Ilocos Norte News

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Province of Ilocos Norte - Archived News

Wars of ancient history were about possessions, territory, power, control, family, betrayal, lover's quarrel, politics and sometimes religion.

But we are in the Modern era and supposedly more educated and enlightened .

Think about this. Don't just brush off these questions.

  • Why is RELIGION still involved in WARS? Isn't religion supposed to be about PEACE?
  • Ask yourself; What religion always campaign to have its religious laws be accepted as government laws, always involved in wars and consistently causing WARS, yet insists that it's a religion of peace?

WHY??

There are only two kinds of people who teach tolerance:
  1. The Bullies. They want you to tolerate them so they can continue to maliciously deprive you. Do not believe these bullies teaching tolerance, saying that it’s the path to prevent hatred and prejudice.
  2. The victims who are waiting for the right moment to retaliate. They can’t win yet, so they tolerate.
Ilocos norte capitol 01.jpgIlocos Norte Provincial Capitol

Dietary supplement is a product that contains vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, enzymes, and/or other ingredients intended to supplement the diet. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has special labeling requirements for dietary supplements and treats them as foods, not drugs.

Manufacturers and distributors of dietary supplements and dietary ingredients are prohibited from marketing products that are adulterated or misbranded. That means that these firms are responsible for evaluating the safety and labeling of their products before marketing to ensure that they meet all the requirements of DSHEA and FDA regulations.

Intensity 4 tremor hits Northern Luzon

An intensity 4 earthquake hit Ilocos Norte and its nearby areas this Saturday noon but no damages to either life or property was reported by the Phippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) based in Sinait.

Local Phivolcs Rerearcher Porferio De Peralta said that the tremor registered a magnitude of 5.2 on the ritcher scale. It occurred at 12:46

p.m. with epicenter located at 48 kilometers northwest of Calayan, Cagayan.

Intensity 4 was felt in Pasuquin and Sarrat towns and Laoag City; all in Ilocos Norte; and intensity 1 in Sinait, Ilocos Sur. He said that the tremor was tectonic in origin.

Food poisoning downs 5 children

LAOAG CITY, Philippines – Five children were hospitalized due to separate food poisoning incidents in two barangays in Piddig, Ilocos Norte last Thursday.

Police identified the first two victims as James Lee Francisco, 2; and his sister Anna Nicole Francisco; both residents in Barangay Maruaya, Piddig town. The two children were rushed to Piddig District Hospital when they both felt unconscious a few hours after eating chicken ginger stew with green papaya (tinolang manok).

Police named the other three victims as RJ Agustin, 6; Mae Agustin, 4, and Baby Jane Agustin, 3; all residents from Barangay Estancia, Piddig, Ilocos Norte.

The three children were also rushed to Piddig District Hospital and were later transferred to Governor Roque Ablan Sr Memorial Hospital in Laoag City when they experienced stomach pain and vomiting after eating home-made bagoong (fish paste).

It was reported that the five children were already out of danger and were ready to go home after their medical treatment.

Bacarra town vice mayor arrested

CAMP JUAN, Ilocos Norte – Joint operatives from Ilocos Norte and San Mateo, Rizal province arrested last Wednesday Bacarra town Vice Mayor Pacifico Velasco in Barangay Ampil, San Mateo, Rizal, due to alleged violation of the anti-graft law.

Superintendent Carlito Briones, San Mateo town chief of police, said that Vice Mayor Velasco was arrested by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by the Third Division of the Sandiganbayan for violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Velasco was arrested while he was exiting the Greenland Subdivision in Barangay Ampil, San Mateo, Rizal.

Briones said that Velasco was immediately turned over to the Sandiganbayan Third Division after his mugshots and finger prints were taken.

Study shows Mindanao flooding may happen in Ilocos cities, towns

LAOAG CITY- An environment official agrees that the devastating floods in Mindanao could happen in this city and in outlying towns because of their similarities in topography.

Juan de los Reyes, provincial environment and natural resources officer, said a flood mapping conducted by the University of the Philippines’ National Institute of Geological Science (UP-NIGS) is closely similar to a geo-hazard mapping that the Environmental Management Bureau prepared.

Based on the study of UP geologists, Ilocos cities including Laoag, Vigan and Alaminos are shown to be vulnerable to disastrous floods because their topography is similar to Iligan and Cagayan de Oro.

In its website http://nababaha.com/, the UP-NIGS flood hazard mapping showed low to high flooding risks in some villages in Laoag that run parallel to the Padsan River.

Similar flooding intensities ranging from .1 meter to 1.5 meters-deep were noted in neighboring Bacarra town where villages straddle the Bislak River.

UP geologists made use of flood simulations using rainfall brought by storm Ondoy in September, 2009. Using the Flo2d or a Federal Emergency Management Agency-approved flood routing application software, the UP-NIGS came out with flood hazard maps to alert local governments on how they could chart local emergency response and urban planning.

“These hazard maps are indicative inundation maps for large flood events and useful only for knowing where not to be during extremely heavy rainfall. These hazard maps are only as good as the topographic map base that was used in the flood simulation,” the UP-NIGS website said.

Meanwhile, De Los Reyes said a geo-hazard map that the EMB prepared showed Laoag villages namely La Paz, Tanguid, San Joaquin, San Leonardo and San Antonio as susceptible to flooding. Other towns with similar condition include Piddig, Solsona, Dingras, Marcos, Bangui and Dumalneg.

“Being low-lying areas, surface water run-off automatically drains in these towns while excess water flow there before they finally exit to the seas,” he said.

De los Reyes also blames silted rivers and creeks as contributory to flooding.

The DENR has already issued hazard maps to local governments to prepare them before the typhoon season sets in.

The maps contain a list of towns prone to flooding and landslides and include useful tips on disaster-preparedness and important contact names and numbers of authorities that residents could ask for help.

“What is important is dry running for actual disasters. We need people to be informed now because disasters could happen in unexpected moments,” de los Reyes said.

Tagalog news: Mas maayos na pamamahala, mas pinaigting na seguridad sa Laoag City

LAOAG CITY- Para sa mas maayos na pagpapatupad ng lokal na pamahalaan sa seguridad sa loob ng kanilang mga tanggapan, ang Laoag City ay nagpatupad ng pagbibigay ng ID passes sa lahat ng bibisita at papasok sa loob ng kanyang tanggapan.

Ito ay bahagi ng mas maayos na pamamahala ng lokal na pamahalaan sa kanilang mga tanggapan at pakikiisa sa panukala ng nasyunal na gobyerno ukol sa pagsasaayos ng sistema sa mga tanggapan ng gobyerno.

Ayon sa nagpanukala ni Ret. PNP C/Supt. Florentino O. Dumlao, kasalukuyang pangulo ng CSU sa Laoag, ito ay bahagi din daw ng pag-apula sa krimen at pag-iwas sa mga hinihinalang kriminal na maaaring magdulot ng kapahamakan sa mga opisyal at mga empleyado sa loob ng tanggapan.

“Kinokontrol nito ang pagkakaroon ng mga posibleng criminal o masasamang loob na pumapasok sa tanggapan ng city hall, bukod pa dito, namomonitor natin ang pagpasok at paglabas ng mga tao na bumibisita sa loob, nalalaman din natin mismo ang kanilang pakay” paliwanag ni Dumalo.

Bukod sa mga empleyado at mga opisyales sa loob ng Laoag city hall, napaghahandaan din dito ang seguridad ng mga turistang bibisita sa siyudad lalong-lalo na sa mga turistang may ‘business appointment’ sa mga lokal na tanggapan ng Laoag.

Sa pagpapaigting ng seguridad sa loob ng Laoag city hall, mas nabawasan ang mga taong kahina-hinala ayon sa mga security ng CSU. Mas madali din daw para sa kanila na makilala ang mga ito dahil sa mga iprinepresentang mga ID para sa kanilang pagkakakilanlan.

“Mas maayos ngayon ang transakyon dito, kung may nawawalang gamit o ano pa man, mas madali naming nalalaman kung sino ang aming suspek na pupuntahan, kumpara noon na sa CCTV camera, nakikilala lang namin ang papasok sa pamamagitan ng mukha, kahit alam namin ang mukha hindi naman naming masiguro ang pangalan nila” dagdag pa ni Jennifer Ramos ng CSU.

Ang bawat ‘entry point’ ngayon sa tanggapang lokal ng pamahalaan ng Laoag City ay may nakatalagang mga security ng Civil Security Unit (CSU) para sa masinsinang pagpapatupad sa nasabing seguridad.

Natuwa naman si Mayor Michael V. Farinas sa panukalang ito, bilang pagpapaigting sa seguridad sa kanyang mga tauhan at mas maayos na pagpapalakad ng lokal na pamahalaan sa kanilang mga tanggapan.

Responsible mining is the way to go – DENR

LAOAG CITY- “We shouldn’t close our doors to mining. If minerals are not tapped, we would not have the necessary products, tools and equipment used in our daily lives.”

Juan de los Reyes, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources officer, said instead of a total mining ban, the government must ensure the compliance of mining companies to responsible mining.

“If mining is illegal, then that is destructive. But if companies observe responsible mining, then the government and the people will benefit from it,” he said.

De Los Reyes said mining companies go through a long process before they are issued permits. The approval does not come from the government alone.

“A multi-partite monitoring group ensures that companies will observe mitigating measures including rehabilitation of mountains and lands after the mining contract has ended, “ he said.

In Ilocos Norte, for example, the province is rich in chromite (used for the production of steel products), feldspar (for porcelain), copper and gold.

De los Reyes said before companies could proceed exploring or extracting minerals, they need to secure the approval of indigenous peoples where the minerals are found, clearance from the barangay and local government unit and other stakeholders.

He said the DENR also ensures that mining is confined only in areas declared as mineralized area so that indiscriminate mining will be avoided.

At present, only two mining companies are conducting small-scale mining operations in the towns of Pasuquin (for feldspar) and Nueva Era (for magnetite sand).

The DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau, community leaders and other stakeholders ensure that the companies complied with regulations before they were granted permits to operate.

Quake rocks Calayan Group of Islands

The Calayan Group of Islands was rocked by a 5.5 magnitude earthquake at 12:36 a.m. Sunday.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismoloy (Phivolcs) did not raise a tsunami warning following the earthquake.

Intensity 3 tremors were felt in Laoag City, Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte and Santa Praxedes, Cagayan.

No damages or injuries have been reported, but Philvolcs warned there may be aftershocks.

Tagalog News: Libreng hatid-sundo sa ‘Sirib bus’ sa Laoag Int’l Airport

LAOAG CITY- Hindi na mahihirapan o magpoproblema pa ang mga turista na walang sasakyan na susundo sa pagdating nila sa Laoag International Airport sa Ilocos Norte.

Ito ay dahil mayroon ng isang ‘Sirib Bus’ (‘Wise Bus) na itinalaga si Gobernador Imee Marcos na magseserbisyo sa kanilang pagdating sa nasabing paliparan.

Sinabi ni Lily Palafox ng Provincial Tourism Office na ito ay kasama sa kampanya sa turismo ng gobernador upang makapaghikayat ng mas maraming turista sa lalawigan.

“Marami kasi sa mga dumarating na turista ay walang sumusundo sa Laoag International Airport. Nagiging problema nila kung ano ang sasakyan palabas ng paliparan, lalo na sa gabi,” paliwanag ni Palafox.

Mayroong mga pumapasada na tricycle sa labas ng paliparan subalit medyo may kamahalan ang pamasahe dahil halos apat na kilometro ang layo nito sa sentro ng Laoag City.

“Ang ‘Sirib Bus’ ay maaaring sakyan ng mga dumarating na mga turista, at kahit na ng mga naninirahan sa lalawigan na walang pribadong sasakyan. Ito ay para sa lahat. Mayroong ‘tourism desk’ ang Provincial Tourism Office sa Laoag International Airport at maaari nilang tanungin ang empleyado namin dito upang makasakay sa bus,” sinabi ni Palafox.

Ang Sirib Bus ay bumubiyahe patungong Laoag Airport sa tuwing mayroon eroplanong darating. Ang Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, at Air Philippines Express ay mayroong biyaheng Manila-Laoag-Manila isang beses bawat araw.

Paliwanag ni Palafox, ang Sirib Bus ay mayroong rota na dumaraan sa mga hotel sa San Nicolas at Laoag City.

“Ito ay sa pakikipag-ugnayan sa Ilocos Norte Travel Agencies Association. Bahala na ang turista kung anong hotel ang gusto nila,” sabi ni Palafox.

Hindi lamang serbisyo sa pagdating ng mga turista sa Laoag International Airport ang ibinibigay ng libreng sakay sa Sirib Bus. Maaari din sumakay ang mga turista pabalik sa paliparan sakaling sila ay aalis na ng Ilocos Norte.

Ang pagsulong ng turismo ang isa sa mga prayoridad ni Gobernador Marcos. Naniniwala ang gobernador na ang turismo ay higit na makakapag-angat ng ekonomiya ng lalawigan at makakapagbigay ng trabaho at kabuhayan sa taong-bayan.

Capitol offers free Laoag airport shuttle service

LAOAG CITY- The provincial government has provided free shuttle service for passengers arriving at the Laoag International Airport without an arranged vehicle to take them to the city proper.

The shuttle bus is deployed to the airport to fetch passengers arriving at anytime of the day through the three domestic carriers Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and Air Philippines.

The bus would be stationed at the airport from the time the airlines arrive during their morning flights and in the evening.

Mindful of the inconvenience that passengers go through each time they travel to this city, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos thought of dedicating one Sirib Bus to the airport to service those who do not have an arranged vehicle to fetch them.

The shuttle service is available to passengers whether local or foreigner.

At present, public transportation provided by jeepneys plying the Laoag-Gabu route is the only means to reach and leave the airport. Some passengers who are on short stay in the city and those who could not arrange a private vehicle would contract a tricycle ride to and from the airport.

The province started providing free shuttle ride to the airport during the Holidays where droves of balikbayans and tourists came to Ilocos Norte to spend Christmas.

Milagros Gonzales, provincial chief of the Department of Tourism, said officials are expecting tourist arrivals in the province to double this year due to a favorable tourism climate.

“The presence of more tourist attractions and facilities in Ilocos Norte is also a good indicator of robust tourism activity,” she said.

Gonzales said the DOT continues to provide basic training to residents and tour groups on visitors’ handling to create a culture of hospitality among locals.

Ilocos Norte to hold mobile ePassport service in February

LAOAG CITY- The provincial government of Ilocos Norte will host a mobile ePassport service next month. This will allow people here to apply for passport without having to travel all the way to La Union, where the nearest DFA office is located.

The mobile ePassport service will be held on February 11 at the Provincial Capitol auditorium in Laoag City.

However, people who wish to apply for passport--either for the first time or for renewal--must submit their application form and other supporting documents before January 14 to the Ilocos Norte Investment Center (INIC) in Laoag City, said Bernard Manrique.

Manrique said these documents will be sent by the INIC to the DFA for pre-processing, so that the applicants may be able to receive their passports during the said mobile event.

He also said, however, that only 600 applicants can be accommodated by the mobile ePassport service.

“Application forms are available at our office, or can be downloaded from the DFA website," Manrique said. "New applicants must submit a photocopy of birth certificate issued by the National Statistics Office and local civil registrar; two (2) government-issued IDs; and if married, a NSO marriage certificate.”

Passport applicants must submit their applications early because as the service will be first-come, first-served basis.

“Personnel from the DFA will come here for the personal appearance of the applicants. After which, they will process the application and send the passports to our office. We will just notify the applicants if their passports are ready,” Manrique said.

The Philippine ePassport upgrades the security features of the Machine Readable Passport. It has an interoperable International Civil Aviation Organization compliant chip containing the holder’s personal data, chip identification number and a digital signature.

Discounts on Laoag City Gen Hospital services, extended till February

LAOAG CITY- The Laoag City General Hospital has extended its “Regalong Pamasko ng LCGH” until February, in time for Laoag City Pamulinawen Festival.

Dr. Robert Luzod, chief of Clinics, said they are giving 10 percent discount on laboratory services such as urinalysis, CBC , stool exam, complete cholesterol, etc. Aside from this, they are offering a 20 percent discount on room and board for in-patients.

“This is not only for Laoaguenos, but for everyone in Ilocos Norte,” Luzod said.

Nova de Rosas of the Finance Department said the discount program will be a great help especially to the poor.

“The discounts would save money for the patients that they can use for other needs or expenditures,” de Rosas said.

The “Regalong Pamasko ng LCGH” started in early December as a Christmas gift to the public.

Mayor Michael Farinas said extending the program is one way of sharing the blessings the city has received for the past year. He also expressed hope that the public will appreciate what the local government is doing for them.

Local libraries’ digitization solves poor budgetary allocation

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte– The recent computerization of the city library can be a solution to the local government unit’s poor budgetary allocation.

According to Edgardo B. Quiros, chief of Information Technology Division of the Philippine National Library, aside from its accessibility, the library digitization program will be a good opportunity for local government bodies to earn. This will enhance their versatility to adopt local cost.

The idea is to sell the information particularly the local ones. For example, people from other provinces or cities in the country can access the native resources of the province and can request an authentic copy for it, Quiros said.

The local government will provide the materials to clients for a corresponding cost. However, this will be the discretion on the part of the local government, explained Quiros.

During this information age, the world is living through the business of information. It is also time that the local government will set a mechanism for this kind of business,” Quiros said.

Quiros clarified that while the Department of Budget and Management encourages LGUs to earn money, this will provide better services without distracting budgetary allocation provided by the national government.

The library digitization composed of a built-in program that will enhance the library system among local governments and will make the process more accessible.

The systems include cataloging, information gathering, bar coding, digitizing local materials, material updating, cashiering and allowing faster access to all local libraries.

The automated system is capable of bridging the gap of telecommunication and enhances a good Internet connection.

The group of Quiros came in Ilocos Norte recently to train provincial and municipal librarians in the province for the familiarization of the Integrated Library Management System (ILMS).

The provincial government of Ilocos Norte is now in the process of encoding local materials in the system to be integrated in the ILMS of the library digitization.

Fireworks-related injury in the region drops by 27 percent – CHD-1 HEMS

Strengthened information and awareness campaign dubbed as Aksyon Paputok Injury Reduction or APIR helped in reducing the cases of fireworks-related injury in the region by 27 percent with 253 cases from that of the same period last year with 347, according to the Center for Health Development – Ilocos Health Emergency Management Service (CHD-1 HEMS).

Results show that 222 or 88 percent of the cases involved males while 31 or 12 percent were females and majority of them were 12 years old and below.

The province of Pangasinan had the highest number of cases with 98 or 39 percent; La Union, 58 or 23 percent; Ilocos Sur, 56 or 22 percent; and Ilocos Norte with 41 or 11 percent.

Banned firecrackers like piccolo and goodbye Philippines account for most of the injuries together with 5-star, Luces, kwitis, whistle bomb, gunshot, and other.

One hundred sixty five cases or 65 percent were direct handlers and 88 or 35 percent were observers or by-standers. Eleven patients underwent amputation of fingers.

HEMS also recorded 13 patients who suffered gunshot wounds, six incidents happened in Ilocos Sur, four in Ilocos Norte, two in Pangasinan, and one in La Union. This is higher compared with only three recorded cases last year. Said cases were forwarded to the Regional Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee led by the Police Regional Office 1 for proper investigation. No deaths were reported this year.

Finally, the CHD-1 HEMS thanked all the provincial health team offices, Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center, Region 1 Medical Center, and the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center for their timely uploading of reports thru the Online National Electronic Injury Surveillance System.

DPWH eyes near completion of road networks in 3 Ilocos Norte towns

SOLSONA, Ilocos Norte- A former dirt road in this eastern town is now a stretch of clean, paved road, spanning more than nine kilometers leading to the neighboring province of Apayao.

The road upgrade is part of the Department of Public Works and Highways’ rehabilitation project of national roads in the towns of San Nicolas, Dingras and Solsona.

Veniedo Reyes, DPWH regional director, said the rehabilitation works will reduce travel time of motorists passing to and from the three towns as they enter or leave Ilocos Norte’s capital city of Laoag.

Reyes said the road project is also meant to improve the lives of remote communities and farming households in those towns.

The project, costing more than P117.6 million, began in August last year and is expected to be finished in one year or in August this year.

The road work is under the DPWH’ Pavement Management System/Highway Development and Management-4 (HDM-4) of national arterial roads covering the San Nicolas-Dingras-Solsona roads.

Included in the works was the construction of the Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP) of the carriageway and shoulder with appropriate slope protection and stone line canal, including parapet wall along the Solsona section.

Rehabilitation of the San Nicolas and Dingras sections includes concreting of shoulder, asphalt overlay and concrete paving of shoulder.

Laoag City conducts Business One-Stop- Shop

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte– Various business entities and establishments from the Laoag City will now have speedy and more convenient business licensing application process.

Today is the first day of Business One-stop-shop conducted by the local government of Laoag where national agencies which conduct the necessary inspection needed for licensing are located in one place.

This is to ensure the faster transaction in applying and renewing business permits through an integrated system called Business Permit License System (BPLS) introduced by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

This is in line with DTI’s program where business owners can have their application and renewal for their license in more speedy manner, said Jona Gantala of the licensing division of the Mayor’s office.

Aside from making the system easier for the applicants, it also ensures complete and strict compliance of the required documents for the issuance of their license.

National agencies like Philhealth, Secial Security System, and Bureau of Internal Revenue are present for the one-stop-shop licensing program. Local bodies like city health office, fire department, governor’s office and others for the validation and issuance of clearances are also present.

“Business owners should come and apply or renew their licenses now to prevent paying the penalty, because after this One-Stop-Shop, we will be imposing a penalty for them” Gantala also added.

The Business One-Stop-Shop will continue until the 20th of this month.

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