a part of the Manila North Road traversing Pancian village has been “closed to traffic due to major slides” after the town has been experiencing intermittent rainy conditions this week.
    The provincial government said in a separate advisory on Sunday that the “continuous landslide and falling of rocks” caused the portion of the road to be not passable to “all types of vehicles.”
    Pancian village chairperson Jessie Lagundino, in a radio interview, said that the series of landslides spanned at least 15 meters.
    Clearing operations were still ongoing, the DPWH said.
    The Manila North Road is a major access point to most parts of Cagayan Valley and the Ilocos region.

This portion of the national highway often faces road closures due to rock and landslides especially in times of inclement weather.

In January, a government proposal was floated that a second viaduct could be constructed in the area to ease the worries of travelers and to ensure their safety while traveling the portion as well.

 

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Ilocos Norte gov gives Capitol workers X’mas, birthday treat

By Leilanie Adriano

LAOAG CITY – Ilocos Norte Gov. Matthew Joseph Manotoc wore his Santa hat on Thursday as he treated Capitol workers to a free lunch.
    This has been an annual tradition for the governor, both as a Christmas and birthday treat. He is turning 35 years old on Dec. 9.
    The free lunch program started when he was still a provincial board member of Ilocos Norte and has been carried out until now that he is governor.
    Manotoc reassured the over 600,000 residents of Ilocos Norte that no one would go hungry in the province under his administration.
    “As your governor, I want to let you know that I am here to support you in the best way I can,” he said. -- PNA
 

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Ilocos region’s November inflation drops to 2.9%

By Hilda Austria

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – The Ilocos region posted a slight drop in the rate of price increases in November.
    In a statement issued Thursday, Philippine Statistics Authority chief administrative officer Camille Carla Beltran said the region’s month-on-month inflation rate eased to 2.9 percent last month from 3.7 percent in October, primarily influenced by the considerable decrease in the indices of food and non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages, tobacco, clothing and footwear, furnishings, household equipment, and routine household.
    She, however, observed an increase in the prices of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels while the rest of the commodity groups retained their previous month's inflation rates or had zero percent annual growth.
    Beltran said Ilocos’ food index decreased to 7.5 percent in November from 9.3 percent in the previous month.
    The inflation trend in November of fish and other seafood was at 11.7 percent; oils and fats at -0.2 percent; vegetables, tubers, cooking bananas, and pulses at -0.3 percent; and sugar, confectionery, and desserts at -2.9 percent while fruits and nuts retained their inflation rate at 14.6 percent.
    Pangasinan posted the highest inflation rate with 3.9 percent, followed by La Union with 3.7 percent.
    Meanwhile, Ilocos Norte recorded 0.7 percent inflation and Ilocos Sur, -0.3 percent annual growth.
    Year on year, all provinces recorded lower inflation rates, she added. -- PNA

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Three dead in Ilocos drowning incidents

.By John Michael Mugas

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte — Three people died in separate drowning incidents Nov. 19, in Ilocos region.
Reports from the Police Regional Office-1 showed victims were from Ilocos Sur and Pangasinan provinces.
    In Pangasinan, police said John Paul Mislang, 5, drowned in a pool at a resort in Polong, Buggallon town, while swimming with his relatives.
    Responding personnel tried to revive the boy, but he was declared dead on arrival in a local hospital.
    Also in Pangasinan, the body of John Jomar Nepacena, 17, from Dagupan City, was found floating in a river traversing Malaued village.
    Police said Nepacena disappeared on Nov. 17 when he and his friends went swimming at a river in Quisban village.
    In Ilocos Sur, Mary Jessel Gabor, 3, also drowned while swimming in a river in Lidlidda town.
Investigators said a resident saw the body of Gabor floating in the river, which prompted him to rescue the child.
Gabor was brought to a hospital but was declared dead on arrival. 

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Ilocos Norte MSMEs receive livelihood kits

LIVELIHOOD KIT -- Local entrepreneurs receive livelihood kits in Laoag City Nov. 8. To avail of the aid, recipients have to undergo business seminars to sustain their livelihood. (Photo courtesy of DTI Ilocos Norte)

Entrepreneurship

Leilanie Adriano 

LAOAG CITY – Ilocos Norte micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) affected by Typhoon Egay last July have been identified to receive livelihood kits worth PHP5,000 each.
    Under the Department of Trade and Industry’s economic recovery-targeted program “Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa,” the MSMEs are allocated sugarcane processing, food service, food processing, school supplies, barber shop, tailoring, furniture-making and dry goods retailing kits. 
    "Prior to receiving the livelihood recovery kits, the recipients have to undergo entrepreneurial seminar or business continuity training to capacitate them and be able to generate higher sales as they resume business,” Maricor Racela, senior trade industry development specialist and trade promotions officer of DTI locos Norte, said in an interview Friday.
    The first batch, composed of 128 stakeholders from this city, received their livelihood kits on Wednesday. 
    The second and third batches are scheduled to receive their kits on Nov. 21 and 22 at the provincial capitol auditorium.
    Previous beneficiary Nora dela Cruz of Barangay Cabungaan, Laoag City told the Philippine News Agency Friday that she produced more after obtaining a means to improve her source of livelihood. 
    With the help of the DTI and other government agencies, Dela Cruz’ sugarcane juice food products, specifically different variants of vinegars such as plain sukang iloco (llocos vinegar), suka with sili (spicy vinegar), and basi, are best sellers during trade fairs.
    “I am so thankful to the DTI for helping me grow as a small-time entrepreneur,” Dela Cruz said, adding that she gained confidence because of the guidance of the DTI in developing and bringing her products before a wider market.
Since 2017, DTI has been offering free coaching and mentoring programs to Ilocos Norte entrepreneurs.
    Known as the Kapatid Mentor Me, the program aims to guide MSMEs scale up their businesses through 10 weeks of one-on-one, module-based consultations and coaching sessions with business experts to help them become globally competitive enterprises.

Akin to a “big brother-small brother” concept, the program allows mentees to learn strategies on marketing, financial, human resource, and operation management, among others.

On the 11th week, the MSMEs are required to present their business development plans before graduating from the program. -- PNA

 

 

 

 

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2.4K Ilocanos sign up for Laoag affordable housing

By Leilanie Adriano 

LAOAG CITY – About 2,400 individuals on Thursday signed up to avail of the low-cost housing project of the city government here and a property developer which is eyed to break ground in Barangay 31 Talingan this December with an initial 600 units.
    Baltazar Acapuyan Adra, 55, single, of Barangay Magnuang in Batac City, Ilocos Norte, and a former utility worker in the municipality of Paoay, in an interview Thursday, said that as soon as he learned about the implementation of the national government’s Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) program in Laoag, he immediately inquired about it and signed up for the needed documents on the same day.
    “This is a good opportunity for me and my mother to have a house on our own,” Adra said, citing that the minimum P2,500 monthly amortization of the housing unit is within his budget.
    Miguel Puig, marketing officer of El Sands Residences, the property developer, told the Philippine News Agency that applicants would be assessed if they were qualified to avail of the program.

“Even low-income earners can avail of the program since the government, through the Pag-IBIG Fund, is giving a 5 percent subsidy to eligible applicants of the housing unit, which is payable in 30 years,” he said.

Launched in September 2022, the 4PH program is a government housing program being implemented by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development in collaboration with other government agencies to address some 6.5 million housing backlogs for the poor.

"I am very happy that we are the first in the entire region to implement this initiative of our beloved President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr.,” Laoag City Mayor Michael M. Keon said Wednesday following the signing of a memorandum of agreement with EL Construction & Development Group, Inc., the contractor and developer of the 106,000 square meter property in Talingaan village, which will be soon called EL Sands Residences.

The European-style housing project will be comprised of a total of 4,600 units spread across 46 five-story buildings, with each floor accommodating 20 units. -- PNA

 

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DAR rolls out mobile debt condonation desk in Ilocos

DEBT CONDONATION – Dept. of Agrarian Reform-Ilocos Norte personnel examine documents submitted by farmers in Barangay Pasaleng, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte Nov. 6, for validation of landholdings subject for condonation of agrarian debt. DAR is rolling out a condonation response desk to facilitate issuance of condonation certificates to eligible beneficiaries. (Photo courtesy of DAR Ilocos Norte)

By Leilanie Adriano 

LAOAG CITY – A mobile condonation response desk is being rolled out in Ilocos Norte to reach out to around 149 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and help in facilitating the condonation of their debts incurred decades ago.

    On Tuesday, a team from the Dept. of Agrarian Reform-Ilocos Norte was in Badoc town to validate existing landholdings awarded to farmers that may qualify for the condonation of debts and amortization under Republic Act (RA) 11953 or the New Agrarian Emancipation Act (NAEA).
    Vic Ines, provincial agrarian reform officer of DAR-Ilocos Norte, said same team was in Pagudpud town Nov. 6 for the same purpose.
    “We hope to finish the validation fast and be ready for issuance of a certificate of condonation to farmer-beneficiaries as soon as possible,” he said.
    He said some of these debts, which included property taxes and surcharges, were incurred during the time of the former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., thus members of the condonation response desk are cross checking the information with a team from the Land Bank of the Philippines.
    There are 25,442 certificate of land ownership award holders in Ilocos Norte.
    After qualifying for the NAEA, Herman Ramos, president of the Pasaleng Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries in Barangay Pasaleng, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, said the loan condonation eases the burden of going to and from the bank to pay their long overdue debts.
    “We are so thankful to our President Bongbong Marcos (Jr.) for condoning our debts with Landbank,” he said in the dialect.
    He added that they can now focus more on improving their landholdings instead of thinking how they can afford to pay their debts and other surcharges in the bank.
    NAEA, signed into law last July, condones all loans, including interests, penalties, and surcharges incurred by ARBs from land awarded to them under voluntary land transfer or direct payment schemes.
    Under the law, about 610,054 ARBs are expected to benefit from the law and would help the government attain its bid for food security.
    The condonation covers an estimated 1.173 million hectares of land, with an estimated P57.55 billion in unpaid amortizations. It also ordered the outright condonation of the principal loan amounting to P14.5 billion. -- PNA
 

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Magdalena Gamayo: Weaving through years

 Weaving

LIVING TREASURE -- Magdalena Gamayo, 99, a National Living Treasure awardee is gifted with fiesta-themed party nuocal officials and her community in Lumbaan, Pinili, Ilocos Norte during her recent birthday. -- Leilanie G. Adriano/PNA

Leilanie Adriano

LAOAG CITY – At 99, Magdalena Gamayo, the grandmother of handwoven cloth Abel Iloko, continues to weave the finest inabel textiles with a very high thread count and intricate designs that sometimes can take up to five colors.
    Every day, her local community in the farming village of Lumbaan, Pinili, Ilocos Norte, where she taught the traditional art of inabel, would see her work on her loom just like a kid playing with her favorite toy.
    “Weaving fascinated me very much,” Gamayo said in an interview Monday, ahead of her trip to Metro Manila this week in time for her month-long exhibit at the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Gallery inside Intramuros, Manila.
    Her original artworks, along with the works of over 30 National Living Treasure Awardees, will be shown to the public free of charge.
    The project is headed by Edwin Antonio, chair of the Northern Cultural Communities of the NCCA, and with materials curated and written by Bernard Joseph Esposo Guererro, a textile consultant and cultural worker. Both experts hail from Ilocos Norte.
    Gamayo’s exhibit, dubbed "Inubon a Dayaw (String of Honor), will showcase her journey as the oldest national living treasure in the country.
    In 2012, the Philippine government recognized her as National Living Treasure awardee, catapulting her to a rank similar to national artist.
    This recognition, according to Nana Dalen (as Gamayo is fondly called), has changed her life including the local weavers whom she trained and are still training up to this date.
    “Age has not withered her away. More than anything, she has never been as passionate as she has been now in safeguarding the tradition,” said Guererro, as he underscored that the exhibit is not for profit but to realize Gamayo’s desire that the weaving tradition should never be lost for the appreciation of the future generations.
    Gamayo said she enjoys her craft from beginning to end, transforming a natural fiber into a work of art.
    In the olden times, textiles were produced not for fashion but for practical reasons. If not for shirts and dresses, these are used to make blankets.
    None of Gamayo’s older works survive largely due to an essential Ilocano practice.
    “I have seen so many people dear to me going ahead, and often I feel that it is my responsibility to gift each of them blankets for them to use in the afterlife,” she said.
    Among Ilocanos, blankets happen to be the most important “paba-on”, or parting gift, to be given to the dead.
    As Gamayo hails from a remote village, Guerrero said "Gamayo’s talents have not been realized and recognized as early as they should have been as she had been enormously overshadowed by weavers closer to the center who have better opportunities to make their work more accessible.”
    “That, however, may have worked to Gamayo’s advantage as it only meant that her craft was untainted by outside influences; therefore, keeping her artwork, style, and philosophy in their purest forms,” he said.
    Luckily, Gamayo’s October 2023 exhibit will showcase all her original artworks, at least three of which are her oldest living works and exclusively for visitor’s eyes only, Guererro added. -- PNA
 
 

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3 Ilocos Norte bets face vote buying charges

 By Leilanie Adriano

LAOAG CITY – Police filed  three cases against Ilocos Norte candidates running for village posts for alleged vote buying before the Commission on Elections office here Monday.

    “We have received so many reports of vote buying and, so far, there are three complaints that we have filed to the Comelec,” Police Col. Julius Suriben, Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office director, told journalists in an interview.
    He said two of the charges are from this city while the other is from Piddig town.
    “All reports and complaints on vote buying are properly acted upon if you help us gather and provide [pieces of] evidence,” he said, noting that they have received around 10 election-related violations to date, with the other still under investigation.
    To speed up the filing of cases, Suriben urged the public to direct their complaints related to the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections to the nearest police station instead of posting on social media.
    “We have deployed quick reaction teams to verify and evaluate all reports that we received, even if sometimes we feel that some of these are just diversion(ary) tactics or they are just trying to mislead the police,” he said.
    “This election is so far the most peaceful and we hope this continues until the election is over,” Suriben said.
    Since the start of the filing of certificate of candidacy last August 28, the Ilocos Norte police has deployed at least 25 quick reaction teams to respond in case of emergency while security personnel have been deployed in areas of election concern.
    Of the 559 villages in Ilocos Norte, the Comelec has recorded a total of 3,319 aspirants, 442,385 registered regular voters and 142,082 SK voters.
    However, some villages in Batac City and Vintar town, among others, do not have candidates running for the position of Sangguniang Kabataan chairman and council members.
    On Monday, at least two police officers have been assigned per polling center, manning at least 50 meters away to the polling precinct.     They were issued handheld radios in case the polling places have no communication signal.
    Meanwhile, Senator Ma. Imelda “Imee” Marcos, after casting her vote at the Cabeza Elementary School, reiterated her call to extend the terms of Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan officials for up to five to six years since the government continues to extend it nonetheless.
    “What we always do is to extend their terms so it would be better if we revisit the law and extend their term by five to six years,” she said.
    “For the SK, we should think of a system wherein there will only be one representative per barangay,” she added.
Marcos is the first national chairman of the Kabataang Barangay, which was created in 1975 and is aimed to give the youth an opportunity to express their views and representation. — PNA
 

 

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Ilocos electric coop sets road clearing to address power failures

By Leilanie Adriano

LAOAG CITY – The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative, Inc. (INEC) said it will coordinate with the local government units for the conduct of major road clearing operations to address power interruptions in the province.

    This, after power was again temporarily cut at around 7 a.m. on Nov. 1 and affected the whole town of Banna, except Barangay Barbarangay; Nueva Era; Marcos, except Barangays Imelda, Mabuti, Lydia, Pacifico and Valdez; as well as some villages in Pinili and Badoc.
    Power supply was restored after an hour.
“    The power interruption was caused by a leaning bamboo tree at (the) three phase-primary line at Sitio Saranay in Barangay Caribquib, Banna,” INEC said in a social media post on Wednesday.
    Last Oct. 30, several election precincts in this city as well as parts of neighboring Sarrat town also experienced emergency power interruption during the counting of votes due to bird electrocution.
     In a week’s time, electric consumers in almost all parts of the 21 towns and two cities of the province would complain of frequent power interruptions in their social media posts, affecting their daily chores as well as businesses.
 INEC acting general manager Cipriano Martinez earlier told journalists power interruptions were due to absence of road clearing operations.
     “So, this time, we plan to have a one-time, big-time road clearing in all areas of the province,” he said.
    Martinez said the road clearing operation, targeted to be done within a month, will be coordinated with the local government units to get augmentation both for heavy equipment and manpower if necessary.
    He also appealed to the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) to speed up the upgrading works in Ilocos Norte to address recurring power interruptions, affecting both the first and second districts of the province.
    Martinez also asked NGCP to limit power interruptions during the corrective maintenance works to not more than six hours, and to inform the electric cooperative at least a month before the implementation of maintenance works for the latter to have enough time to inform its member-consumers to make the necessary adjustments. — PNA
 

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