Ilocos Norte News December 2011

From Philippines
Jump to navigation Jump to search
→ → Go back HOME to Zamboanga: the Portal to the Philippines.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
Create Name's page

Regions | Philippine Provinces | Philippine Cities | Municipalities | Barangays | High School Reunions

Ilocos Norte Province

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.

Hospital in Batac City urges Ilocanos: Do not use firecrackers

LAOAG CITY- The chief of a government run hospital in the province called on Ilocanos to refrain from using firecrackers to welcome the New Year.

Dr. Ma. Lourdes Otayza, head of the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMHC&MC) in Batac City in Ilocos Norte advised households not to use firecrackers to greet the New Year but rather use other methods that are safe.

The hospital director said the DOH embarks on Aksyon: Paputok Injury Reduction (APIR), aimed at minimizing or even eliminating firecracker-related injuries during the holiday season.

She gave five warnings so as to prevent injury from the use of firecrackers.

“Tandaan lamang na mapanganib ang paggamit ng paputok. Pangalawa, ang lahat ng paputok ay bawal sa bata. Lumayo kayo sa mga taong nagpapaputok. Huwag mamulot ng di sumabog na paputok, at magpagamot agad kapag naputukan,” Dr Otayza said.

She also said APIR also introduces a new way of celebrating the New Year that would create just as much noise and fun fare though safe.

The APIR campaign, she said, suggests five alternative ways to spend New Year’s Eve such as itaguyod at makilahok sa ‘Community Fireworks Display'; magdiwang nang ligtas kasama ang pamilya; lumikha ng ingay gamit ang ibang bagay tulad ng torotot, busina, musika, lata at iba pa; makisaya sa ibang paraan tulad ng street party, concert, palaro; at matuto sa mga aral ng nakaraan at magsimula nang maayos na buhay sa Bagong Taon.

The MMMH&MC, she said, is prepared to ensure prompt emergency services in case there would be injured patients. The hospital has adequate manpower, drugs and medicines, vaccines, medical supplies and equipment, among others, to treat them.

The hospital, like all hospitals of the DOH, is declared a Firecracker Free Zone.

Capitol caravan completes gift-giving to poor families

LAOAG CITY- The provincial government has completed the delivery of food packs and social services to poor communities under the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Christmas caravan.

The MDG caravan rolled throughout 22 towns and the cities of Laoag and Batac from December 19 to 23 dishing out noche Buena packages and gift packs to poor families.

Based on a Capitol press release, at least 27 villages, nearly 1,000 households and 19 schools in Laoag were given i-cards, Noche Buena packs, food packs, books and learning aids.

The caravan took advantage of the event to bring veterinary services, social health services and insurance cards to recipient households.

On top of the instant services, the caravan made sure that residents would earn a living through farm and fishery inputs like fish cages and agricultural seeds that were given to select beneficiaries.

Edwin Cariño, MDG officer, said the Christmas caravan was part of the government’s continuing effort to bring relief to poorer residents during the Holiday season.

“This is just the beginning of a series of a Christmas caravan which the provincial government has committed to do in order to make our less fortunate ‘kailians’ (provincemates) happy this Christmas,” he said.

The MDG is Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos’ response to the government’s commitment to end poverty.

The MDG, signed in September 2000 by member-states of the United Nations including the Philippines, sets out eight goals to eliminate extreme poverty worldwide and improve the poor’s living conditions until 2015.

The MDG council of Ilocos Norte is composed of provincial offices namely the Provincial Budget, Provincial Treasurer’s Office, Office of the Provincial Agriculture, Veterinary Office, and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office.

Laoag opens 80-hectare seaside lot as investment area

LAOAG CITY– Laoag is developing a P13-billion seaside property that can be an ideal site for theme parks, resort or small to large-scale industries.

The Laoag City government has started developing the 80-hectare beach property, covering the eastern coastal villages of La Paz, Caaocan, Navotas and Talingaan, to a low-cost housing project and a sports facility.

Laoag Mayor Michael Fariñas said the city plans to develop the foreshore lot into a self-contained community complete with a housing area, a retirement village and an area for commercial and industrial establishments.

“The city is open to a joint venture agreement with interested parties and come up with a mutually beneficial development plan,” Fariñas said in his letter to prospective investors.

At present, the city government has built a two-hectare low-cost housing area while another two hectares have been set aside for the Laoag City Sports Center.

“This property faces the South China Sea (South Philippine Sea) with some parts uniquely covered by vast tracks of sand dunes,” Fariñas said.

He said the property offers a variety of investment potentials from tourism centers, socialized or retirement housing and economic zones.

Laoag has been expanding its investment area because the city’s business center has exceeded its capacity for large-scale industries. New businesses have avoided the city’s cramped business district and built their establishments in outlying villages that offer wider spaces.

Consistent with the Aquino administration’s public-private partnership program, the city government has been pushing the seaside lot as an investment center and harness Laoag’s position as one of the growth nodes under the Ilocos Region’s development plan.

Under a five-year development plan from 2011 to 2016, the Ilocos Regional Development Council laid down a road map leading to the establishment of the Ilocos provinces as the agribusiness and tourism powerhouse in Northern Philippines.

Power plant eyed to address power outages in Ilocos Norte

LAOAG CITY- The only way to address power outages in Ilocos Norte is for the province to have its own power plant, an energy industry expert said.

Engr. Renato Balintec, general manager of the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative, said until the province has its own power plant, residents will still experience frequent power interruptions.

“We need a power plant to finally stop frequent power interruption. Until we have a plant, there will be interruptions. A plant of 300 megawatt can do it,” he said.

The coop presently draws power from the spot market or the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) from Inec’s own hydro electric power plant in Pagudpud town and other power generators like the San Miguel Electric Corp. (SMEC)

At present, Inec is able to sustain the power needs of its residential and industrial consumers but power outages have not been fully addressed.

Balintec said SMEC is looking at establishing a power plant either in the town of Badoc or Currimao.

“Investors are looking at possible sites in those towns. They have started acquiring lands for the power plant,” he said.

Balintec said Inec would not have to pay for transmission charges resulting in a reduced power rate if a power plant is built within the province.

Meanwhile, Inec is waiting for the approval of its P800 million power development plan that includes rehabilitation and replacement of ageing power lines and posts including the establishment of a new power sub-station in this city.

Balintec said existing power lines have been built nearly 40 years ago and have exceeded their lifetime of 30 years for power lines and 20 years for electric posts.

He said the sub-station will address expected power load growth from additional business centers like SM Savemore and Puregold Supermart and call centers.

Feature: Ilocos Region rolls out road map as the country’s agribusiness, tourism powerhouse

The Ilocos Region comprising the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan has begun positioning itself as a gateway for growth branding itself as the “Agribusiness and tourism powerhouse in Northern Philippines.”

To set the goal in motion, the Ilocos Regional Development Council has drawn a five-year development plan from 2011 to 2016 that would serve as a road map to making the region bullish in meeting its growth targets.

According to an RDC official, the plan sets the direction in implementing integrated and coordinated programs of the Ilocos Region to overturn a declining growth rate from 2007 to 2009.

The National Statistics Coordination Board, said the negative growth rate was a result of the global economic crisis and destructive typhoons that hit the region between 2007 and 2009.

The Ilocos Region’s road map focuses on the so-called growth nodes in the areas of agribusiness, trade, tourism and business process outsourcing.

Ilocos Norte, for example, has started bringing the province back to business with a flood of fresh tourist and business centers, a component of Governor Imee Marcos’ grand tourism plan to make the province a major investment and tourism hub in Northern Luzon.

The neighboring province of Ilocos Sur, the region’s heritage seat, is catching up on today’s trend of building eco-tourism adventure points to catch a wider tourism market.

The Poro Point Special Economic Zone in La Union remains a major investment hub attracting more businessmen to pour their resources in priority investment areas.

Pangasinan, which physically occupies a vast geographical component in the region, promises a bustling industrial and economic center through the Pangasinan eco-tourism zone development, Sual industrial estate development, and the soon-to-rise Alaminos International Airport.

The region’s traditional cash crops will continue to play a critical role in the region’s agribusiness sector.

The tobacco industry, despite facing tough worldwide campaign against tobacco use, will prove to be resilient driving tobacco producers to shift to alternative uses of the product such as bio-pesticide or raw material for pulp and paper.

The agriculture sector, mindful of farming innovations and the adverse effects of climate change to its farm inputs, has adopted appropriate strategies ranging from making use of climate change-resilient planting materials, fingerlings, animal stocks, fertilizers, chemicals and feeds to cost-effective and environment-friendly technologies.

Local products will also be subjected to branding and certification to boost the marketing campaign of the One Town One Product (OTOP) products of the local government units with the provincial governments playing the lead role.

These products will then be the priority for export promotion and development as branding and certification shall prepare them to the requirements of major export clients and target markets in the region.

All these and more are envisaged to make the Ilocos Region regain its position as agribusiness and tourism powerhouse ready to challenge its neighboring regions.

Feature: Palakasin ang laban kontra human trafficking

LAOAG CITY- Kamakailan ay may limang menor de edad na kababaihan ang nagtungo sa Civil Security Unit, isang opisina ng lokal na pamahalaan ng Laoag upang humihingi ng tulong matapos silang tumakas sa kanilang pinagtatrabahuan sa lalawigan ng Cagayan.

Ayon kay Jennifer Ramos ng CSU, ang mga babae ay pinangakuan na maging kasambahay sa mga pamilya doon.

“Subalit ang mga batang babae, mga 16 hanggang 17 ang edad, ay sapilitan pinagtrabaho sa bar sa Cagayan,” sabi ni Ramos.

Sila ay biktima ng child o human trafficking. Ang human o child trafficking ay isang malaking problema ng lipunan. Ito ay negosyo ng pagbebenta ng mga bata at kababaihan. Sila ay nire-recruit at binebenta para sa prostitusyon, pronograpiya, sapilitang pagtatrabaho, pang-aalipin, pangangalakal ng mga bahagi ng katawan o organ trade. Ang mga bata ay kadalasang nare-recruit dahil sila ay na-enganyo, nakumbinse, nalainlang, nasuhulan, isinama nang sapilitan sa pamamagitan ng pagkidnap o paninindak.

Ang mga ito ay dinadala sa ibang lugar o inilalabas ng bansa. Ang child trafficking ay paglabag sa karapatan ng mga bata at ito ay krimen sa ilalim ng Republic Act 9208 o ang Anti-Trafficking ini Persons Act of 2003.

Ngayong araw, Disyembre 12, ay ginugunita ang International Day Against Trafficking.

Malaking kita sa trafficking ang pangunahing dahilan kung bakit maraming ang narerekrut at ibinibenta para sa iba’t-ibang anyo ng pagsasamantala.

Isa rin sa pangunahing dahilan ay ang kahirapan kung bakit marami ang nagiging biktima ng trafficking. Marami sa mga mahihirap ang nakikipagsapalaran at pumapasok sa kahit anong uri ng sitwasyon na sa tingin nila ay mayroon silang kikitain.

Kakulangan sa edukasyon at impormasyon ay lalong naglalapit sa mga kabataan sa posibilidad na ma-traffik.

Ang iba pa na mga dahilan kung bakit nangyayari ang trafficking ay dahil na din sa hindi pantay na pagtrato sa babae at lalaki; ang palasak na paggamit ng internet at modernong teknolohiya tulad ng cellphone na nagiging daan para magamit ang mga bata para sa pornographiya, cybersex at nagiging madali din para sa mga traffickers ang kumontak at manloko sa mga biktima.

Ang problemang trafficking ay kailangan ng patulungan upang masugpo.

Ang bawat isa ay kailangan dagdagan ang kaalaman tungkol sa trafficking. Alamin ang tamang impormasyon mula sa pamahalaan at mga mapagkakatiwalaang organisasyon tulad ng Philippines Against Child Trafficking (PACT).

Mahalaga ang komunidad sa paglaban sa trafficking. Kumbinsihin ang mga magulang na maghanap ng ibang paraan upang kumita maliban sa pagpayag ng magtrabaho ang mga anak na kulang sa 18 taong gulang. Linangin ang mga kakayanan ng mga tao, magtayo ng mga naaangkop na community-based livelihood programs. Ito ang mag-aangat sa kalidad ng kabuhayan ng mga mamamayan. Sa gayon, hindi mapipilitan ang mga bata na magtrabaho.

Kinakailangan na ang barangay at lokal na pamahalaan ay patuloy na ipalaganap ang impormasyon tungkol sa trafficking at makiisa sa kampanya upang masugpo ito.

Dapat i-monitor ang mga nagaganap na recruitment sa komunidad. Gumawa ng ordinansa kung saan ang mga recruiter ay dapat nakarehistro sa barangay bago sila payagang mag-recruit ng mga residente.

Bumuo ng mga Barangay Council for the Protection of Children na siyang tutugon sa mga usapin/pangangailangan ng mga bata, kabilang ang usapin ng trafficking.

Makipag-ugnayan sa iba’t-ibang ahensiya ng pamahalaan tulad ng Inter-agency Council Against Trafficking o gender and development councils sa mga LGU para sa mabilis na pagtugon sa mga kaso ng trafficking at pagsasagawa ng mga programa upang masugpo ang trafficking.

Palakasin ang komunidad upang labanan ang child trafficking.

I-report ang mga kaso ng trafficking sa barangay, pulisya, DSWD o tumawag sa action line 1343 para sa Metro Manila at 02-1343 kung nasa probinsiya.

Ang mga batang babae na nagtungo sa Laoag City ay binigyan ng tulong ng City Social Welfare and Development Office.

“Binigyan sila ng counseling at tulong-pinansiyal upang makabalik sa kanilang mga pamilya sa Rizal,” sabi ni Ramos.

Tagalog News: Maagang aginaldo natanggap ng mga Laoagenos

LAOAG CITY- Hindi mapigilan ang kasiyahan ng mga residente ng Laoag sa pagtanggap ng maagang aginaldo galing sa lokal na pamahalaan ng Laoag noong Biyernes, Disyembre 9.

Namigay kasi ang lokal na pamahalaan ng mga wheelchair, bisikleta, bigas, at mga gamit para sa mga piling indigents ng Laoag City.

“Sharing, Loving and Giving” ang naging layunin ng pagtitipon, kung saan sinabi ni Associations of Barangay chairmen (ABC) president na si Chevylle Farinas na ang pagtulong at pagmamahal ang totoong diwa ng pasko.

Ang mga indigent na nabiyayaan ng maagang aginaldo ay pinili ng City Social Welfare Office (CSWO) ng Laoag sa pamamagitan ng mga sulat na ipinadala nila para kay mayor.

Ito ay bahagi ng taunang programa ng Laoag na kung tawagin ay “Wish ko kay Mayor.” Ang mga residente dito, partikular na ang mga indigents ay nagpadala ng sulat para humingi ng isang bagay na makakapagpasaya sa kanila ngayong pasko.

May 30 indigents ng Laoag ang nabigyan ng kanilang mga kahilingan. Karamihan sa kanila ay humingi ng bisikleta para sa kanilang mga anak.

May tatlo naman ang nabigyan ng wheelchair para sa mga may kapansanan at 10 kaban naman ng bigas para sa mga pamilyang mahihirap.

Maliban sa kanila, nabigyan din ng maagang aginaldo ang mga barangay officials at mga barangay health workers (BHW). Nabigyan din ang mga piling deaf-mute ng gift certificates mula sa Save More grocery.

Inaasahan ni Laoag City Mayor Michael V. Farinas na sa pamamagitan nito, maramdaman ng mga indigents ang diwa ng pasko at manatiling magkaroon ng pagkakaisa ang lahat ng mga Laoagenos sa mga darating pang taon.

Various stakeholders ink MOU for dragon fruit production project in Burgos, Ilocos Norte

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was recently inked by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) with various government and private groups for the dragon fruit production project to provide more employment opportunities for residents of Barangay Paayas, Burgos town in Ilocos Norte.

According to Arly Sta. Ana, Information Officer of the DOLE, around 65 beneficiaries of the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program towards Community Enterprise Development (DILP-CEDP) recently received pledges comprising broad-based support for their dragon fruit production.

“The dragon fruit production project is the first convergence effort of various stakeholders under the DILP-CEDP in the region where technical assistance to include trainings on processing and marketing, including financial support will be given,” Ana said.

This is the initial project for convergence of services of the following stakeholders namely DOLE, Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte, Municipality of Burgos town, Barangay Council of Paayas, Provincial Agriculture Office of Ilocos Norte, Department of Trade and Industry, Technical Skills and Development Authority, Department of Science and TEchnology, Department of Agriculture, Mariano Marcos State University, Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Inc., Philhealth and Social Security System.

The beneficiaries are composed of women, fishermen, farmers, youth, senior citizens and overseas Filipino workers.

“Nurture the project, it is yours, not the DOLE’s or the municipality of Burgos,” Mayor Crescente Garcia of Burgos town told the beneficiaries.

He said Korean investors are now visiting the locality to explore possibilities of putting up dragon fruit processing plant in the town.

On his part, DOLE 1 Director Henry John Jalbuena said that the DILP-CEDP is a reform initiated by Labor Secretary Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz which capitalizes on the convergence of national and local government agencies to maximize the use of scarce government resource leading to holistic service delivery.

“DILP-CEDP success stories are happening in many parts of the country, and are waiting to be told. In the near future, I hope the next story of triumph will be yours,” Jalbuena told the beneficiaries during the MOU signing.

The DILP-CEDP aims to enhance and transform existing livelihood projects in barangays into community enterprises and/or set up community enterprises to be managed by community groups and put in operation a convergence scheme of related programs and services that will provide complete support to the community enterprise.

“Aldaw ti Propesyonal” set in Ilocos

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Baguio Regional Office, in coordination with Mariano Marcos State University(MMSU) in Laoag City and Department of Education, Bantay Division Office will hold the “Aldaw ti Propesyonal” (Professionals’ Day) mobile outreach service on December 5 and 6.

Regional Director Teofilo Gaius M. Sison Jr. said PRC personnel will be at the Center for Teaching Excellence Building, MMSU College of Teacher Education, in Laoag City on Monday, Dec. 5, from 9:00 a.m-4:00 p.m.

On Tuesday, Dec. 6, the PRC team will be at the Department of Education, Bantay Division Office in Bantay, Ilocos Sur.

Services available are: renewal of Professional ID/License; release of Professional ID Card and Board Certificate (per prior request by the professional and subject to availability); issuance (upon request) of Certification of Good Standing; initial registration of September 2011 Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET); and application for March 2012 LET and other licensure examinations.

Tagalog news: World AIDS Day, ginunita sa Ilocos Norte

LAOAG CITY- Pinangunahan ng Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC), isang ospital ng Department of Health sa Batac City, ang paggunita ng pagsisimula ng World AIDS Month sa lalawigan ng Ilocos Norte.

Pumasok ang mga kawani ng nasabing ospital na mayroon ‘red ribbon’ bilang paggunita at pagpapaala sa lumalalang problema ng HIV/AIDS.

Sinabi ni Dr Modesty Leano, pathologist at Chairwoman ng HIV Awareness Committee ng nasabing ospital, isang lecture ay isinagawa upang patuloy na ipaalam sa tao ang tungkol sa HIV/AIDS.

Ang lecture na isinagawa ay para sa mga personnel ng ospital.

“Magsasagawa pa ang ospital ng lay forum at sana ay makapag-imbita ng Person with AIDS upang makapag-bahagi ng kwento,” sabi ni Dr Leano.

Nagbabala si Dr Leano sa publiko, lalo na sa mga kabataan, tungkol sa mabilis na pagdami ng kaso ng HIV/AIDS sa bansa.

Nagpaalala ang doktora na iwasan ang pagkalat ng sakit na ito sa pamamagitan ng abstinence, pagiging tapat sa asawa, ang hindi paggamit o pakikipaghiraman ng karayom o nahawaan na heringgilya (syringe), maagang pag-test at paggamot ng Sexually Transmitted Infection at pag-aaral o pagalam sa mga paraan na maiwasan ito.

“Tandaan na walang gamot sa AIDS,” sabi ni Dr Leano.

Sa lokal na pamahalaan ng Laoag, nagsagawa ng isang motorcade ang mga kawani bilang bahagi ng awareness campaign tungkol sa HIV/AIDS. Suot ang mga pulang t-shirt, ay umikot ang mga kawani sa lungsod.

Isang misa din ang idinaos sa City Hall Auditorium para sa mga tao na namatay dahil sa sakit na AIDS.

Magbibigay naman ang City Health Office ng libreng HIV testing at counseling para sa mga tao.

Ayon kay Julie Samson ng City Health Office, ito ay isa sa mga aktibidad ng lokal na pamahalaan para sa World AIDS Month. Mayroon din silang lecture tungkol sa HIV/AIDS para sa publiko na isasagawa sa Barangay 1.

Sa pinakahuling datos ng DOH, mayroon naitalang 1,669 HIV cases ngayong taon, simula Enero hanggang Setyembre. 71 dito ay naging AIDS at 15 ang namatay. Sa buwan ng Setyembre naitala ang pinakamataas na kaso ng HIV/AIDS na umabot sa 253 new cases sa buong bansa, mula ng magtala ang bansa ng HIV/AIDS simula noong 1984.

Ang HIV ay isang virus na natatagpuan sa dugo, katas ng ari ng lalaki at babae. Ang impeksyon dulot ng HIV ay nangyayari lamang kung ang mga likido ng katawan o body fluids na galing sa tao na mayroon HIV ay pumasok sa daluyan ng dugo ng isang tao.

Sinisira ng HIV ang ‘immune system’ hanggang sa hindi na nito makayanang makapanlaban sa mga karaniwang impeksyon. Kapag mahina na ang ‘immune system’ wala na itong kakayahan upang labanan ang impeksyon. Mas madali na itong kapitan o pasukin ng mga oportunistang impeksyon katulad ng TB o ibang sakit na maaaring humantong sa kamatayan.

Retrieved from "http://zamboanga.com/z/index.php?title=Ilocos_Norte_News_December_2011&oldid=253715"