tanong ko lang...pano ba nila na sesecure yung mga windmills sa bangui pag may bagyo?

I bet these are built to withstand unusually strong winds - they're not called windmills for nothing :) in my humble opinion...:)

I bet these are built to withstand unusually strong winds - they're not called windmills for nothing :) in my humble opinion...:)

“The windmills are fully functional,” Marcos said. “It has a coping mechanism that allows the fans to clip their wings during extraordinary typhoons. This is part and parcel of its design.”

eto siguro ang kasagutan. paano kaya nagkli-clip yung wings nya. sana may makapag-post ng picture.

“The windmills are fully functional,” Marcos said. “It has a coping mechanism that allows the fans to clip their wings during extraordinary typhoons. This is part and parcel of its design.”

eto siguro ang kasagutan. paano kaya nagkli-clip yung wings nya. sana may makapag-post ng picture.

As far as I know based on what I have seen on discovery channel... it has a break mechanism to put it in hold position and the blade length rotates on its longitudinal axis to receive the least wind force. Was that clear? I don't know how else to explain it. :)

^^ Has Robs opened?..:)

http://img37.imagefra.me/img/img37/2/9/22/f_hpe5qkan7vem_b1bc3e0.jpg

http://img40.imagefra.me/img/img40/2/9/23/guitarose/f_cmfn0m_f32269e.jpg

http://img38.imagefra.me/img/img38/2/9/22/f_m784bhofk2cm_9be928e.jpg

http://img39.imagefra.me/img/img39/2/9/22/f_m784bhofk2cm_55ffa5c.jpg

^ this is a very nice project! hope more investments will pour in this area considering that theres a big market waiting for it...the ilocanos and the taiwanese, who happens to be the closest industrialized nation to the ilocos region..kudos!!!

^^ Has Robs opened?..:)

not yet. around the first week of november perhaps :)

Kilauea family delivering hope to flood survivors
http://images.townnews.com/kauaiworld.com/content/articles/2009/10/13/news/kauai_news/doc4ad42998c4f14442135226.jpg
Ortal

By Paul Curtis - The Garden Island
Published: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 2:10 AM HST

LIHU‘E — It’s risky business trying to deliver humanitarian aid to survivors of typhoons and deadly flooding in the Philippines.

Charlie Ortal and family, formerly of Kilauea, found that out in a horrifying way recently while delivering aid to a village cut off when flood water swept away a footbridge.

They were able to get provisions across a rushing river to the small town of Mabanbanag, but almost at the expense of losing Thelma Ortal, Charlie’s wife.

Villagers came in makeshift bamboo rafts to help them cross, Charlie Ortal was knocked into the water (with his cell phone in his pocket), and Thelma Ortal was nearly swept away as the river threatened to take the raft rapidly downstream.

Charlie Ortal explained that the green bamboo doesn’t float as well as the dried bamboo, making the crossings a bit more perilous.

The villagers were ecstatic with the simple gifts of rice and other food, as the aid the Ortals delivered had been the first from anyone, according to an e-mail.

Earlier this month, the Ortals were able to distribute relief packs to 160 hungry families as well as cook lunch for many of them, and the family is still planning on delivering aid to Manila, with its millions of flood victims.

They planned to leave Monday afternoon Hawai‘i time (Tuesday morning Philippines time), Charlie Ortal explaining that the trip requires detours around still-flooded sections of the main highway into the city.

In the Ilocos Norte region, Paoay Lake rose to unprecedented levels, and 45 homes around the lake are still under water, he said.

Some parts of Manila are expected to remain under water through next year, he said, as the flood waters are not receding as quickly as expected.

“It’s just so many sad stories to tell, but the joy of the Lord keeps them going,” he said.

In Ilocos Norte, where many Kaua‘i Filipinos hail from, a full 70 percent of all crops were washed away by the storms, and Ortal finds himself reminding those who have lost all of their material possessions that they’ll eventually be able to rebuild their homes and lives.

“At least our homes are not underwater” like in Manila, he said. “I tell them not to lose hope. If you are alive, you still have a chance to start over.”

Ortal, who has a relief crew providing food for the needy in Manila, has been told of the putrid smell of the standing water everywhere.

“The simple word is ‘a mess,’” Ortal said when asked if he has any idea what he’ll be driving into in Manila.

Typhoon Parma (called “Pepeng” in the Philippines) was the second storm to hit, tearing through Cagayan three separate times, with trips out to sea in between, they said.

It pounded the Philippines for nearly 10 days earlier this month, taking lives, wiping out rice and other crops, and leaving significant portions of the islands under water, they said.

Parishioners from New Hope Laoag and Camandingan Church, where Charlie Ortal is pastor, have been buying, packing and distributing relief packs, which include cooking oil, sardines, ramen noodles, long rice, coffee and cream, sugar and rice.

Funding the ongoing relief effort is ongoing as well. Checks can be mailed to Kaua‘i Island Ministries, 3184 Unahe St., Lihu‘e, HI 96766, with the words “Philippine Missions” in the memo area.

For more information or for other ways to contribute to the cause, contact Marnie Paffenroth via e-mail at either paffohana@gmail.com or paffenroth@hawaiiantel.net.
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Good Samaritans aren't extinct yet - may your tribe increase, Mr. Ortal!!!


Cross-posted from source: http://www.kauaiworld.com/articles/2009/10/13/news/kauai_news/doc4ad42998c4f14442135226.txt

RC Ramos Construction wins LCGH upgrade bidding

BY DOMINIC B. DELA CRUZ
STAFF REPORTER

AS THE CONTROVERSIAL Laoag City General
Hospital upgrade project continues, city
government administrator Gloria F. Peralta
announced that RC Ramos Construction submitted
the lowest bid in the project bidding held
September 28 at the Laoag City Hall.

Peralta, chairperson of the Bids and Awards
Committee (BAC), said the construction firm
submitted a bid of P253,950,088.42 for the project,
She however stressed that RC Construction is not
the official winning bidder yet as there would still be
a post-qualification to be conducted to examine and
evaluate the documents the firm submitted in as far
as the financialaspects are concerned by the technical
working group.

The technical working group has been given two weeks
to examine and evaluate RC Construction thoroughly and
if the said group finds the documents good then a notice
of award will come next.

If, however, the firm fails in post-qualification, Peralta said
there would be no recourse but to go to the next lowest
bidder, which is Tokwing Construction, builder of the Baguio
Medical Center in Baguio City. Tokwing Construction submitted
a bid of P254,647,099.79.

Other qualified bidder who joined was Hilmarc’s Construction,
builder of the Laoag City Commercial Complex, which submitted
a bid of P254,884,102.70.

Meanwhile, city government legal counsel Atty. Marlon
Wayne D. Manuel said that this simply means that the proposed
upgrading of the city hospital is in the process as the bidding has
been conducted.

He added that the project will push through despite the motion
for a temporary restraining order filed by four Laoag councilors
until such time when the court issues an order to that effect.

The said motion is the second of the same kind after an
earlier motion for temporary and permanent injunction was also
filed by the Ilocos Norte Provincial government

looks to me like this one is moving forward - great news indeed!

here i come laoag city. taking day trip bus later on this morning. stayed several days in cainta and went to Mall of Asia friday and Divisoria on saturday. now to the province. kind of looking forward to quiet slower pace. lmao.

ive already updated my flickr account with pics from my stay in MM.

Hawaiian Air Offers Link To Laoag City
By Star-Bulletin Staff and News Services
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Oct 17, 2009


Hawaiian Airlines is teaming up with Cebu Pacific Air to offer twice-weekly connecting flights between Manila and Laoag City in the Ilocos Norte province of the Philippines.

The service will begin Nov. 2 and will allow customers to fly round-trip from Honolulu to Laoag City, with one stopover in Manila, and earn HawaiianMiles awards on each flight.

The connecting flight aboard Cebu Pacific Air will complement Hawaiian's Honolulu-Manila service. Cebu Pacific's connecting flights from Manila to Laoag City are offered Mondays and Thursdays, with return flights from Laoag City to Manila offered Tuesdays and Saturdays. All connecting flights provide transfers to Hawaiian's Honolulu-Manila flights.

As part of its service launch, Hawaiian is offering an introductory fare of $35 each way for the connecting flight between Manila and Laoag City.

Because Hawaiian and Cebu Pacific use different systems for booking flights, the new flight connections must be booked and purchased through a travel agent.

cross-posted from source: Honolulu Star Bulletin (http://www.starbulletin.com/business/20091017_business_briefs.html)

Baguio, LC Sisterhood Ties Proposed
BY DOMINIC B. DELA CRUZ
STAFF REPORTER

TO FOSTER better relationship with the City of Pines, Laoag Councilor Sonia B. Siazon proposed that a sister city relationship be formed between Laoag and Baguio City.

Siazon, who chairs the Sanggunniang Panlungsod’s committee on tourism, culture and international affairs, said the proposal came after Baguio City Mayor Reinaldo Bautista and his party visited Laoag recently.

Siazon said Bautista and his group requested for the establishment of a sister city ties with Laoag for the two cities to have a closer relationship.

She said that it is very fortunate that there are plenty of socioeconomic, political and geographic factors that are common to residents of both cities.

Relative to this, Siazon said she believes Laoag City would then also be included as one of the “hub of regional growth” as Baguio is considered to be one of the most progressive cities in the Region. She added that it should also be noted that some original settlers in Baguio are from Laoag and Ilocos Norte.

The proposal is now at the council for approval. Siazon further stated that should this be approved, there would be a signing between the two cities, represented by official.

cross-posted from source: www.ilocostimes.com (http://www.ilocostimes.com/pdf-issues/sep28-oct04-09.pdf)

Pepeng's Wrath in Ilocos Norte
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj111/inol_bucket/pagay01.jpg http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj111/inol_bucket/pagay02.jpg
FARMERS in Dingras, Ilocos Norte harvest recovered rice crops submerged in water after typhoon ‘Pepeng’. The said municipality is one of the hardest hit towns in the province

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Vegetable prices at the Laoag City Commercial Complex doubled and tripled in prices due to the high cost of transportation

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Photos courtesy of Ilocos Times (http://www.ilocostimes.com)

Politics depriving Laoag of good medical care

By Neal Cruz
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:55:00 10/23/2009

Filed Under: Hospitals and Clinics, Health treatment, Politics, Local authorities

What a poor country like the Philippines suffers most from is a lack of good hospitals. Sick persons sometimes have to travel very long distances to get medical help in hospitals. And sometimes the patients do not reach the hospital alive.

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office has a program of giving ambulances to local government units. But where would these ambulances take the patients when there are no well-equipped hospitals nearby? They have to take emergency cases two or three provinces away or to faraway Manila. And needless to say, some patients are dead by the time they get there.

So the ambulances are used by the mayor, or his wife or children or house help, to go joyriding or to go marketing or shopping, or to go to Metro Manila.

That is why we see so many ambulances from the provinces running around the metropolis. Sometimes the ambulance is used by the mayor to smuggle drugs.

Many Filipinos are in poor health, or die before their time because there are not enough hospitals to take care of its citizens.

Do you know that patients from the provinces who are suffering from end-stage kidney failure have to travel all the way to Metro Manila to be dialyzed to ensure their survival? Kidney patients will die within weeks or months if they are not hemodialyzed (a process of cleaning the blood of toxins via a machine, a cleansing that the failing kidneys can no longer do). A patient with end-stage kidney failure has to be dialyzed three times a week (at fees ranging from P3,000 to P15,000 per session), so that patients from the provinces have to rent rooms in Metro Manila to stay alive.

So I cannot understand why Gov. Michael Keon and the Ilocos Norte Provincial Board are blocking Laoag Mayor Michael F. Fariñas from upgrading the Laoag City General Hospital (LCGH).

The upgrading of the LCGH has been ongoing since 2002. It is part of Laoag’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP), approved by the City Council, reviewed and approved by the provincial board, and approved by the Department of Health. Health Secretary Francisco Duque commended Fariñas for wanting to upgrade the city hospital and provide quality and affordable health services to his constituents.

Laoag had set aside P24 million for the upgrading of the hospital and has secured a P350-million loan from two government banks and an international aid agency. That was during the governorship of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The governor is now Michael Keon, a cousin of Marcos Jr., and he and the provincial board are blocking the improvement of the LCGH.

“Both hospitals will offer the same medical services and facilities,” Keon said in a letter to the Department of Health. “It is important to note that the proposed LCGH is only 10 minutes away by car from the provincial hospital. The proximity of the two hospitals to one another plus the same service and facilities will result in what can only be described as ‘cut-throat’ competition as both compete for the same market share of patients-clientele.”

The provincial board disapproved a resolution of the Laoag City Council giving Fariñas authority to secure loans from government banks. Duque changed his mind about his endorsement of the upgrading of the LCGH and even wrote the Development Bank of the Philippines to discourage it from giving the LCGH a loan.

Why are they doing this? Any other local government official would be happy to have more than one hospital in his territory. In the case of Laoag and Ilocos Norte, patients cannot be accommodated in the present hospitals.

In a letter to Duque in 2008, Fariñas reported: “At present, the Laoag City General Hospital sometimes cannot accommodate patients seeking medical intervention due to lack of space. The situation also holds true with the Governor Roque Ablan Sr. Medical Hospital (GRASMH) where some patients stay in alleys and corridors, and the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital (MMMH).”

Duque replied that the LCGH should remain a level 2 general 50-bed hospital (not a tertiary hospital) subject to review by the DoH. Again, why are they doing this to Fariñas and the people of Laoag?

The answer can only be petty politics, a case of one-upmanship. Keon doesn’t want Laoag to have a better hospital than the province because of his rivalry with Fariñas. Keon waged a bitter political battle against a close relative of the mayor, former Gov. Rudy Fariñas.

As for the two hospitals being close to each other, Metro Manila has more than a dozen hospitals, public and private, within minutes of one another, and there is still crowding in all of them. In Houston, Texas, there are many hospitals beside one another and the city is famous all over the world for its outstanding feats in medicine, especially in the field of cardiology. It is the home of the Texas Heart Institute and the Baylor Hospital, among the pioneers in heart transplants (my doctor-daughter studied there before getting a fellowship at the Yale Medical Center in Connecticut).

As for the disapproval by the provincial board, the Department of Interior and Local Government said the act “went beyond the perimeters of review set by the Supreme Court.”

“The authority of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) to review the acts of its component municipalities (cities) is limited to reviewing only (1) ordinances or (2) resolutions approving local development plans and public investment programs, per provisions of Sec. 56(a) of the Local Government Code of 1991 (RA 7160).”

Clearly, the governor and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan had no legal authority to disapprove the project.

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cross-posted from source: Inquirer.net (http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20091023-231732/Politics-depriving-Laoag-of-good-medical-care)

Ilocos garlic, woven cloth in demand for export

Agri-Commodities
Written by Leilani Adriano / Correspondent
MONDAY, 26 OCTOBER 2009 20:13

LAOAG CITY—Garlic and binakol, also called abel (loom weaving), are two of Ilocos Norte’s “hidden” treasures that are making a headway in the export business.

Five years ago, Sally Ganal, 46, of Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, was a plain housewife, tending to her four children. The family’s source of livelihood greatly depended on her husband’s salary as a construction worker.

Life could have been financially trying for the Ganal family, but thanks to free livelihood training from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), Ganal with other housewives like Rowena Ganitano, 41, and Carita Ganitano, 45, participated in livelihood training and honed their skills in sewing.

In 2004 the Sarrat Binakol Association (SBA), composed of at least 27 active members, was formed to promote binakol.

Loom weaving in Sarrat town has been existent in the municipality for years, but was only concentrated in weaving blankets and pillow cases.

With the fusion of Ilocano creativity and artistry, Ganal said their product line has transformed to other craft innovations. These include accessories, gift items and souvenirs useful for students and in offices. Among the best-selling products of the SBA include tote bags, vanity sets, pencil cases, envelopes, sun visors and leis.

The local government unit of Sarrat, in cooperation with the Tesda and the DTI, granted a minimum funding assistance of P20,000 as a start-up capital to buy raw materials and loom-weaving machines. Today the binakol association in Sarrat town is gaining popularity not only in provincial trade fairs, where they always join to promote their products, but also as favorite giveaways and pasalubongs abroad. To date, bulk orders of its products made by balikbayan and foreign tourists reach as far as Singapore, Italy, Greece and Hawaii.

Meanwhile, garlic, known to some in Ilocos Norte as white gold, has found its nest in food processing, too. In Vintar town, about 280 hectares of land are planted with garlic. During harvest season, farmers’ income from garlic products is low because of the high supply.

With this as an incentive, a group of women here, locally known as the Rural Improvement Club, which included out-of-school youth, was trained by the government-owned Mariano Marcos State University-College of Technology to process garlic. They formed an association, the Siwawer Garlic Food Products Association (SGFPA), which learned how to preserve garlic and sell them at a higher price.

Right now, the processed garlic food products in Vintar town are in demand in the local market. Some of the products are exported to Hawaii and mainland USA, said Melda Quilala, coordinator of the women’s association here.

Quilala said the garlic food processing in Vintar town equipped with garlic peeler, slicer, mechanical dryer and a pulverizing machine is backed by the local government unit of Vintar town and the Department of Labor and Employment, giving them financial assistance for the project.

Barely three years since the group started processing garlic, the SGFPA is now the leading supplier of garlic food products, such as pickled garlic, flakes, chips, polvoron, garlic powder, pastillas and garlic cookies. The demand for their products further increased when they improved its packaging, she added.

A number of active cooperatives here, like the SBA and the SGFPA, have exhibited their crafts and products during the three-day celebration of cooperative month at the Ilocos Norte Heroes Hall from October 20 to 22.
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cross-posted from source: Business Mirror (http://businessmirror.com.ph/component/content/article/53-agri-commodities/17788-ilocos-garlic-woven-cloth-in-demand-for-export.html)

the air link is good news for laoag.....

^^ yes indeed!
One of the main reason why many Ilocanos in Hawaii aren't flying Hawaiian Air is the lack of connecting flights to Laoag. With this, PAL is in for truly stiff competition againts Hawaiian - and competition will benefit travelers.

If Hawaiian had another buy-one-take-one promo, I'm convince seatswill sell in minutes :lol::lol::lol:

Pepeng's Wrath in Ilocos Norte

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj111/inol_bucket/pinakbet.jpg
Vegetable prices at the Laoag City Commercial Complex doubled and tripled in prices due to the high cost of transportation

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Photos courtesy of Ilocos Times (http://www.ilocostimes.com)

yes, that is what my family said. vegetables was like the poor peoples food. now opposite. vegetables are so pricey only the well off can afford to buy plenty of vegetables. meat is little cheaper.

^^ yes indeed!
One of the main reason why many Ilocanos in Hawaii aren't flying Hawaiian Air is the lack of connecting flights to Laoag. With this, PAL is in for truly stiff competition againts Hawaiian - and competition will benefit travelers.

If Hawaiian had another buy-one-take-one promo, I'm convince seatswill sell in minutes :lol::lol::lol:

and yes, hawaiian air is only good for those who travel in MM vicinity. not to good for outer provinces like ilocos area. we took a 10hr bus ride via Farinas to Laoag. but bc of typhoon ramil scare we booked PAL flight fr laoag to manila for this sunday. but now theres another typhoon heading towards manila area when we go there. oh wells.

but i believe the cebu/hawaiian air link still needs to be patched up. the booking thru agent due to different systems is a hassle. but it is a start. real competition for PAL.

^^ good start indeed.
Looks like you're just about wrapping up your vacay hibell.
Despite all those typhoons, I sure hope you had a great time . . . . .

Provincial Government Taps Private Firms to Manage Convention Center

BY LEILANIE G. ADRIANO
STAFF REPORTER

TO ENSURE that the newly constructed hotel and convention center will be professionally managed and would be able to generate more revenues to maximize the peoples’ money used in building the P475-million project, the Ilocos Norte provincial government, under the administration of Gov. Michael M. Keon, is set to engage the expertise of Paramount Hotel and Facilities management Corporation, and the Philippine Exhibit and Theme Park Corporation (PETCO), two groups known in running big hotels and convention centers around the country and abroad.

To realize this, members of t h e S a n g g u n i a n g Panlalawigan headed by Ilocos Norte Vice Gov. Windell D. Chua, unanimously approved on October 26, 2009 a resolution authorizing the governor to execute and sign for and in behalf of the provincial government separate management contracts with PETCO and Paramount hotel, respectively.

Under the management contract, provincial treasurer Josephine Calajate told members of the provincial board on October 26, during the SP’s out-of-town session in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, that after several meetings and discussions with the management board of the Ilocos Norte Hotel and Convention Center (INHCC) and the local finance committee of the provincial government, she reported that among the salient features of the three-year management agreement contract include the following:
For the management of the hotel, Paramount will get 5% out of the gross income of the hotel as a management fee plus 5% more out of the net income as incentive fee. A separate percentage share will also be deducted
of the hotel proceeds for the keeping of book of accounts. On the other hand, Calajate said that PETCO, who will manage the convention center, will receive P100,000 per month as management fee with 10% incentive fee from the gross income of the convention center for the first two years of operation. On the third year of operation, the PETCO’s incentive fee will decrease to 7.5% with the expected increase of the market share of the convention center after three years of operation.

The provincial treasurer also added that the remaining income from the hotel and convention center shall be accrued to the general fund. She stressed that full ownership of the hotel and convention center, which was built during the term of former Ilocos Norte Gov. Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. through a loan a g r e e m e n t w i t h the Development Bank of the Philippines, will remain with the provincial government.

A technical working group was also formed as an oversight committee to look into the smooth operations of the project.

Judelyn Cruz, director of Ilocos Norte Investment Center of the provincial government said they are now preparing for the launching of the INHCC. She said the governor have yet to personally announce its final launching as everything is still being prepared. As early as now, Cruz said her office have been receiving hotel and convention center reservations for December to February next year. In the meantime, about 92 employees, mostly from the province will be serving the hotel and convention center with an additional 60 on call waiters.

Top managerial positions would be filled by Paramount and PETCO.

On October 28, the provincial government of Ilocos Norte represented by Governor Michael M. Keon signed two separate management agreements with the Philippine Exhibits and Themeparks Corp. (PETCO) and the Paramount Hotel and Facilities Management Corp., represented by Jose Maridel Rosario, to engage their services in making the INHC project as an economic enterprise
of the provincial government. Both management agreements with PETCO and Paramount have three-year renewable contracts depending on several terms and conditions.

“We will show the best of what we have and we will make it (hotel) a success for Ilocos Norte,” said Jose Mari del Rosario, president of Paramount Hotels in his acceptance speech. “We will make you proud of what you have invested,” he assured governor Keon, provincial board and department heads present during the MA signing at the Provincial Capitol session hall.

To date, more than 150 newly-hired personnel, mostly from Ilocos Norte province are being trained for the opening of the Ilocos Norte Hotel and Convention Center.

With dedicated and new personnel who are motivated to learn and management experts who are committed to bring iconventions and tourism progress in the province, Heidi Maclicdem –Kwan, vice president of PETCO vowed they are “ready to accept the challenge.” To promote Ilocos Norte as
the convention center of the north, Kwan said their first step is to train local event organizers on what to do by inviting them to a seminar on how to organize events successfully.

To ensure the viability an sustainability of the INHCC, governor Keon said during the signing that the provincial government has engaged the professional expertise of PETCO and Paramount because they are known for successfully managing hotels, country clubs, residential condominiums, trade fairs and conventions.

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cross-posted from source: Ilocos Times (http://www.ilocostimes.com)

By Jennilyne C. Role

San Fernando City, La Union (6 November) -- Laoag City Mayor Michael V. Fariñas highlights the role of Productivity and Quality (P&Q) sharing in government operation to achieve high impact outputs during the 2009 National Quality and Productivity Improvement Month Closing Ceremony in the region.

Personally, Fariñas outlined the road to productivity and quality which he is undertaking that ultimately bring a satisfying life to everyone.

"The road that led the City of Laoag to the sunshiniest productivity and generous sharing is primordially rooted on my dedication and commitment to my vow of public service when I became the Mayor in 2004, hand-in-hand with my battlecry, my dictum…'MoVe Forward Laoag'," Farinas said.

Among the six gates mentioned by Fariñas that lead Laoag City to its way to the road to productivity and quality sharing includes the improvement of the City's efficiency in frontline services – coming up with its Citizen's Charter, the bible of every residents.

Second, is the massive dissemination of information on the status of implemented projects for transparency and accountability – with its 'Rang-ay ti Barangay' Program that serves as a perfect venue for barangay consultations and bringing the government's services closer to the people.

The city's official newsletter and website, and the regular press conferences conducted are good vehicles also for dissemination.

Third, is the setting up of complaint's desk and the establishment of Community Police Assistance Centers that are fully equip with communication facilities, with the existence of a CCTV system within the city hall and the city's major streets and intersections that serves as medium for any eventualities.

Fourth, is the boosting of agricultural produce, infrastructure projects and tourism.

Fifth, is the mayor's conviction of leading by example with clear distinctions of what is good and evil, hand in hand with the conduct of annual moral values formation program among employees and the posting of 'be honest' signages.

The last is the accessibility regardless of time and social and economic circumstances – with his personal hotline number where his constituents can communicate directly to him.

"The fruits of progressive leadership directed at achieving productivity and quality sharing have been truly rewarding and inspiring, and have really come in great harvests," Fariñas said. (PIA Region 1/La Union)
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cross-posted from source: Philippine Information Agency (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p091106.htm&no=38)

C1KSCsh3w7k

2009-11-6 10:8

20 wind turbines stand along a 6-mile strip on a beach in Bangui, to harness the strong winds from the South China Sea.

The Northwind Bangui Bay Project, now provides 40 percent of the power needs in Ilocos Norte province of the Philippines via its connection to the national grid.

The project is an important step towards developing alternative sources of energy, especially with a growing clamor to reduce carbon emissions.

The wind farm harnesses 33 megawatts of electricity without emitting greenhouse gases.

Its developers say a wind farm is economical because wind is not only renewable but free.

[Niels Jacobsen, President and CEO, Northwind Power Development Corp.]:
“We're not using any fuel. Fuel is for free, while any other fossil fuel, power plant need to buy their coal, gas, or bangor or diesel, whatever. And that makes it in the long run, as we say, a feasible plant.”

The downside is that wind farms are not 100 percent reliable.

The amount of electricity they generate depends on how the wind blows, and wind strength can vary from zero knots to storm force.

Northwind earns from selling carbon credits through a mechanism provided by the Kyoto Protocol.

The Kyoto agreement allows projects based in developing countries to sell its emission offsets to a government or firm in an industrialized country.

Jacobsen, however, says the U.S. $50 million investment could take years to yield significant profits.

[Niels Jacobsen, President and CEO, Northwind Power Development Corp.]:
“It is a profitable venture. But it's a long-term investment. It's not where you get the returns after a year. It takes a long time for you to recover your investment.”

Wind turbines are a clean source of energy, but wind farms encounter resistance in many countries because some consider them an eyesore.

Residents of Bangui have grown to like their towering neighbors.

[Anthony Campanano, Town Official]:
"It takes some getting used to. If you look at it, there are modern structures built on the beach. But contrary to what we expected, a lot of people visit our place to look at the windmills."

The growing number of tourists stopping to look at Bangui's windmills has increased business opportunities in the area.

Northwind is conducting wind studies at two more sites in the northern Philippines for possible wind farms.

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cross-posted from source: New Tang Dynasty Television (http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_asia/2009-11-06/086475512478.html)

Good afternoon Laoag and Ilocos Norte! :D

I hope you don't mind if I do a little OT plug. If you're between 18 and 35 and you want to be a driver of change in Southeast Asia, then join SEAchange, Southeast Asia's largest youth movement for personal change! Also, you may win one of 500 trips to Kuala Lumpur to attend the 2009 Youth Engagement Summit (YES2009). Hurry, there are only 200 slots left!

Visit http://philippines.youthsays.com/seachange/go/Fcw to find out more and join. Membership is free! It's time we become true agents of change, in Laoag, Ilocos Norte, the Philippines and throughout Southeast Asia! :D

(I hope I'm not being overly spammy here. I'm just bored. :tongue2:)

share ko lang

TOP 10 RICHEST PROVINCES

Provinces with highest income for 2007 are as follows:


1. Bulacan (P1.807 billion),
2. Negros Occidental ((P1.674 billion),
3. Cebu (P1.657 billion),
4. Cavite (P 1.542 billion),
5. Laguna (P1.487 billion),
6. Pangasinan (P1.482 billion),
7. Batangas (P1.386 billion),
8. Quezon (P 1.36 billion),
9. Rizal (P1.361 billion)
10. Bukidnon (P1.295 billion).

SOURCE: COA

Tanap-Avis Falls, Burgos, Ilocos Norte
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Photos by alford (http://www.trekearth.com/members/alford/) @ trekearth.com



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Photos by event.essentials (http://www.flickr.com/photos/36090761@N05/) @ Flickr.com

^^nice found:okay:

Politics depriving Laoag of good medical care

By Neal Cruz
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:55:00 10/23/2009

Filed Under: Hospitals and Clinics, Health treatment, Politics, Local authorities

What a poor country like the Philippines suffers most from is a lack of good hospitals. Sick persons sometimes have to travel very long distances to get medical help in hospitals. And sometimes the patients do not reach the hospital alive.

The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office has a program of giving ambulances to local government units. But where would these ambulances take the patients when there are no well-equipped hospitals nearby? They have to take emergency cases two or three provinces away or to faraway Manila. And needless to say, some patients are dead by the time they get there.

So the ambulances are used by the mayor, or his wife or children or house help, to go joyriding or to go marketing or shopping, or to go to Metro Manila.

That is why we see so many ambulances from the provinces running around the metropolis. Sometimes the ambulance is used by the mayor to smuggle drugs.

Many Filipinos are in poor health, or die before their time because there are not enough hospitals to take care of its citizens.

Do you know that patients from the provinces who are suffering from end-stage kidney failure have to travel all the way to Metro Manila to be dialyzed to ensure their survival? Kidney patients will die within weeks or months if they are not hemodialyzed (a process of cleaning the blood of toxins via a machine, a cleansing that the failing kidneys can no longer do). A patient with end-stage kidney failure has to be dialyzed three times a week (at fees ranging from P3,000 to P15,000 per session), so that patients from the provinces have to rent rooms in Metro Manila to stay alive.

So I cannot understand why Gov. Michael Keon and the Ilocos Norte Provincial Board are blocking Laoag Mayor Michael F. Fariñas from upgrading the Laoag City General Hospital (LCGH).

The upgrading of the LCGH has been ongoing since 2002. It is part of Laoag’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP), approved by the City Council, reviewed and approved by the provincial board, and approved by the Department of Health. Health Secretary Francisco Duque commended Fariñas for wanting to upgrade the city hospital and provide quality and affordable health services to his constituents.

Laoag had set aside P24 million for the upgrading of the hospital and has secured a P350-million loan from two government banks and an international aid agency. That was during the governorship of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The governor is now Michael Keon, a cousin of Marcos Jr., and he and the provincial board are blocking the improvement of the LCGH.

“Both hospitals will offer the same medical services and facilities,” Keon said in a letter to the Department of Health. “It is important to note that the proposed LCGH is only 10 minutes away by car from the provincial hospital. The proximity of the two hospitals to one another plus the same service and facilities will result in what can only be described as ‘cut-throat’ competition as both compete for the same market share of patients-clientele.”

The provincial board disapproved a resolution of the Laoag City Council giving Fariñas authority to secure loans from government banks. Duque changed his mind about his endorsement of the upgrading of the LCGH and even wrote the Development Bank of the Philippines to discourage it from giving the LCGH a loan.

Why are they doing this? Any other local government official would be happy to have more than one hospital in his territory. In the case of Laoag and Ilocos Norte, patients cannot be accommodated in the present hospitals.

In a letter to Duque in 2008, Fariñas reported: “At present, the Laoag City General Hospital sometimes cannot accommodate patients seeking medical intervention due to lack of space. The situation also holds true with the Governor Roque Ablan Sr. Medical Hospital (GRASMH) where some patients stay in alleys and corridors, and the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital (MMMH).”

Duque replied that the LCGH should remain a level 2 general 50-bed hospital (not a tertiary hospital) subject to review by the DoH. Again, why are they doing this to Fariñas and the people of Laoag?

The answer can only be petty politics, a case of one-upmanship. Keon doesn’t want Laoag to have a better hospital than the province because of his rivalry with Fariñas. Keon waged a bitter political battle against a close relative of the mayor, former Gov. Rudy Fariñas.

As for the two hospitals being close to each other, Metro Manila has more than a dozen hospitals, public and private, within minutes of one another, and there is still crowding in all of them. In Houston, Texas, there are many hospitals beside one another and the city is famous all over the world for its outstanding feats in medicine, especially in the field of cardiology. It is the home of the Texas Heart Institute and the Baylor Hospital, among the pioneers in heart transplants (my doctor-daughter studied there before getting a fellowship at the Yale Medical Center in Connecticut).

As for the disapproval by the provincial board, the Department of Interior and Local Government said the act “went beyond the perimeters of review set by the Supreme Court.”

“The authority of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) to review the acts of its component municipalities (cities) is limited to reviewing only (1) ordinances or (2) resolutions approving local development plans and public investment programs, per provisions of Sec. 56(a) of the Local Government Code of 1991 (RA 7160).”

Clearly, the governor and the Sangguniang Panlalawigan had no legal authority to disapprove the project.

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cross-posted from source: Inquirer.net (http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view/20091023-231732/Politics-depriving-Laoag-of-good-medical-care)


what's wrong with these people?

^^ Ilocos Times has just reported that there might be some kind of truce in the offing between Gob and Mayor planned upgrading of the LCGH

Miss Earth Candidates visit Laoag City & Ilocos Norte

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source: Ilocos Times (http://www.ilocostimes.com)

ILOCOS NORTE: Genuine Ilocandia
by Louie John Sanchez @ Blogspot (http://louiejonsanchez.blogspot.com/2009/11/ilocos-norte-genuine-ilocandia.html)

The mythos embodies it all. When one goes to Ilocos Norte, one time travels and returns to a land of heroes and kilometric legends and old quaint towns and churches and stories of many a people’s leave taking. There are so many ways to make sense of Ilocos Norte, its awesome beauty, its poetry, its history.

We can probably begin with Pedro Bucaneg’s Lam-ang, the epic and the man, and we can get a glimpse of what characterize both the Ilocano terrain and the people. In Damiana Eugenio’s Anthology for instance, the epic describes a rich catalogue of harvests from the sea which the mother Namungan partook while she was conceiving the all-powerful and immortal hero. There mentioned too, streams, aside from the sea, which is ever present, and the mysterious mountains of the beyond, where Lam-ang chased and single-handedly took the lives of the tribe which killed his father, Don Juan Panganiban.

When you drive around Ilocos Norte, and you know Lam-ang, you wouldn’t be surprised by the constant presence of rivers, water inlets and the imposing Cordillera Mountains at the East. On the other hand, in the market and in its culinary shrines, you wouldn’t even wonder about Ilocos’ bounty and variety and color. The people of this land, constantly defying the monsoon weather and the small land area, have braved the odds, very much like their hero Lam-ang, who had resurrected after his bones have been gathered from underwater, after his prophesy of his being ravaged by a shark as he fulfills his final. The story of Lam-ang after all, is the story of the genuine Ilokano. But the story only fulfills itself when its lands are traversed.

The summer we drove up in Ilocos Norte, the fields were slowly turning from green to gold. Tobacco stood proudly everywhere in Ilocos soil, reminding of this plant’s rich past. Tobacco is gold in Ilocandia in colonial times, and we must remember that a monopoly on its trade caused resistance and several uprisings. The lifting of the tobacco monopoly is remembered through an obelisk made of red bricks at the central plaza of the Ilocos Norte capital of Laoag, thankful to the Spanish monarch King Alfonso XII. Tobacco remains a trademark crop of Ilocos Norte, and the picturesque views by the road of plantations and kubos where tobacco leaves are hung to dry, only highlight this. To say that the Ilocos story is written in its tobacco leaves is nothing but apt.

Ilocos Norte can be reached in the different ways, especially if you’re on a road trip like this one. The first time I set foot in this land, I took the minibus from our small town in Apayao, and we went from the northernmost point, to northwest, passing through the Cagayan towns of Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Claveria and Santa Praxedes. This route leads you to a scenic trip to the beach towns of Ilocos Norte, like Pagudpod, Bangui, Burgos. The other route, that is coming all the way from the other side of Luzon, will give you another look at the terrain, leading you to towns and rivers, landlocked at times, but equally charming, colorful and laid back.

We took the one that went all the way from the plains of Pangasinan, La Union, and Ilocos Sur, and somehow, we had been initiated by the long drive into the sites and sights that we were about to see. The first Ilocos Norte town we reached was Badoc, the town of the artist and hero Juan Luna. What first caught me was the abundance of bougainvillea in the locale. The side streets have been filled by what looked like blooming reds and purples, until we moved on to the next towns, Pinili, Currimao, Batac and Paoay, and later on, the busy San Nicolas, the gateway to the capitol, now a bustling municipality known for its clay bricks and tiles. The side roads were dressed by colorful bougainvilleas, it felt like it was Flores de Mayo all year. Anyone whose childhood had been spent in old gardens would be delighted by the colors painted by the summer sun in this side of the country.

Kilometer zero is of course Laoag, the capital, and we started our Ilocandia journey here. The city center itself is a heritage site, where most structures still bear the proverbial Hispanic architecture common in the region. The city hall itself is made of red bricks, reminiscent of old town presidencias, which had canopied facades and wide open doors that led to halls and offices. The evening we arrived, the city center was well lit, the famous sinking belfry of the St. William’s Cathedral, supposedly the tallest in the country at 45 meters, stood proud, and the Gilbert Bridge that led to the city sparkled. At a riverbank at the far left, a Hollywood-like sign that says “LAOAG” emphasize what this city is: it is after all, a city of lights, and it shines the way the Ilocano word laoag connotes brilliance and magnanimity. The city shone as we drove around, the plaza brimming with people anticipating a weekend event. The city was indeed alive.

“It’s always Christmas here in Laoag,” says the mayora, Chevylle Fariñas, our gracious host, as she welcomed us in a warm chamber in the rustic city hall. The first lady of the city, and wife of the Mayor, Michael Fariñas, seemed to embody what her town was all about; she was giddy, charming and eloquent. She started talking about Laoag when we all sat down starting off with the city’s beautiful display lights. “The name has something to do with the sun, with light. That’s why Laoag had to be true to its name. We had to light it up.” It seemed nothing could stop her from the telling the beautiful story of the city, the developments that are coming along, and her own active role as chair of both the Laoag City Tourism and Social Concerns Council and the Association of Barangay Captains. “This is a big city, we have 81 barangays, and we have to keep them united,” she says. Mayora was very spontaneous that she even surprised all of us when she asked that some famous Laoag empanadas be brought in. There’s actually dinner scheduled according to the itinerary, but Mrs. Fariñas felt compelled to bring us this welcoming treat. “The secret is in the sukang Iloko,” she told me, as I was pouring in some of the vinegar onto my hot, orange-colored meatpie oozing with its filling of ground longganisa, eggs and various vegetables. Batac’s Plaza is known for its empanada stalls, but of course, this is an Ilocano favorite and could be found anywhere in this republic.

We had after that already heavy empanada surprise at the city hall, a nice treat of crispy dinuguan, our first taste of the “carne del Ilocos Norte,” bagnet, Laoag longganisa and fresh fish at the Balinese-Moroccan inspired Java Hotel at the outskirts of Laoag. The charming hotel and restaurant is now becoming a popular destination among locals and tourists, and it would not even be surprising that it now lends an extended nightlife in this beautiful city. But our destination at the moment is the more legendary Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel near the Laoag International Airport. The hotel of course is known for its red brick, Spanish villa hotel structures and sprawling gardens with accent fountains. The hotel which is also home to a bustling casino is a key tourism complex in Ilocos Norte and is known for its grandeur and elegance. At the side of the villas is the Luzon Sea, whose constant fierce waves seem to long for rest in the long, grey shoreline. At dusk, the next day, we looked forward to see the beautiful sunset. The horizon was indeed aflame with red as darkness fell. You can walk Fort Ilocandia and feel transported in the time of our colonial past where the cobblestones glisten and summer winds comfort us as we walk through the night.

The next days at Ilocos Norte had been a feast of history and culture. From Fort Ilocandia in Laoag, we drove south to Paoay, where the famous Church of St. Augustine, a UNESCO World Heritage landmark stood. Ilocandia boasts of two UNESCO landmark churches, the other one in Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur. A wide field with some age-old trees fronts the baroque church, which is surrounded by some small houses in that quaint, sleepy town. The church here is well known for its astounding façade and its side buttresses that made this church earthquake proof. The church is a magnificent sight to behold, especially if you’re sitting at an al fresco table of the charming restaurant Herencia de Paoay, right across the church. We enjoyed the beautiful view of the church at Herencia, where they serve the very popular Pinakbet Pizza.

But Ilocos Norte, aside from being pinakbet country, is still Marcos country. When still in Paoay, we visited a very important Marcos landmark, the Malacañang ti Amianan, the presidential palace of the north, where the family of the late strongman spent summer vacations. The palace is a typical Ilocos heritage house made of stone in the lower chamber and wood, in the upper chambers. Inside, you will be welcomed into a breezy open sala, which faces the picturesque Paoay Lake, where President Marcos rode his jet ski. Letty Buduan, a caretaker and tour guide in the Malacañang remembers the majesty of the palace, where she had been working since the day it opened. “This house was alive, very much alive,” she says. “The Marcos kids enjoyed their summers here. Some very important guests of the first couple have also been brought here. The house used to be surrounded by sturdy ypil-ypil trees, a beautiful garden. But the lake of course is the most important part of the palace. This is where the former president used to fish as a young boy. He often went to the balcony to reminisce, to remember,” she says. The Malacañang here lends so much nostalgia, especially for the lover of history. The grand staircase, the wide halls and salas, and even the former president’s study and library reminded us of the life this family lived, and the other stories that once dwelled here. The colorful lives of the Marcoses are remembered and kept here, and farther eastward, at Batac, where the Marcos ancestral home still stands, alongside the mausoleum of the former president.

The drive from Malacañang led us into the road by the Paoay Lake, which is considered mythic and mysterious by Ilocano tradition. Janet Padayao, another old-timer at the palace, recounted the story of this lake, which according to local lore is the site of a submerged town, San Juan de Sajagon. “A beggar visited the town,” she says, “but the people refused to help her. She cast a spell on the town and it rained hard for days and months. The town eventually went underwater, according to the story, but the presence of the town is yet to be proven.” In the summer, the lake’s surroundings are brown and dry, save for the golf course that has been put up here by President Marcos. The scene by the road resembled the sepia photographs that we had seen in one of the many pictures of Ilocos Norte, on display at Museo Ilocos Norte, originally a tabacalera warehouse, back in Laoag City.

A quick return to Laoag City allowed us to visit to its public market where abel Iloko or hand woven blankets are sold. The market also houses the famous bagnet and longganisa. The scene was simply a feast for the eyes, as we saw women preparing the liempos for the processes of frying. After this, we drove east to Sarrat to see another majestic church, the Parish of Santa Monica, whose solid red brick belfry is known to be home to some fruit bats. We arrived at the breezy church at past noon, and it was way too early to see the bats flying out from the bell tower. The whole complex and its ruins were simply fascinating, it felt like we were in a Guiseppe Tornatore film, where the wind blows quite dramatically, carrying the fallen leaves, creating little twisters in the church grounds. The church faces the still river Padsan, which also runs in Laoag, where nipa huts could be rented for picnics. The church’s sturdy structure, its well-known roof trusses and the stillness in the town when we arrived lent mystique to that side of our trip.

The pinakbet and Marcos country is first and foremost, of course, a balikbayan country. We must remember that the first sakadas or sugar cane workers in Hawaii were from Ilocos Norte and the whole Ilocandia. “Balikbayan Nights” are commonplace here especially during town and city fiestas, and the balikbayans from everywhere gather in their respective towns to pay homage to the land of their roots. Bacarra, northwest of Sarrat, was known to have been built by balikbayans, quite literally, and when we drove to the town, the old Ilocano houses seemed to have been replaced by mansion or palace-like structures. This is also the same thing I guess with San Nicolas, the town nearest Laoag, which according to officials now hold the most number of Ilocano expatriates in America.

The balikbayan story is the same story of the family of Catherine Abadilla. Her forefathers were part of the large-scale diaspora of Ilocanos to Hawaii, and when she toured us in her house back in Laoag, we were amazed by the wealth of memories she has kept. She has on display, the memorabilia of her grandfathers Melchor and Cornelio Pascual, who once manned the sugarcane plantations in the island state. There were on the sala, sepia pictures and two big rectangular bags that had leather straps, which she says were brought by the two when they went back home. The bags are notably precursors to balikbayan boxes, and Catherine could not help but agree. But her current fulfillment is in the venture she has undertaken with a timeless fixture of Ilokano culinary culture, the sukang Iloko. As a former professor at the province’s Mariano Marcos State University, she has pioneered research on the homegrown vinegar. When she retired recently, she decided to turn her research into a sustainable business. With the help of government funding, her family now operates Cormel Foods, which processes and distills basi, the Ilocano wine, and yes, the sukang Iloko. “I am very fulfilled, it’s been awhile since people have given attention to our suka here. It just needs to be packaged. It’s very saleable.” Cormel Foods indeed is a timeless tribute to Catherine’s family history and the sukang Iloko. And when we tried the Cormel basi, all we could do was sip in delight.

The beaches and the seaside scene are things not to miss in an Ilocandia trip. The land and seascape of La Paz near For Ilocandia in Laoag, for instance, is something for the books, as it holds both mystery and poetry in the wasteland of its world famous sand dunes. Fernando Poe Jr. made some of his Panday series here, and while we were walking the dunes and allowing the breathtaking view of the restless sea to enthrall us, I could not help but remember the riveting fight scenes of Panday with the magical creatures rising from the sand. Another film, the minimalist Himala of Ishmael Bernal, adjudged recently in an online poll as the best Asia Pacific film of all time, also took the sand dunes of La Paz as a setting back in the 80s. True to its name, La Paz is fascinatingly a place of biblical solitude, a metaphorical land where we could probably commune with the shadow. The locals however have successfully fitted the place into their adventures, and while going around, we saw a group driving their 4x4s along the sandy terrain.

Farther up north, another great view of the sea awaits everyone at Bangui. The government has put up at least 15 wind turbines here that have become an important attraction in the region. Known today as the Windmills of Bangui, these turbines accelerated the electrification of the province, and have of course attracted many visitors as well. The white giants brave the gusty winds at Bangui Bay day by day, their presence simply overwhelming. Walking in the beach, we were kissed by salt spray as the winds really blew hard. I have never seen any place as windy as this spot in Bangui, and the windmills have really brought so much character to this otherwise simple town.

The sea in this side of Luzon is not as calm during our visit. In Fort Ilocandia alone, it is quite fascinating how the beach batters the shore. The beach in Currimao down south is a much calmer blue when we dropped in. But the sea we have seen at the hills of Vigia de Nagparitan in Burgos is nothing but treacherous. The historical lighthouse of Cape Bojeador however safely guards this dangerous bend of Luzon, where the Babuyan Channel and South China Sea meet. Since 1892, it has stood in that hill, lighting the way of ships that dock in Currimao, and in various points of the country. The lighthouse’s architecture is typically 19th century, with a high-ceilinged complex with Spanish wooden panel windows and an intricately designed canopied balcony, where one can view the sea and the surrounding greenery.

However the queen of the sea here in Ilocos is of course, Pagudpod. This town prides itself of having its very own white sand beaches, and it actually projects itself as a very good alternative to the more popular summer destinations in the country, and even abroad. But you will be surprised, as we all were when we drove to the most scenic beach of Pagudpod. In what is known to locals as Blue Lagoon, you will be mesmerized by the tropical paradise, currently being developed in anticipation of more tourist activity. When we arrived, the sea was restless too. The rainforest that surrounds the area is moist with early morning rain. “Most times, the sea is very calm and blue here,” says Gina Domongcil, general manager of Hannah’s Beach Resort, a developing tourist destination in the prime Pagudpod spot. “I’ve seen how this place has grown, I lived most of my life here. This place is really beautiful, has remained virginal. Only a few people know the place, but slowly, the crowds are growing. We are very excited to transform the place, but with much care of course,” adds Gina.

Knowing what the Genuine Ilocandia is through the trip is almost epical. We could go on and on, talking about the beaches, the landmarks, the routes both scenic and serendipitous. Any writing, like the Lam-ang epic, is merely an attempt to create a testament. The continuing story is everywhere—in the pinakbet, bagnet, the churches, the houses, the language. It also resides in the tobacco, and the bougainvillea abloom in the land this summer. It is in the heart of the people.

Sitio Remedios - Currimao, Ilocos Norte

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Bangui Windmills, Bangui, Ilocos Norte

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Tanap-Avis Falls, Burgos, Ilocos Norte

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Badoc Church, Badoc, Ilocos Norte
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Patapat Viaduct, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte
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Padsan River, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte
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Photos by mlornatolentino (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mlornatolentino/) @ Flickr.com

Agri-Commodities
Written by Leilani Adriano / Correspondent
Wednesday, 11 November 2009 19:10

BADOC, Ilocos Norte—About 400 saplings of Hawaiian macadamia trees found a new habitat on a sprawling idle land in sitio Paratong, Saud, Badoc, Ilocos Norte, with the launching of the first macadamia demonstration farm in the country.

Attended by Filipino-Hawaiian investors, together with Mayor Mufi Hannemann of the city and county of Honolulu, Hawaii, and party on November 9, the first macadamia tree plantation in the country will serve as a demonstration farm for the production of macadamia nuts, a high-valued commercial crop in the United States and some parts of Europe.

Valued at P2,000 per seedling, the Filipino-Hawaiian investors, led by Mito Ablan, brought some seeds three years ago and started propagating macadamia in a nursery farm in Tarlac. About 200,000 macadamia seedlings are ready for planting.

Study shows that macadamia can be grown in the Ilocos region, which has a tropical climate like Hawaii.

Like mango trees that abundantly thrive in the Ilocos region, Ablan said macadamia could be harvested from six to eight years depending on the variety.

Ablan, who is also the president of the Ilocos Norte Association of Hawaii, has encouraged fellow Filipinos in Hawaii who have idle land in Ilocos to develop their vacant lots and invest in macadamia farming.

In Hawaii, he said about 19,000 acres is planted to macadamia, and it is bringing almost $700 million in income.

Macadamia nuts grown in Brazil, Australia and Hawaii consist of only 2 percent of the world consumption, Ablan added.

According to Badoc Mayor Thomas Torralba, they have identified more than 3 hectares of private lots which they initially developed as a demonstration farm. Ablan said the first Philippine macadamia demo farm in his town has been established in cooperation with Mac Nut (Phils.) Inc. and the government of Ilocos Norte under the administration of Gov. Michael Keon.

To sustain the project, Torralba said the local government of Badoc would be coordinating with technical experts from the Mariano Marcos State University and the Department of Agriculture for the proper care and maintenance of the project.

Unlike other fruit-bearing trees in Ilocos, Ablan said macadamia nuts could be harvested from June to December as it assures an all-year-round supply of quality nuts. The seeds are not perishable because it is hard.

In an earlier interview, Governor Keon said the provincial government is looking forward to the success of the macadamia plantation in Ilocos province, as he encouraged other municipalities to do the same.

He said farmers would ultimately benefit from the project by giving them other alternative source of income with its global demand.

In his speech, Mayor Hannemann told local officials and Ilocanos here that his government hopes to establish stronger ties and better cooperation with Ilocos provinces geared toward the promotion of cultural exchanges and to solidify economic ties.

Most of the Filipinos in Hawaii are Ilocanos who trace their roots in Ilocos Norte and other neighboring provinces in northern Philippines.

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cross-posted from source: Business Mirror (http://businessmirror.com.ph/component/content/article/53-agri-commodities/18407-filipino-hawaiian-investors-put-up-first-macadamia-tree-plantation-in-ilocos-norte.html)

by Carlo P. Canares

Laoag City, Ilocos Norte (13 November) -- Banna Rice Coffee. Mouth-watering longganiza from Batac. Crispy-licious Chicharon or Bagnet from San Nicolas and Chichacorn from Paoay. Bibingka, puto and other native kakanin from Currimao and shellcraft from Pagudpud.

These are just of the products being displayed - and sold - at the 14th Partuat ti Kailokuan Trade Fair & Garden Show at the Ilocano Heroes Memorial Hall in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.


Read the whole story at Philippine Information Agency (http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p091113.htm&no=34)

MVF explains LC’s 6 steps to road to progress (http://www.ilocostimes.com)
BY CRISTINA ARZADON
PIA LAOAG

THERE’S NO stopping Laoag in becoming one of the bustling cities in Northern Philippines. And to Laoag Mayor Michael V. Fariñas, it took six strides to the path of success. “The road that led the City of Laoag to its shiniest can be seen in (our) battle cry, MoVe Forward Laoag,” Fariñas told a gathering of leaders in Region I for the National Quality and Productivity Improvement Month. Fariñas keynoted the event organized by the Regional Productivity Committee of the Regional Development Council. The two-term mayor outlined the city’s road to progress in six areas of improvement namely: frontline services; information dissemination; complaints’ desk and monitoring; agricultural productivity; moral value transformation and government accessibility.

The frontline services were embodied in the book, Citizen’s Charter while free flow of information on the status of implemented projects for transpar- ency and accountability is exemplified by the ‘Rang-ay ti Barangay’ Program that becomes a venue for barangay consultations and regular press conferences, production of newsletter and maintenance of an on-line site;

The city government set up its complaint’s desk and established Community Police As- sistance Centers equipped with communication facilities and CCTV system within the city hall and major road intersections for easier monitoring. The city’s agriculture sector, infrastructure and tourism were given greater focus while programs on moral values formation were integrated among employees. To get easier access to the city government, Fariñas made available his personal mobile number to the public so that resi- dents could directly send their complaints. “The fruits of progressive leadership directed at achieving productivity and quality sharing have been truly rewarding, inspiring and have come in great harvests,” Fariñas said.

La Paz Sand Dunes, Laoag City

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2429/3997500530_71ddc5f257.jpg
The Directors cut of Digital Photographer Philippines / Caltex / MTV / On Assignment 6
Photo by Raymund Cruz (http://www.flickr.com/photos/8000journals/) @ Flickr.com

Regions
Written by Leilani Adriano / Correspondent
Wednesday, 25 November 2009 19:34

LAOAG City, Ilocos Norte—Imagine the city proper of Laoag with battery-powered vehicles or electric taxis transporting passengers from one place to another. No gas emissions equal fresher air to breath.

This is what the Laoag City government wants the city to become as the administration of Mayor Michael Fariñas wants to purchase more electronic taxis to service commuters, especially tourists and senior citizens around the city proper.

To date, Laoag has purchased at least two e-taxis painted with light green and pink, operating along the major thoroughfares of the city. It is the newest city next to Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Taguig and Marikina that acquired battery-operated taxis aimed to promote the use of environment-friendly electric vehicles.

A unit of e-taxi like the two units displayed in Laoag proper costs about P160,000. To entice more passengers to use the e-taxis, Fariñas said the city government has allotted more funds to buy larger electric vehicles that could accommodate at least nine passengers.

“It may be expensive, but in the long run, it comes out cheaper because you don’t need to buy oil and fuel to operate it,” said Fariñas in an interview.

Records show that there are some 2.2 million tricycles in the country. Most of these are powered by diesel-guzzling engines that do not have any real emissions equipment. The national government recognizes this is a major problem. To help remedy the situation, the Philippines has entered into an agreement with Leo Motors to create a joint venture to build new electric taxis. 

The government made an initial counterpart of $5-million contribution to get it started, and Leo Motors is to provide at least 2,500 electric-vehicle (EV) kits, including batteries that will be assembled by the newly formed company. Each unit will be powered by a lithium polymer battery that can either be recharged in the vehicle or swapped out at designated “Fresh Battery Stations” to be built by the joint venture. The first city to get the EVs was Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

The Puerto Princesa city government seeks to eliminate the pollution emitted by numerous tricycles, which emit carbon and pollution 15 times more than a typical passenger car. The city decided to create a tricycle that would make the air more breathable.

The EVs produced by Leo Motors are 100-percent battery powered, and fueled by recharging, rather than refueling, at a petrol station. In the Leo Motors program in Puerto Princesa, to lower the initial e-taxi purchasing cost, Leo Motors, together with the city in a joint venture, operates a Fresh Battery Station, which is a battery-swap center. When completed, drivers will not need to buy expensive batteries.
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cross-posted from source: Business Mirror (http://businessmirror.com.ph/home/regions/18958-laoag-eyes-more-electric-vehicles.html)

Robinsons Ilocos Norte Update

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Robinsons supermarket will open on December 3, 2009. Mang Inasal and KFC are some of the tenants na nakita ko.
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^^ Kewl!
Is SM coming soon?

LAOAG goes GREEN

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) traffic division used battery operated SMART Bikes and E-Taxis to patrol the city proper.


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1. SMART BIKES

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2.E-TAXI'S

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^^ Kewl!
Is SM coming soon?

Tingin ko lang susunod na ang SM :lol::lol::lol:

I'm currently in Ilocos right now. Tambay sa Tribeca as I type this. I can clearly see the workers doing the finishing touches. It's all set for the Dec 3 opening.

I have yet to see those E-Taxis. I was driving around this morning, wala pa ko nakikita.

Regarding SM naman. Sumasagap pa ko balita hehe

ano ba top speed yung mga e-taxis na yan? Baka naman di makahabol ng mga kriminal ang mga yan :lol:

Casa Llanes was razed by fire this afternoon. I saw the smoke from our house since it was only a block away. Reports say that there are 2 casualties. Casa Llanes is one of the earliest hotel/accomodations in the city. It took a while for the fire trucks to arrive. Medyo nabagalan ako sa response.

Here are some pictures from our house.
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Balintawak St(under rehabilitation).Due to strong winds, the smoke engulfed our all the way to Rizal street.
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Aftermath:

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Had a chat with a friend and told me that an SM lawyer has been going around the But-tong area in Laoag purchasing lots. It seems that the rumored area I mentioned here before is right.

Di lang yun, according to my friend - a foreigner is planning to put up an al fresco mall strip ala Alabang Town Center(but smaller) near The Center. Di naman daw Plaza Maestro.

yup, I remember casa llanes... kumbaga pioneer sya sa Laoag. sayang! I hope insured siya...

ROBINSONS ILOCOS NORTE OPENS IT'S DOORS TO ILOCANDIA

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Robinsons Malls heats up Ilocos Norte (http://www.ilocostimes.com)


THE SUN is up and the energy is high. And there’s definitely no stopping Robinsons Malls in launching new destinations in different key locations in the country. This coming December 3, Robinsons Malls turns up the heat once again as it opens its 28th shopping mall development under its prestigious mall chain portfolio. Robinsons Ilocos Norte is a 22,220 sq. m shop- ping mall development situated at Brgy. 1 San Fransisco, San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte. It will be a major component of a 20-hectare mixed-use complex being devel- oped by local-based firm, Venvi Development Corporation. Aptly called The Center, this vibrant and energetic complex includes residential, office, hotel and other commercial establishments.

The two-level mall will house Robinsons Malls’ prominent anchor stores that are Robinsons Department Store, Robinsons Supermarket, Handyman Do-It Best Home Center, Robinsons Appliances and Robinsons Movieworld. Joining them are top national and local food and retail tenants. The roster include Bench, Guess, Res-Toe-Run, Travel Club, Penshoppe, For Me, Oxygen, Rusty Lopez, Converse, Sport’s Fit, Mendrez, Sun Shop, Bench Body, Silicon Valley, Pic- ture City, Gamer’s Station, Tom’s World, Gadgets Plus, David’s Salon, Mercury Drug, Expres- sions, RS Bank, LBC, CDR- King, KFC, Pizza Hut, Mister Donut and Mang Inasal.

Representing Ilocos’ entre- preneurial arena are leading lo- cal players including Hi Factor, Vertext Handy Phone, La Preciosa, Kookee House, Jogan’s More on Toppings and Grills, Alvin’s Super Sizzling, Everything’s Chinese Food Hauz, C & E, and M.I.W. Food House. Other names in the line-up are Timex, Argentee, Aficionado, Candy Mix, Lighter’s Galore, Time Concept, Broadway Gems, Ibay’s Silver, XChange, Phyla Herb, Kiddie Kart, Lee Hua’s Charms, Coffe and Crepes by Cafe Laoag, Pinoy Blend Takoyaki, Siomai House, Au- thentic Japanese Corn, Hongkong Noodle House, Burger Factory, Belgian Waffle, Mr. Softy and Leylam Shawarma.

To boost up Ilocos Norte’s shopping and leisure scene even more, this development also in- tegrated other exciting mall fea- tures. A Fashion Zone, Health and Beauty Zone, and Tech Zone are strategically positioned inside the mall to cater to different cus- tomer needs. If you are with your family or friends for a daily get- away, the Food Court, Restaurant Zone and amusement will definitely be top destinations as well. Robinsons Ilocos Norte is Robinsons Malls’ 28th shopping mall development in the country, and its first in Northern Luzon. Robinsons Malls, a proud division under JG Summit property develop- ment arm Robinsons Land Corporation, is currently operating five shopping mall developments in Central Luzon (Robinsons Starmills Pampanga, Robinsons Place Angeles, Robinsons Luisita, Robinsons Pulilan, & Robinsons Cabanatuan), and six in Southern Luzon (Robinsons Town Mall Los Baños, Robinsons Place Imus, Robinsons Sta. Rosa Market, Robinsons Place Lipa, Robinsons Place Dasma, & Summit Ridge Tagaytay-Promenade).

LC eyes more electric vehicles for public utility (http://www.ilocostimes.com)

IMAGINE THE city proper of Laoag with battery-powered vehicles or electric taxis transporting passengers from one place to another. No gas emissions equal fresher air to breath. This is what the Laoag government wants the city to become as the administration of Mayor Michael V. Fariñas wants to purchase more electronic taxis to service commuters especially tourists and senior citizens roaming around the city proper.

To date, Laoag has purchased at least two e-taxis painted with light green and pink, operating along the major thoroughfares of the city. It is the newest city next to Puerto Princesa in Palawan, Taguig and Marikina in Metro Manila that acquired battery-operated taxis aimed to promote the use of environment-friendly electric vehicles. A one unit of e-taxi, like the two units in Laoag proper, cost about P160, 000 each. To ferry more passengers, Fariñas said the city government has allotted more funds to buy larger electric vehicles that could accommodate at least nine passengers. “It may be expensive but in the long run, it comes out cheaper because you don’t need to buy oil and fuel to operate it,” said Farinas in an interview.

Record shows that there are some 2.2 million tricycles in the country. Most of these are powered by very dirty engines that do not have any real emissions equipment, and the government recognizes that this is a major problem.

To help remedy the situation, the Philippines has entered into an agree- ment with Leo Motors to create a joint venture to build new electric taxis. The government made an initial counterpart of $5 million contribution to get it started and Leo Motors is to provide at least 2,500 electric vehicle kits, includ- ing batteries that will be as- sembled by the newly formed company. Each unit will be powered by a lithium polymer battery that can either be recharged in the vehicle or swapped out at designated “Fresh Battery Stations” that are also to be built by the joint venture. The first city to get the EVs was Puerto Princesa, the capi- tal of the province of Palawan.
In Puerto Princesa, the local government seeks to eliminate the pollution emit- ted by numerous tricycles, which emit carbons and pollution 15 times more than a typical passenger car. The city decided to create a tricycle that would make the air more breathable.

Accordingly, the electric vehicles produced are 100% battery-powered, and are fueled by recharging, rather than refueling at a petrol station. In the Leo Motors program in Puerto Princesa, to lower the initial e-taxi purchasing cost, Leo Motors, together with the city in a joint venture operate a Fresh Battery Station, which is a battery swap center. When completed, drivers will not need to buy expensive batteries.

Recharging is a simple process, which involves swapping a discharged battery for a fully charged battery, or plugging in the innovative quick charger to top up the battery at the battery swap center. Leo Motors’ advances in cut- ting-edge battery and charger technology are dramatically improving ve- hicle recharge times. Battery swaps will not take more than five minutes. When completed, the center would always be avail- able for drivers with freshly and fully recharged batteries.

DA tests hybrid cotton variety from India (http://pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p091202.htm&no=43)

Koronadal City (2 December) -- Agriculture Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Segfredo Serrano reported that the Cotton Development Administration (CDA) has started actual trial of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton by planting the transgenic-hybrid variety in one of its screen houses at the cotton farm in Batac City, Ilocos Norte.

Planting in screen houses is the first step in testing the viability of Bt cotton in the country.

The Bt cotton used for testing by CDA was supplied by Indian firm Nath Biogene (India) Ltd.

Testing of the Bt cotton seeds from would take three seasons or around three years, revealed an official of the CDA.

After the greenhouse trial, the CDA would accordingly proceed with the field testing.

DA-Biotechnology Program Office director Alicia Ilaga also said that the Philippine cotton industry is severely affected by bollworm infestation in cotton plantations.

"Our biotech solution to this problem is the introduction of a superior variety that resists pests," said Ilaga in a statement.

Under the strict supervision of the Biosafety Committee of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Bureau of Plant Industry-Quarantine Service, together with CDA Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), six commercial transgenic cotton varieties imported from Nath Biogene were planted side by side with three locally developed commercial non-Bt cotton varieties.

Specifically, the contained experiment will evaluate the efficacy of the six Indian transgenic-hybrid cotton varieties that contains the China-developed fused Bt genes in controlling bollworm under local environments. Limited field trials will be conducted in CDA's experiment stations and select farms in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao within the next one or two cotton seasons.

Ilaga noted that the transgenic-hybrid cotton, or Bt cotton, in the trial contains the fused Bt-genes cry 1Ab/cry 1Ac that provides the plant a high degree of protection against cotton bollworm. In Asia, Bt cotton is already planted largely in China and India.

The Philippines hopes to replicate the success of India, not just in the commercial propagation of Bt cotton, but also in the export of the genetically modified product, Ilaga said. (PIA12/aca)

Korean power firm explores RP projects (http://mb.com.ph/articles/232232/korean-power-firm-explores-rp-projects)

SEOUL, South Korea -- After initially keeping its eye on potential wind power development, Korea East-West Power Co. Ltd. (EWP) is exploring to expand investment foray in the Philippines to prospective mini-hydro and liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects.

In an exclusive interview, EWP president Gil Gu Lee disclosed that for the mini-hydro projects, the partnership may continue with Alternergy Philippines Holdings Corporation, a company chaired and founded by former Energy Secretary Vincent S. Perez.

“In addition to wind energy, we are looking for investments in mini-hydro with Alternergy,” he said.

The other investment area it is willing to pursue will be for LNG
facilities, especially for a project utilized for power generation; and EWP cannot also be left out on some fossil fuel-based power projects, primarily coal plants.

“Aside from renewable energy, we are looking for opportunities to invest in fossil fuel, like coal plants; and we are also looking for LNG power plant – either as investment or participation in the operation and maintenance (O&M) together with local partners in the Philippines,” Mr. Lee stressed.

As far as the wind projects are concerned, EWP is cornering majority equity of 45% in the corporate vehicle that will eventually bring the prospect wind farms to development. Another partner, Japan’s Eurus Energy will corner the other 45%, while local partner Alternergy assumes the minority stake.

But Mr. Lee credited Alternergy for steadfastly preparing the groundwork for such investment opportunity -- that when proven for commercial development may yield 260 megawatts of renewable energy capacity for the country.

Alternergy was the one awarded by the Department of Energy (DOE) with six service contracts to conduct exclusive wind assessment/studies in areas such as Ilocos Norte, Cagayan, Mindoro, Rizal and Laguna.

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Thanks for the photos true north! Nice!:okay:

I heard the traffic was horrendous during its opening. The traffic extended all the way to Laoag City Hall?

^^ yup it did. going in and out of the city proper was a disaster. :lol:
i even got stuck on the way home along robinsons for 30 whole minutes! good thing yesterday and today's traffic was a bit smoother :)

Hayaan mo na, sabik lang mga tao. First full scale mall sa province. Pretty much like when Jollibee first opened sa atin. Almost lahat ng tao gustong makakain on its first day.

I think its time to make the highway 4 lanes so it can ease up the traffic-kaya naman kasi maluwag, yung mga nagsaside park lang problema.. Install traffic lights sa The Center entrance to control vehicle flow.

Post more pics pag meron ka. THanks!

by Byahero (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Daraga-Philippines/Byahero/181177774629?v=wall)

http://i701.photobucket.com/albums/ww17/sherwinm27/11232_183610369629_181177774629_282.jpg

view more photos here (http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=124833&id=181177774629&ref=mf)

thank you for sharing true-north.... andaming Tao a!

From a friend's recent trip to Ilocos taken from her facebook account.

Photo credits: Katrina Golfo

Tanap-Avis Falls
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Bangui Windmills
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Pagudpud
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Paoay Sand Dunes
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Laoag Sinking Belltower
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Paoay Church
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Delicious Empanada's of Batac
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Awesome set of Ilocos Norte Photos :okay:

Photos by Joel Escala (http://www.pbase.com/joel_escala/ilocos) from pbase.com

Paoay Sand Dunes, Paoay
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Bangui Windmills, Bangui
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La Paz Sand Dunes, Laoag City
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Kapurpurawan, Burgos
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And another one by James Deakin (http://www.pbase.com/cmanaginged/vigan) from pbase.com

Pagudpud
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Sarrat Church, Sarrat
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View of the Sierra Madres from Gilbert Bridge, Laoag City
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BALAI CONDOMINIUM CONSTRUCTION UPDATE (Photos taken last 12/10/09)

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Ilocandia, our first high rise condominium will rise in 2010:banana::banana::banana:

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LAOAG CITY MEDICAL FACILITY CONSTRUCTION UPDATE (As of 12/10/09)

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Perspective


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On going construction

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Guys, according dun sa magazines na binigay nila during their grand opening Robinsons Ilocos Norte will be wi-fi zone in 2010.:banana::banana::banana:


Another project to look forward by the Robinsons Land Corp here at the Center is a HOTEL. This was what i heard during the speech of Mr. Frederick Go, president and COO of Robinson Land during the inauguration of Robinsons Ilocos Norte last December 3, 2009 sabi nya, "In two years time we will come back or see you again to inaugurate our Hotel here at the Center".:banana::banana::banana::banana:


Im looking a news article regarding this pero wala akong mahanap.Anyway,AIR MACAU flies (chartered flight) from MACAU to LAOAG and vice versa 2x a week every Friday/Sunday uitlizing Airbus 320.Expected time of arrival (ETA) at LIA is 10:30PM.Flight operation started last October 30, 2009.:):):)

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Thanks for the pics guitarose!

Hmmm...no cranes for Balai? I want to see those cranes!

Here are some pics of Gilbert bridge on December 3. Photo credits: Merickson Dancel from Facebook.

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Ilocos Norte Capitol Christmas Tree
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hmmm, thanks for the photo update guys, glad to see all these devs coming up. wow! Must have been fun during the mall grand opening... So the LCGH is pushing through guitarose?

BTW, I hope you guys reelect Keon. He seemed to have done a great job, don't you think?

simple nga animation para kanya tayu aminen! (turn up your volume before hitting that "play" button)
Naragsak a Paskuwa gagayyem!

dFvKpCDNOr0

Sapay ta narang-rang-ay tayunto manen!

Dos HErmanos Islands, Maira-Ira, Pagudpud
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Photo by Neil Ratuita (http://www.flickr.com/photos/neilgratuita/)@ Flickr

THE NORTHERN GATEWAY OF THE WONDERS OF THE PHILIPPINES


LAOAG CITY


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^^Asenso Laoag and Ilocos Norte!

FYI.HONGKONG EXPRESS resumes flight operation from Hongkong to Laoag last December 20, 2009. To date, Laoag International Airport (LIA) have three international flights;
.
.
1. Air Macau - Macau to Laoag 2x/week
2. Mandarin Air - Koashiung,Taiwan toLaoag 2x /week
3. Hongkong Express - Hongkong to Laoag 1x/week
We hope that flights from mainland China(Shanghai and Beijing) and Incheon, South Korea will also resume soon.:banana::banana::banana:

^^ gr8 news!
Add to these the Hawaiian Airlines connecting flight to Laoag via Cebu Pacific.
We should see a surge in tourist arrivals in the coming weeks...

THE SUPREME COURT has reversed itself on laws converting the status of several municipalities into cities, and upholding congressional prerogative on the matter.

In a 35-page decision penned by Associate Justice Presbitero J. Velasco, Jr. that declared the so-called cityhood laws constitutional, the high court sided with the second appeal of 16 municipalities whose first motion for reconsideration was denied more than a year ago.
Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio penned the original decision on Nov. 18, 2008 that upheld the petition of the League of Cities of the Philippines to declare the 16 cityhood laws as unconstitutional.

The cityhood bills automatically lapsed into laws on various dates from March to July 2007. They covered the municipalities of Baybay, Leyte; Bogo, Carcar and Naga in Cebu; Catbalogan, Samar; Tandag, Surigao del Sur; Borongan, Eastern Samar; Tayabas, Quezon; Lamitan, Basilan; Tabuk, Kalinga; Bayugan, Agusan del Sur; Batac, Ilocos Norte; Mati, Davao Oriental; Guihulngan, Negros Oriental; Cabadbaran, Agusan del Norte; and El Salvador, Misamis Oriental.

The high court then noted that the Constitution required Congress to set the criteria for the creation of cities within the 1991 Local Government Code, not through the passage of cityhood laws.

The affected municipalities then filed a motion for reconsideration on Dec. 10, 2008. In a session last Jan. 13, the court denied the petition with finality, but the resolution was withheld when former solicitor general Estelito P. Mendoza, the 16 municipalities’ counsel, asked that other magistrates absent during initial discussions on the issue be included in deliberations on the motion for reconsideration.

On March 31, the court denied the motion for reconsideration since "the basic issues raised therein having been passed upon already," but the municipalities countered with a "motion for leave to file and to admit attached second motion for reconsideration."

In the latest decision, six magistrates upheld the cityhood laws, four dissented, and three abstained. The court has 13 magistrates with two slots of retired justices still to be filled up to complete the 15-member court.
In upholding the cityhood laws, the high court said: "Congress can... impose the said verifiable criteria of viability [for cityhood]. These criteria need not be embodied in the Local Government Code..."

It also debunked the league of cities’ contention that the laws would erode their share of the national revenue contrary to the Constitution’s equal protection clause. "The fundamental right of equal protection does not require absolute equality. It is enough that all persons or things similarly situated should be treated alike...," the court noted. -- IPP
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cross-posted from source: Business World Online (http://www.bworldonline.com/main/content.php?id=3670)

That means city na uli ang Batac. Congrats Batac City:banana::banana::banana:

That means city na uli ang Batac. Congrats Batac City:banana::banana::banana:

yup....Congrats uli sa Batac!

^^ and to the other 15 new cities - congrats!

Robinson's Ilocos Norte Fireworks display tonight December 26 @ 7 PM and on December 30.

Pagudpud
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Photos by marv m (http://www.flickr.com/photos/marvz_m/)from Flickr.com

Some photos from last nights fireworks at Robinsons Ilocos Norte.
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Pizza Hut is now open. Located at the corner of this entrance.
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Gr8 shots!
Thanks for sharing bondurant!

Paoay Church, Paoay
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Photo by Kent Balbino (http://www.flickr.com/photos/krau55/) @ Flickr

Sarrat Church, Sarrat
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Photo by allen cortez (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3027/2962236381_6d60ee55c5_b.jpg) @ Flickr

La Paz Sand Dunes, Laoag City
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Saud Beach, Pagudpud
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Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, Burgos
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Photos by Raph Cocson (http://www.flickr.com/photos/raphcocson/) @ Flickr

Pagudpud
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Photos by marv m (http://www.flickr.com/photos/marvz_m/)from Flickr.com

This is one place I'm dying to see.

DOH REISSUES PERMIT TO CONSTRUCT FOR LCGH UPGRADE

BY DOMINIC B. DELA CRUZ
STAFF REPORTER
Ilocos Times (www.ilocostimes.com)

LAOAG CITY Mayor Michael V. Fariñas expressed his gratitude to the Bureau of Health Facilities of the Department of Health (DOH) following the reissuance of a Permit to Construct that would be used for the planned upgrading of the Laoag City General Hospital (LGCH).

A permit earlier issued also by the DOH expired on October 15, 2009.
THE ILOCOS TIMES learned that the first permit was issued by the DOH Regional Office but after encountering a lot of controversies mostly from the Ilocos Norte provincial government which is against the planned upgrade the mayor decided to apply for a new one; this time for the DOH central office and which was granted with the assistance of Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo.
The new permit is still for the earlier proposed Level II, 50-bed capacity hospital with a project worth of P350 million. With this development, Fariñas said there is no longer a hindrance for the project’s con- tinuance, though it was earlier started by was temporarily halted due to the expiration of the said permit.Upon receipt of the newly approved permit, the mayor said he furnished the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) a copy since the bank was also waiting for the new permit to release an amount for the said project.

Fariñas hopes DBP would act immediately on the matter and release the appropriate amount so the project could be restarted. The two-term mayor admitted that the city government had a hard time applying for the said permit due to the ongoing problems on the plan and the injunction motions filed by the provincial government in court. However, Fariñas said he is happy after the DOH granted the permit upon learning that this is for the people’s good and for the improvement of health services in the city. Fariñas refused to comment on the motion for temporary restraining order filed by Laoag Councilors Vicetito M. Lazo, Constante F. Dancel Jr. and Edison Chua in court against the LCGH upgrade.

Earlier, the provincial government was able to secure a TRO from the court but this was never renewed after it expired. Reacting to this, LCGH chief Dr. Elizer Asuncion, who requested the renewal of the per- mit to construct also thanked the DOH for granting the request, According to Asuncion, he felt optimistic that the DOH would grant the request since the department is for building up better health services around the country for the people. The groundbreaking for LCGH upgrade project was held on November 8, 2009 wherein the city government said they would use the P10 million given by Senate Pres. Juan Ponce Enrile to begin the project.

ROBINSONS LAND PROJECTS IN LAOAG CITY
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BRIGHTON PARKPLACE (MAIN)
Bgy. Araniw, Laoag City

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BRIGHTON PARKPLACE (NORTH)
Bgy. Cavit, Laoag City

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HANALEI HEIGHTS
Bgy. Balacad, Laoag City

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Project Signage

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Road goin to the site

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National highway

^^thanks guitarose for the updates

Hello peeps, it's not long until i come back to the Philippines for my vacation and this time i'm planning on visiting Pagudpud for a few days. Before i book somewhere to stay in the next few days, where, in your opinion is the best place to stay and why? I'm not on a budget and i would prefer to stay at the best beach. Any help or info would be much appreciated.

by Cristina Arzadon

Laoag City (11 January) -- Ilocos Norte's business landscape continues to shape up with the operation of the province's first mall project which sits on a 20-hectare property that will include condominium structures, a hotel and call center offices.

The two-level shopping mall, which was built by property developer Robinsons Land Corporation, has jumpstarted Ilocos Norte's business climate at the turn-of-the-year attracting mall tenants who are mostly home-grown entrepreneurs.

Robinsons and Ilocos-based property developer Venvi Development Corp. struck a joint venture deal to build the 20-hectare development area.

The presence of locally-owned stalls inside the mall has become patent that mall goers share a similar view – that Robinsons mall is like a mini-Laoag downtown because popular stores from food, gadgets and communication services compete with Manila-based shops.

Locals would often say: "One feels like strolling downtown once inside the mall."

The mall in San Nicolas town is squeezed between the cities of Laoag and Batac.

San Nicolas Mayor Alfredo Valdez, Jr., whose family owns Venvi Corp., said the town's income class has improved dramatically from fourth to a second-class town since the mall's construction began churning some P1.5 million in zoning fees and building permit alone.

Construction has began for the P450 million, three-building condominium that will occupy some 5,700 square meters next to the mall.

The corporation marketed the condominium project to Ilocano families living abroad noting that the convenience of condo-living back home would be appealing to Ilocanos who have been accustomed to their lifestyles abroad.

Meanwhile, the provincial government has started operating the more than P400 million-Ilocos Norte Hotel and Convention Center on a 4.2 hectare property right across the Malacañang of the North in Paoay town.
The hotel hopes to get a market share from the growing tourism industry in the province. (PIA)

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cross-posted from source: PIA (http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&fi=p100111.htm&no=27)

Some photos from last nights fireworks at Robinsons Ilocos Norte.
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Pizza Hut is now open. Located at the corner of this entrance.
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Beautiful!

Kaangrian Falls, Burgos
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Photos by MON CORPUZ of DPP

Kapurpurawan, Burgos

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Photos by MON CORPUZ of DPP

Bangui Windmills, Bangui
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Photos by MON CORPUZ of DPP

Another set of Kapurpurawan
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Photos by Edwin Karganilla of DPP

hello guys!!! help naman!!!

sa holy week kasi aakyat kami ng Abra and from Abra we will go to Pagudpod.. do you know any roads going to pagudpod ng hindi ka na iikot ng ilocos sur?! kasi sabi nila open na raw ang abra-ilocos norte road.. is it safe to by pass there?

coming soon na pala SM City Laoag e.. malapit ba ito sa robinsons?

hello guys!!! help naman!!!

sa holy week kasi aakyat kami ng Abra and from Abra we will go to Pagudpod.. do you know any roads going to pagudpod ng hindi ka na iikot ng ilocos sur?! kasi sabi nila open na raw ang abra-ilocos norte road.. is it safe to by pass there?

para ngang meron road dun sa ilocos norte, may sign naman...

coming soon na pala SM City Laoag e.. malapit ba ito sa robinsons?

Mahirap magsalita ngayon kasi madaming versions akong nasagap from the people I know. Meron sinasabi na nakausap daw ng isang local politician yung isang may mataas ng position sa SM ( forgot the name) na it wont happen in 5 years.

There's another version pa na, may agreement daw between SM and Robinsons that SM will give Robinsons a 5 year leeway for their mall operation before they venture into Ilocos.

Ang pinakamatunog eh yung location, almost everyone I talked to is saying na sa Brgy Buttong, Airport Road ang location. Some say na they have done soil testing and SM started the process of purchasing lots dun sa location. A close friend knows someone who resides in that area na inofferan na daw.

I also know several friends who work at SM and they told me wala pa so far sa pipeline nila ang SM in Ilocos Norte. They should know kasi nasa department sila na incharge ng mga design ng mga bagong SM malls.

Well, puede naman magbago bigla ang ihip ng hangin.

BY DOMINIC B. DELA CRUZ
STAFF REPORTER

LAOAG MAYOR Michael V. Fariñas congratulated Batac for its reinstatement as a city following a Supreme Court ruling which reversed an earlier decision disapproving the conversion of 16 municipalities into cities.

Fariñas clarified that he is not against Batac’s cityhood as he stressed that he did not sign any document to oppose Batac’s conversion into a city. He explained that the issue put forth by the League of Cities of the Philippines should not be taken personally as it was the group as a whole which decided to challenge the conversion.

In addition to this, he disclosed that Laoag City was not among those who are actively seeking to file a motion for reconsideration of the latest SC decision but since the city is a member of the LCP, it is always included in whatever move the league does.

“I am even grateful and happy no agtuloy-tuloy a city dan. Just what I have said before, good for Ilocos Norte no duwa’t city nan, umad-adu ti influx iti kuarta para kadagiti tattao,” Fariñas said.

The main reason for LCP’s questioning the conversion of the 16 municipalities is the internal revenue allotment (IRA) share which would be drastically decreased.

Meanwhile, Batac Vice Mayor Ronald Allan Nalupta said he expects LCP to file a motion for reconsideration regarding the latest SC decision on their cityhood status. He said the Supreme Court has already decided and that the LCP should now just understand and accept it.

Nalupta related that earlier, 40 municipalities had asked to be converted into cities but it was trimmed down to 30 and further pruned to 16 later as he added that he believes Congress and the High Court have studied this matter thoroughly.

“Sapay kuma ta awaten da metten tutal daytoy kabayag nan ken kaadu metten iti nagdalanan tayon, imposible met nga isarsarak met iti Supreme Court iti bagbagi na nga pakaibabainan na no iti panagkuna da ket haan nga husto diay ruling da ta isu da met ngarud iti kangatoan a korte,” Nalupta said.
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cross-posted from source: Ilocos Times (http://www.ilocostimes.com)

@bondurant
-yeah ganun naman ang SM e.. bigla bigla.. just observe na lang yung area.. pag yan binakuran na.. its positive..


@gr8-one
-mahaba haba pang usapin ang cityhood ng batac kasi may nag file ng motion ulet.. ang pagkakaalam ko kasi kaya nagkakaproblema ang batac and the other 15 cities is because sa bagong ruling.. kinukwestiyon nila kung saan ba pumasok sa ruling tong 16 cities na ito o dun sa old rule o dun sa bago.. kasi parang lumalabas.. sa bagong ruling nakapasok ang application ng 16 cities which requires alot to become a city.. unlike sa old ruling.. haaay. not really familiar pero parang ganun ang ngyayari...

MVF TO FOCUS ON MAJOR LC PROJECTS THIS YEAR

BY DOMINIC B. DELA CRUZ
STAFF REPORTER-ILOCOS TIMES

AS THE YEAR 2010 begins, Laoag Mayor Michael V. Fariñas said he will be focusing on the completion of ongoing and proposed major projects of the city governments as he enters the final phase of his second term of office. Among these are the upgrading of the Laoag City General Hospital; the proposed construction of a shopping mall at the Laoag Central Elementary School lot which would also include the upgrading of the said school; the establishment of a Laoag City Library Hub; the completion of the Laoag City Sports Complex; the rehabilitation of Aurora Park; the upgrading of the Laoag City Auditorium; and the establishment of integrated schools in the city’s eastern portion as well as across Gilbert Bridge.

Though some of these are still on the proposal stage, Fariñas is hopeful that all his dreams for the people of Laoag and for the city as a whole would soon prosper as he reiterated that these would not be just for himself or his family but for the whole city of Laoag as well as the people of Ilocos Norte. He added that the people of Laoag has effectively given him another mandate to serve them and to complete his constitution ally mandated three terms as he is set to run unopposed in the coming May 2010 elections. During the first flag-raising ceremony of 2010 at the City Hall, Fariñas asked all city officials and employees to help him and to cooperate in giving better services to the people of Laoag. He added that some of city’s infrastructure and non-infrastructure projects would not be affected by the election ban since these are already ongoing. In connection with the controversial LCGH upgrade, Fariñas vowed that this project would soon be realized as the groundbreaking last November has been followed by the ongoing construction.

THE ILOCOS TIMES learned that funds for the ongoing LCGH construction have been sourced from the P10 million given by Senate Pres. Juan Ponce Enrile through the Department of Health. The city government has contracted a P350-million loan from the Development Bank of the Philippines to finance the project. Fariñas also disclosed that city legal officer Marlon Wayne D. Manuel and the legal officer of Puregold Corp. are in constant communication relative to the construction of the shopping mall. In a preliminary agreement, Puregold will shoulder all the expensed in the transfer of all affected government offices around LCES as well the construction of these offices in sites where they will be transferred. The mall is proposed to be constructed in the eastern part of the LCES lot as Puregold would also bankroll the construction of new buildings for the school. Fariñas added that the LCES main building, which has been classified as a “Gabaldon-type” building by the National Historical Institute—a classification has been used by the provincial government headed by Ilocos Norte Gov. Michael M. Keon to justify their opposition to the project would be restored and preserved.

With the help of the people of Laoag and city officials, the mayor is hopeful he would be able to complete all these when his final term ends in 2013.

@hecky12: i thnk this is it. magmumukha na silang mga tanga Kung magbabago na naman ang mga isip nila. they need to make up their minds -:)

Kung tungkol sa SM. Maniwala lang tayo pag grand opening na. Like in Santiago wala rin yata tapos meron na naman rumor na sa Ilagan naman daw pero hindi SM ang pangalan kundi Northsar or something like that na SM and Sy owned din.

^^^ akala ko yung sa Santiago sure na kasi na-published na sa SM website

people of Laoag and Ilocos Norte, i am doing a survey on the gubernatorial candidates of the province. who would you vote for governor and why?

MICHAEL MARCOS KEON,

IMEE MARCOS,

or ROQUE ABLAN

:)

people of Laoag and Ilocos Norte, i am doing a survey on the gubernatorial candidates of the province. who would you vote for governor and why?

MICHAEL MARCOS KEON,

IMEE MARCOS,

or ROQUE ABLAN

:)

I'm not an IN native but I have friends and kakabagians there and I know they'll go for Imee of course.

Pinakbet
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Dinengdeng
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Yummy Empanada
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Kilawen
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Longanisa
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Fusion - Pinakbet Pizza
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Pinakbet
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Poque-poque
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Aurora Park, Laoag City

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In celebration of this years Pamulinawen Festival.

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“Pamulinawen, pusok indengam man, toy umas-asog, agrayo ita sadyam…” Translation:“Pamulinawen, my love, please hearken to
Me who am sighing, who am enchanted by your graciousness” (Note: English translation lifted from Ilocos Norte Online Forum.)

Pamulinawen is one of the more popular Ilokano songs just like “Manang Biday.” I never knew that Pamulinawen existed and continues to exist except that she is now immortalized as a fountain top in what is known to be the “Pamulinawen Fountain” at the public park in front of the Provincial Capitol in Laoag City.

The fountain top is a figure of young woman holding a laden basket as is believed to be the famed Pamulinawen celebrated in a traditional Ilocano song of the same title (Ilocos Norte travel guidebook; 2005 Ed.) A closer look of the fountain would disclose that it may have been built to give glory to Ilocano harvest. Now, Pamulinawen is a festival in Laoag City celebrated every year.

Credits: BIAGKENSIAK (http://biagkensiak.wordpress.com)

Ilocos Norte Capitol
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Laoag City Kalesa
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Laoag City Markers for Cleanest and Greenest Component City
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St. Williams Cathedral Interior
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Photos by Brian McMorrow (http://www.pbase.com/bmcmorrow/ilocosnorte) from pbase

Maira-Ira ( Blue Lagoon ), Pagudpud
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Patapat Viaduct, Pagudpud
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Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, Burgos
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Sierra Madre Mountains View from Padsan River, Laoag City
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SITIO REMEDIOS, CURRIMAO

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Photos by Joseph Uy from pbase

Bangui Windmills
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Kapurpurawan, Bangui
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Salt Making, Pasuquin
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Photos by Alec Norman (http://www.pbase.com/alecnorman/profile) from pbase

Cape Bojeador Lighthouse, Burgos
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Photo by Joseph Uy from pbase

PLAYA TROPICAL, CURRIMAO
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Photos by Joseph Uy (http://www.pbase.com/reefkeeper/profile) from pbase

Lower Ulugan, Burgos ( Is this Tanap-Avis?)
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Photo by Noli Gabilo (http://www.pbase.com/noligabilo/profile) from pbase

Maira-ira Beach (Blue Lagoon) Pagudpud
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Photo by csmallari (http://www.pbase.com/csmallari/profile) from pbase

Bangui Windmills, Bangui
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Maira-ira ( Blue Lagoon ), Pagudpud
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White Beach, Pagudpud
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Photo by Vernes Go (http://www.pbase.com/dni/profile) from pbase

Ongoing construction of the LCGH Upgrade

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photo courtesy of: Ilocos Times (http://www.ilocostimes.com)

Heres another photo
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Photo from IlocosTimes.com

LC 2010 Pamulinawen Festival preparation in full swing

BY DOMINIC B. DELA CRUZ
STAFF REPORTER-ILOCOS TIMES

THE LAOAG City government is now in the thick of preparations for the 2010 Pamulinawen Festival slated this February. THE ILOCOS TIMES learned that various committees for the said festival have already convened as early as late last year to begin preparations. Laoag Mayor Michael V. Fariñas has instructed all City Hall department heads to do their part with respect to their assigned committees for them to come up with a better and well prepared celebration.

According to the mayor, he wants the celebration to be fully ready by January’s end, especially the selection of guests of honor and speakers for the different affairs. Fariñas also advised the local finance committee to prepare the budget so they would know how much they can spend for the annual celebration. All offices in charge of fiesta activities were also advised to submit their respective budget proposals to the local finance committee.
Community affairs division chief Mylene Pascual also announced that invitations for the opening parade on February 1 are already being distributed. The search committee for the Miss ABC 2010 has also began screening possible candidates while the Miss Laoag City 2010 International Quest would maintain its format as candidates would be sponsored by non-government organizations and Ilocano balikbayan groups. Laoag Liga ng mga Barangay Pres. And ex-officio Councilor Chevylle V. Fariñas is hopeful NGOs, private entities, business establishments and national agencies would again support this year’s festival as they have been doing in the past.

Ms. Fariñas, who also chairs the Laoag City Tourism and Social Concerns Council, assured that the festival committees are doing their best to create and add more inno- vations to the fiesta celebration. Relative to this, the mayor also instructed the City Engineering Office to fast track the upgrading of the Laoag City Auditorium in preparation for the fiesta.

In celebration of this years Pamulinawen Festival.

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“Pamulinawen, pusok indengam man, toy umas-asog, agrayo ita sadyam…” Translation:“Pamulinawen, my love, please hearken to
Me who am sighing, who am enchanted by your graciousness” (Note: English translation lifted from Ilocos Norte Online Forum.)

Pamulinawen is one of the more popular Ilokano songs just like “Manang Biday.” I never knew that Pamulinawen existed and continues to exist except that she is now immortalized as a fountain top in what is known to be the “Pamulinawen Fountain” at the public park in front of the Provincial Capitol in Laoag City.

The fountain top is a figure of young woman holding a laden basket as is believed to be the famed Pamulinawen celebrated in a traditional Ilocano song of the same title (Ilocos Norte travel guidebook; 2005 Ed.) A closer look of the fountain would disclose that it may have been built to give glory to Ilocano harvest. Now, Pamulinawen is a festival in Laoag City celebrated every year.

Credits: BIAGKENSIAK (http://biagkensiak.wordpress.com)

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PAMULINAWEN FESTIVAL 2010
“Laoag City: Magnificent, Vibrant and Flourishing”

A Dane has created Southeast Asia's first windmill park on a shoreline in the northern part of the Philippines, now supplying over half a million people with reliable energy. The park with its 15 Vestas windmills has cost more than 40 million USD and is built to resist typhoons, earthquakes, and other "exotic" forces of nature.
30.06.2005 | text Theis Broegger

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Niels Jacobsen has become a popular man in the Ilocos Norte province. He often stops to chat with the locals.

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Many kiosks are already offering suvenirs to the incoming windmill tourists.

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The windmill parts arrive on the beach by the Landing Craft Carriers.

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Each wing is 41 meters long - only 8 meters short of an Olympic sized pool.

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The wings are lifted to the top of the windmill tower.

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"I am incredibly proud, but it doesn't dawn on me how big this project has been until I look back at what we've accomplished," says Niels Jacobsen.

It's rare that a businessman in the windmill industry finds himself being stopped by random tourists, asking him for an autograph and if they can have their picture taken with him. But that is nonetheless what Niels Jacobsen experiences when he visits the northern Philippine district of Ilocos Norte, where his new windmill park has revolutionized the power supply for over 500,000 people.

So far the 87 million people living on the Philippines' more than 7100 islands have been supplied with power from diesel-, coal-, or gas-plants in the capitol of Manila (the smaller islands getting their supply from decentralized diesel engines). Needless to say, this centralization has made the power supply to the country’s most remote regions very unreliable.

With the new windmill park in the Bangui Bay, Niels Jacobsen's energy company, Northwind Power Development Corporation, now produces 40% of Ilocos Norte's power - distributed by the local power company, INEC (Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative). At the same time, the price for electricity has dropped 3% for the inhabitants in this province, and thousands of households will now be able to receive 220 volts (instead of only 160 volts as earlier), thus being able to install more power-demanding instruments such as refrigerators and freezers.

Windmills with military protection
The popularity of the windmill park is not, however, limited to the north. When the Philippines' new Secretary of Energy cut the ribbon in front of a crowd exceeding 500 people at the inauguration on June 18, thousands of viewers were following the event across the country via the live television coverage. These pictures have since been re-run numerous times, and every major Philippine newspaper has filled columns with news about the "new national symbol of pride".

The hype doesn't surprise Niels Jacobsen, though, who has lived in the Philippines since 1993. He has previously worked on energy projects in several African countries, as well as in Saudi Arabia and Macau.
"Things have gone exactly like we had hoped for. When we started the project five years ago, we put a lot of emphasis on the aesthetics and on the tourist potential, so the local community could benefit even more from the presence of the windmills," says Niels Jacobsen, who started Northwind in the year 2000.
"I think the people from Vestas shook their heads at me, when I insisted that the 15 mills should be placed in a perfect circular line with millimeter precision. It took quite some time and thoroughness to mark the positions, but today everyone can see it was worth it," says Niels Jacobsen.

In the surrounding area surrounding, the ever-smiling locals have opened small kiosks, selling t-shirts and cups with windmills on them and the proud proclamation of the host community "Bangui Bay". And Southeast Asia's first windmill park is surely well-protected. The Philippine authorities regards the protection of the 15 windmills as a matter of national interest, and thus they have opened a small military base a few kilometers from the windmill park - with the purpose of keeping an eye out for suspicious planes or ships.

The hope is blowing in the wind
To windmill-weary Danes, it may sound strange that an entire province - even a whole nation - can get so fired up about a windmill park. Through many years, Ilocos Norte has been known as a poor area, and to them the windmill is a new-found wonder, suddenly giving them a feeling of being rich on natural resources. The reason that the rest of the Philippines have joined them under the banners of pride has more to do with national recognition.
"For many years we have had a dream to become the leading wind power producer in Southeast Asia, and with the Northwind Power project we have now realized that dream," explains the now former Secretary of Energy in the Philippines, Mr. Vince Perez, who during his time in office from 2001 to April 2005 passionately supported the project.
"The wind swept shores of Bangui now makes the Philippines a regional leader in renewable energy. With the first turn of the wind turbines of Northwind Power, our country took a giant step towards energy independence. It has given many Philippinos a hope that they do not have to remain poor, if we can just harness our natural resources better," says Vince Perez, who is very grateful for the Danish expertise in this area.

Niels Jacobsen conceived the idea for the project in connection with his previous work in the Philippines in the 1990s for companies like Burmeister & Wain. In 1999, he contacted Danida, who immediately supported him to go ahead with the project.
"They could see the project's development potential and were incredibly helpful from the first telephone call," says Niels Jacobsen, who then started Northwind and initiated the project.
With financial support from Danida through the so-called Mixed Credits scheme, Northwind was able to take out an interest-free loan from Nordea and ABN Amro. In November 2003, Northwind signed a turnkey contract with the former NEC Micon (shortly after it became a part of Vestas) to deliver and install the 15 windmills on the shoreline of the Bangui Bay. The contract had a value of about USD 30 million (approx. DKK 184 million) and the rest of the project cost about USD 10 million (approx. DKK 62 million). With the finances taken care of, the windmill production got underway in Denmark throughout the summer of 2004.

Well-traveled windmills
The great challenge for both Northwind and Vestas was the previously untried location: A semi-offshore spot by the tropical South China Sea - an area often exposed to typhoons, flooding, and minor earthquakes. This environment set some quite different demands for the foundations of the windmills.
"It's not like erecting a windmill on a field in Thy [in the north of Denmark], so Vestas allied themselves with a Japanese subcontractor, Sumitomo. They had quite a lot of experience in building foundations that can resist the forces of nature on this side of the planet," explains Niels Jacobsen.

Northwind has leased 9 kilometers of shoreline, however the 15 windmills stand with precisely 326 meters between them and only really take up half of that stretch. That leaves plenty of room for the extra five mills, which Northwind expects to erect at a later stage. Each windmill is 70 meters tall (equivalent to a 23 story building) and has a 1,5 meter thick foundation with a diameter of 17 meters. This foundation is further supported by eight pillars, drilled 12 meters into the ground.

Since each wing has a length of 41 meters, it was clear to both Northwind and Vestas that they could not drive the windmill parts to the site. There was no way that the roads from the nearest port would be suitable to transport equipment which is only 9 meters short of an Olympic sized pool. Thus, they had to sail all the equipment all the way in to the beach, which meant that Vestas had to build a landing ramp that could receive the so-called Landing Craft Carriers (with the same design as those used on the beaches of Normandy in 1994).

But while the ship loaded with Vestas' windmills was making its way down from Denmark towards the Philippines in October, the landing ramp was washed away by the strong waves that are known to haunt the shores at Bangui Bay during the fall season. That delayed the project a few months, but when the mild spring season arrived, all the nacelles, the wings, and the rotors could finally be delivered on the beach - all of it built in Denmark with the exception of the towers, which were built in Vietnam. The first mill was erected on March 12, after which the rest went up with a few days in between.

Can't get enough
Northwind has built a control center of 200 square meters just a few stone throws away from the beach, where three men will be handling the daily responsibilities at the site. The contract with Vestas includes a five year mechanical maintenance of the mills, and thus Vestas also has a man employed on site.

Each windmill generates on 600 volts, which is supplied from the control center. Like the windmills, the control center is built to resist flooding and rough weather conditions. If a powerful typhoon should cause the power lines in the area to fall out, then the self-provision of the mills switches to a diesel engine.

The highest ever measured wind speed in the Bangui Bay is 43 meters per second, but Northwind's new windmills are built to resist 70 meters per second. The mills automatically turn to face the direction of the wind, but the wings will stop rotating if the wind reaches a speed of 20 meters per second.

The first power was sent out into the system on April 13, where the mild wind conditions of the season enabled it to send approximately 1,65 MW out to the buyer, INEC. On a good day with 13-14 meters per second, the windmill park will reach its full capacity at 25 MW. From the Northwind windmill park the power is led via a 60 kilometer supply line to the provincial capitol of Laoag, from where INEC then distributes it on to the many users.

"I am incredibly happy and enormously proud. But it doesn't dawn on me how big this project has been until I look back and have people ask me how this could be done. No one in the Philippines knew about the phenomenon of windmills, so at first it was an uphill effort to explain the idea to the authorities and to people from the energy industry. But now they can't get enough windmills. We have already chosen the location for Northwind's next windmill park," says Niels Jacobsen.

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cross-posted from source: ScandAsia.com (http://www.scandasia.com/viewNews.php?coun_code=dk&news_id=1580)

PAMULINAWEN FESTIVAL 2010

LET THE FEAST BEGIN

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HIGHLIGHTS:

FEB. 1 CIVIC MILITARY PARADE
MUSIC AND DANCE EXTRAVAGANZA
DIOS TI AGNGINA: The Concert

FEB. 3 LITTLE MR. & MISS LAOAG CITY 2010
FEB 4 ZARZUELA ILOCANA
MISS ABC 2010

FEB. 6 PAMULINAWEN BIKE WEEKEND: STREET PARTY
FEB. 7 MISS LAOAG CITY PAMULINAWEN INTERNATIONAL 2010
PRE-PAGEANT
ILOCOS NORTE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL NIGHT

FEB. 8 DULANG FOOD FESTIVAL Featuring: “Reyna Saba”
CALESA FESTIVAL AND DRUM & LYRE COMPETITION

FEB. 9 PAMULINAWEN GRAND PARADE

FEB. 10 STREET PAGEANTRY
MISS LAOAG CITY PAMULNAWEN INTERNATIONAL QUEST 2010 PAGEANT NIGHT

FEB. 13 3rd MVF 4x4 WEEKEND SUMMIT/FUN RACE

FEB. 14 SEARCH FOR MR. FITNESS LAOAG 2010 (BODY BUILDING
COMPETITION)

FEB.22-28 LAOAG CITY TENNIS OPEN TOURNAMENT
2nd MVF BADMINTON TOURNAMENT

METRO LAOAG

LAOAG CITY - SAN NICOLAS - BATAC CITY - PAOAY

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By Izah Morales
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:50:00 02/04/2010
Filed Under: Tourism & Leisure

MANILA, Philippines--- The province of Ilocos Norte is welcoming outdoor and sports enthusiasts seeking a new kind of thrill through sandboarding in the sand dunes of Paoay.

This so-called Desert of the North has an area of 85 square kilometers and stretches from the municipality of Currimao until the municipality of Pasuquin. Paoay, about 20 kilometers south of the provincial capital of Laoag City, is situated between these two municipalities.

The sand dunes of Ilocos have been cited by the National Committee on Geological Sciences because of their unique formation; unique in the sense that the Philippines is a tropical country.

This stretch of sand dunes, which range from 10 to 30 meters in height, was the setting for Hollywood movies, notably Mad Max and Born on the Fourth of July.

Sandboarding is a lot like snowboarding. One glides down a sand dune while standing with both feet strapped to a board. Originally from Brazil, sandboarding started locally around August last year.

The Laoag Eco-Adventure Development (LEAD) Movement, a group geared towards adventure and eco-tourism, introduced the sport in the country around August last year. Mark Manahan, a member of the group, said they were inspired by sandboarding in Dubai in the Middle East.

The group’s president Reny Tan and his architect friend Glenn Guerrero designed the board, patterned after a skateboard but without wheels.

Tan is hoping sandboarding becomes a tourist attraction for Ilocos, a province already known for its centuries-old churches and white sand beaches.

“My children were telling about sandboarding and I thought about our sand dunes here. So I searched about it on the Internet that’s how it all started,” Tan said.

For a fee of P2,500 (roughly around $60), the group offers a 4x4 ride on the sand dunes and inclusive of sandboarding. Interested parties can contact Tan at 0918735516 or through email at bennyacre@yahoo.com.

Another group called the Paoay Off Roaders and Adventure Group also offers similar services at a slightly lower price.

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cross-posted from source: inquirer.net (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20100204-251294/Ilocos-hopes-to-attract-adventurers-through-sandboarding)

By ROSS CAPILI
February 16, 2010, 10:55am

February is, no doubt, love month – a time to show your devotion to someone you cherish. How I wish a special moment like this was not fixed to one particular time of the year. It’s almost as though we were saying roses only bloom in February or chocolate factories stop production come March. When everyone else forgets the true meaning of the occasion, or when a world of commercialism dictates the when’s and how’s of love, that is when our hearts are denied true passion. That is when the heart becomes mechanical, resulting in passionless love.

Two days ago (February 14), I witnessed the fruit of passion ripen before my very eyes at the atrium of Robinson’s Midtown in Malate, in the form of 40 most passionate photographic images. These framed works of art bore the unassuming title of “Foto Yloco.” This is part of the National Arts Month celebration this month, which to some is also known as “National He/arts Month.”

“Sukang Iloco” may come to mind with their chosen title, but the 10 fine art photographers mounting “Foto Yloco” are more likely to evoke association with the Spanish “loco.” Dra. Jei Africa (San Francisco, USA), Carlo Claudio (Manila), Gerry Diwa (Manila), Abet Dizon (Manila), Luis Martin Harder (Manila), Tim Mendoza (Malaysia), Atty. Bianca Panganiban (Manila), Atty. Jei Panganiban (Manila), Tony Rodriguez (Sweden), Frank Sibayan (Norway) with models Aireen Enguito and Kaye Riguer, all give us glimpses into their individual insanity. Beating the odds and overcoming obstacles (e.g., a sandstorm in Bangui, heatwave in Laoag, and extreme cold in Pagudpud), these artists pushed on in the pursuit of expressing their passion (sounds like love, doesn’t it?). Bound by a common desire to capture the beauty of both current and classic, their work in Vigan, Paoay, Laoag, Burgos, Pagudpud, and Bangui's Windmill is architecture, fashion, portraiture, genre and editorial at its finest – in both traditional film and cutting-edge digital photography.
Far from being a case of love being blind (or blind shooting), the collection is the love child of loving eyes struggling to preserve the timeless beauty of a place called Ilocos. “Call us crazy,” one of the 10 quips, “(but) it is by being crazy that this, our most loved photographic quest… our passion, appears.” And loving becomes easy and free when passion reigns.

True, photography is like loving someone – if there’s no passion, pursuit is pointless.
Ilocos is a beauty to behold, a love you want to celebrate time and again. I was taking pictures of Ilocos for the nth time when I remembered the first time I ever laid eyes on her back in 1983, taking shot after shot with my t/rusty Pentax K2. Ilocos never fails to enthrall my insatiable iris, making me love her all the more.
Fall in love with Ilocos at “Foto Yloco” on view at Robinson’s Midtown in Malate until February 21.
I close with the words of Irving Gordon (with his music and Nat King Cole’s vocals in my head from out of the ‘50s):
Unforgettable
That's what you are
Unforgettable
Though near or far
Like a song of love
that clings to me
How the thought of you does
things to me
Never before has someone
been more
Unforgettable

Rossano Capili (50), signing his name professionally as Rosscapili, is an artist who is a painter, photographer, graphic designer, and digital fine art printmaker, who has held a total of 35 solo exhibitions in these disciplines here and abroad. He is an Executive Council of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (Office of The President) National Committee on Visual Arts; president and creative director of OneWorkshop,Inc. (www.owg.cc, www.studiorosscapili.com,) He conducts workshops and lectures here and abroad on photography and art-making in the present day. He is also a lecturer of the AB Photography class at the De La Salle College of Saint Benilde and TUP Fine Arts; Ani ng Sining Presidential Awardee 2009; Anvil Gold Awardee 2008 and 2009; Quill Awardee 2009 and PATA Gold Awardee 2008 on Travel Photojournalism in Hyderabad India; e-mail rosscapili@yahoo.com.

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cross-posted from source: Manila Bulletin (http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/243715/unforgettable-ilocos)

by Capt. Genieve David
13th Air Force Public Affairs

2/17/2010 - LAOAG, Philippines (AFNS) -- More than 40 Air Force and Armed Forces of the Philippines engineers are conducting operations at the Caaoacan and Apaya Elementary schools here Feb. 14, as part of Operation Pacific Angel 10-1 in Laoag, Philippines.

The civil engineers from the United States expressed how excited they were to be in the Philippines for Operation Pacific Angel, a program aimed at improving military civic cooperation between the United States and countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

"So far it has been an awesome experience doing something of this magnitude for the community," said Airman 1st Class Edward Mayo, a civil engineer from the 254th Red Horse at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. "I feel very thankful and blessed for the things that I have in my life and I am proud to help the people of Laoag."

During the next eight days, the combined Pacific Angel engineering team will replace the roof of two buildings, install drop ceilings, replace several doors and refurbish damaged windows. Additionally, the engineers will install new electrical wiring and fixtures, replace the plumbing, provide general structural repairs to the walls and foundation and paint the two buildings.

The Caaoacan Elementary School was originally built in 1972 by President Ferdinand Marcos using education stimulus funds provided by the United States. This is the first time since 1972 that the building is being renovated by U.S. and the Armed Forces of the Philippines engineers.

Armed Forces of the Philippines 2nd Lt. Rex Barrameda, the officer in charge from the 356th Aviation Engineering Group, said this is his first project with the United States and he is excited about the opportunity.

"It's been my pleasure to be part of Pacific Angel," Lieutenant Barrameda said. "The Airmen are very approachable and I look forward to working with them this week."

U.S. officials are also providing medical care at the Santa Maria and San Mateo Elementary Schools in Ilocos Norte here. Additionally, the United States and the Philippines will conduct a medical subject matter expert exchange at the Laoag City General Hospital focusing on basic life support, infectious diseases, disaster readiness and public health.
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cross-posted from source: US Air Force Official Website (http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123190753)

BY DOMINIC B. DELA CRUZ
STAFF REPORTER

THE LAOAG City government successfully kicked off the festivities for this year’s Pamulinawen Festival with an opening salvo that included a civic-military parade followed by a music and dance extravaganza at the Shamrock Elementary School and the Dios ti Agngina concert at the Provincial Capitol outdoor stage, featuring
Chippy Gimikada.

Laoag Mayor Michael V. Fariñas thanked all the participants in the opening parade as he stressed that the festival is for everyon to celebrate St. William the Hermit’s continued blessings to the city. The said saint is the city’s patron saint.

He added that all should celebrate this year’s festival by joining all the activities and programs lined-up for the whole February. Relative to this, Fariñas asked all City Hall employees to participate in some of the night events to be held at the City Hall, especially the Balikbayan Nights to entertain visitors from abroad.

The mayor also expressed hope that Malacañang would soon act on their request to declare February 10, which is the specific day of the fiesta, as a special non-working holiday for Laoag as was done in the past. Fariñas admitted that he failed to relay this to Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo during her recent visit to the province but he remains hopeful it would be declared soon.

As of press time, Fariñas confirmed the attendance of the Marcoses for the month-long celebration as well as other nationally prominent figures though his Lakas-Kampi party mate and standard bearer former Defense Sec. Gilbert Teodoro has said that he would not be able to attend the Miss Laoag City Pamulinawen International Quest 2010 due to his hectic schedule. Teodoro was supposed to have been the crowning guest. Teodoro however visited the province on February 2 as the special guest of the Ragrag-o Festival of the provincial government celebrating the 192nd foundation anniversary of Ilocos
Norte.

Teodoro’s running mate, actor Edu Manzano, who was also in the province during the same time, served as special guest during the opening of the Agro Industrial Fair on February 2.

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cross-posted from: Ilocos Times Online (http://www.ilocostimes.com)

BY LEILANIE G. ADRIANO
STAFF REPORTER

POLITICAL colors in Ilocos Norte province this time may have been separated by green, orange and yellow but local residents here were treated with a blend of colorful festivity while celebrating the 192nd year foundation anniversary of Ilocos Norte.

Also, the celebration goes along with the Ragrag-o festival launched on February 2 last year to showcase the rich cultural heritage of Ilocos Norte’s 21 municipalities and two cities shown through folksongs and festive dances.

Ragrag-o is an Iluko term for “happiness”.

The festival aims to promote Ilocos Norte as a major tourism destination of the north, offering Ilocanos varied opportunities for cultural exchanges, trade and investment. Organized by the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte’s tourism office led by provincial tourism officer Joegie Jimenez, the three-day affair with a theme dubbed as, “Magkaisa, Magmahalan Tungo Sa Kaunlaran” is meant also to popularize the various products of the province from freshly harvest agricultural crops to processed food products and many others that illustrates the hardworking and innovative people of Ilocos Norte.

But unlike in previous Ragrag-o festival celebration, some local officials here particularly at the provincial level were “no show” in the program of activities.
The political disunity in the province started when some of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan members and Ilocos Norte Vice Governor Windell D. Chua, including several mayors here threw their support behind former Rep. Imee R. Marcos gubernatorial bid against incumbent Ilocos Norte Gov. Michael M. Keon.

Nonetheless, contestants from the local government units of the province participated in the various competitions highlighting the Ragrag-o festival.
Thousands of viewers, which included local and foreign tourists, were entertained while invited guests from Manila such as the University of the Philippines’ Madrigal singers, one of the world’s best choirs, performed a variety of styles and forms as well as their trademark of specializing in the madrigal, a polyphonic and challenging musical style popular during the
Renaissance.

Viewers were likewise treated with a good laugh with stand-up comedians and GMA talents, Sexbomb Jopay and Joshua Zamora. Other activities also include
agro-industrial trade fair, historical and tourist spots photo exhibit, grand parade and float competition, thanksgiving concert of the Rivermaya band and Jolina Magdangal, Search for Miss Ilocos Norte 2010, cultural show, essay writing contest, medical mission, old and modern parlor games, street dance parade and the launching of the Ragrag-o festival song interpreted and composed by Ilocano artists.

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cross-posted from source: Ilocos Times Online (http://www.ilocostimes.com)

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MISS ILOCOS NORTE 2010 Farah Jane Dalo, 18 of Bangui, Ilocos Norte flanked by Ilocos Norte Gov. Michael M.
Keon and other provincial government officials.

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Pamulinawen 2010 Highlights

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LC Pamulinawen 2010, successful—MVF

BY DOMINIC B. DELA CRUZ
STAFF REPORTER

LAOAG CITY Mayor Michael V. Fariñas proudly announced that this year’s Pamulinawen Festival celebration was successful as all the major activities were well attended by business establishments, non- government organizations, the private sector, schools, national and local agencies as well as the participation of some municipalities in the province. According to the mayor, this year’s theme “Laoag City: Magnificent, Vibrant and Flourishing,” aptly describes the spirit and atmosphere radiating the city as it continues to be a beacon of peace, prosperity and progress.

The theme showcases the strides that the city gained in terms 0f awards, citations and recognitions in the past years as well as its thrust to continue to gain more recognition through the concerted effort of all sectors of society in the city. With these awards, the mayor thanked the Lord Almighty and St. William the Hermit, the city’s patron saint, for the continued guidance and intercession bestowed to the city as well as all the blessings that had been showered. This is the reason, the mayor said, that the city government of Laoag continuous to make the yearly Pamulinawen Festival celebration a unique one with innovations.

As a result, Fariñas said that this year’s celebration was truly a successful one with the cooperation and participation of everybody for the month-long celebration. The mayor also thanked all the people behind the Nortenians of San Francisco Bay Area, Ilocos Norte Aid Association of Hawaii and the United Filipino Council of Hawaii for their participation through the crowning of their respective queens during the fiesta.

The mayor related that the three regular Balikbayan Organizations like the United Laoagueños of Hawaii, Laoag City Circle of Hawaii and the Kalayaan Group of Hawaii were not able to make it this year due to a hectic schedule, but the coordinators promised that they would be able to join the festival next year. The mayor also expressed his congratulations to all the winners and non-winners of all the contests during the fiesta celebration saying they are all winners as they became part of the activities. Likewise, he also thanked all the sponsors and donors that without them the festival would not be possible and successful.

The mayor called on all his fellow Laoagueños to stay committed and strong so they could all join hands in moving the city forward further. Meanwhile, Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo signed an Executive Order declaring February 10 as the grand day of celebration of the Pamulinawen Festival in commemoration of the city’s patron saint and a special non-working holiday for the whole city of Laoag.

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credits: Bacarra's Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000388808054)

good morning, laoag! beautiful pictures. beautiful beaches in your area.

looking forward to visiting laoag this april, on the way to vigan to attend a national convention.

Robinsons Ilocos Norte
February 20, 2010
3:01 PM

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Fort Ilocandia
Feb. 20, 2010

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More of Fort Ilocandia
Feb. 20, 2010

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Ilocos Norte Convention Center

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Laoag City Proper

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Paoay Lake
Feb. 20, 2010

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Malacañang of the North[/B]
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Mariano Marcos State University (Paoay Campus)
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Taken last Feb. 20, 2010

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wow dami na tlga bago sa Ilocos Norte. Kelangan ko tlga makabalik to visit my relatives na din and to revisit the places na napuntahan ko narin noon. Missing the good ol' days

IN ready to host IRAA 2010 meet

BY LEILANIE G. ADRIANO
STAFF REPORTER

THE FULLY-EQUIPPED Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos Sports Stadium of
Ilocos Norte and the different schools here are all set to host about
6,000 athletes, coaches, local officials and other visitors in this years’
Ilocos Region Athletic Association (IRAA) meet.
Schools Division Supt. Cecilia Aribuabo reported on February 17
that the billeting areas for athletes are set for ocular inspection this
week to ensure that everything is in place upon the contingents’
arrival on February 26 opening of the regional games competition.

Among the areas to be inspected include water facilities, toilets, bathrooms
and cooking area.

Aside from the nearby schools in Laoag City to be inspected, she
said that other delegates preferred to be billeted out of Laoag City
such as in Batac, Vintar and at Sarrat National High School.
The synthetic track of Ilocos Norte has already been rehabilitated
and ready for the regional games competition set from February
26 to March 2.

Concerned authorities from the Department of Education, who
will be in-charge of the different sports competition,
have to undergo refresher course, Aribuabo added to
establish general guidelines and ensure smooth conduct
of the IRAA in the province.

She likewise appealed to tricycle and calesa drivers
and operators to be extra courteous to visitors and
maintain Laoag City’s image as a tourist-friendly destination
by not increasing fares of their passengers.

For his part, Ilocos Norte Gov. Michael M. Keon hopes
that the powerhouse Ilocos Norte will be able defend and
maintain its overall championship in the IRAA that put
the province in the regional sports limelight for 12 consecutive
years.

Feb. 20, 2010

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Some of my photos during my recent vacation in Ilocos Norte. Ilocos is indeed on of the most picturesque places in the country. :D

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Kapurpurawan, Burgos


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Saud beach, Pagudpod


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Burayoc POint, Saud Beach, Pagudpod


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Cape Bojeador, Burgos

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Bangui windmills, Bangui

^^ beautiful!

Agri-Commodities
Written by Leilani Adriano / Correspondent
TUESDAY, 02 MARCH 2010 19:12

BATAC CITY, Ilocos Norte—Ilocanos are typically on the forefront of discovering new opportunities for business and livelihood. Like Lemuel Mangayam, a tobacco and palay grower from Candon, Ilocos Sur, who found his luck in growing macadamia trees when he and his family migrated to Hawaii.

While exploring the business potentials of growing macadamia trees in the Philippines, the province of Ilocos Norte has been identified as a field-demonstration site of macadamia plantation. In late 2009 the first macadamia demonstration farm was launched in Badoc, Ilocos Norte, with about 400 mahogany saplings initially planted in more than one hectare of idle land.

On Feb. 24, Macnut Philippines held a multisectoral dialog at the function hall of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in Batac City, Ilocos Norte, to discuss the opportunities of growing macadamia trees as an additional source of livelihood for Ilocos farmers here.

The firm is a private company composed of Filipino-Hawaiian investors promoting the planting of macadamia in the country in cooperation with research agencies, banking institutions and various local government units.

About 300 macadamia seedlings sold at P1,000 per seedling were given to the MMSU’s research team to conduct actual field testing and identify other possible areas in the province suited to macadamia growing.

“We have yet to test which variety is most feasible to our province’s climate condition,” said Dr. Gliceria Pascua of MMSU, saying that macadamia trees could bring in more economic returns to the province when proven feasible. As of press time, Pascua said, they are still on “experiment” stage.  

Meanwhile, farmers who were present during the Feb. 24 forum were taught how to grow macadamia trees. Macnut Philippines, through its president Jorge Disuanco, said they started growing macadamia trees in the Philippines more than three years ago, and they have proven that this multimillion-dollar industry in Hawaii and in some parts of Europe can be grown in the Ilocos region also.

Disuanco, however, noted that farmers should not rely on planting macadamia trees alone because macadamia trees only start to bear fruit within three to five years for a period of 60 to 80 years when it is grafted, and within eight to 10 years for nongrafted seedlings for a 150-year period. When fully ripe, macadamia nuts are not picked from the tree; they just fall and are then harvested through hand-picking from the ground.

Citing for example the practice in Hawaii, Mangayam told Ilocos farmers during the forum that macadamia trees which can grow up to 60 feet tall can be intercropped with immediate cash crops like vegetables, coffee or other fruit-bearing trees like calamansi, guava and papaya. It can also be used as natural lawn mowers for sheep, goats, cows or by nursery fishing.

Several local officials in Ilocos Norte, like provincial board member Kristian Ablan, also backed the planting of macadamia trees in the province. Ablan allotted funds to buy macadamia seedlings and distribute them to his district (the First District) as demonstration farms in their respective locality.

Some farmers, however, expressed their concern that the macadamia trees may grow in the Ilocos region, but no one knows if the quality of fruits will be the same as those grown in Hawaii, Australia and other macadamia-growing places.

“This is why we have research and technology to come in,” said Disuanco, as he welcomed the farmers’ comments. Everything is possible if we have the “will and courage” to do so, he said.

Researchers also commented during the forum that based on their book readings, macadamia trees should not be planted in windy areas or there should be wind breakers next to macadamia trees as this tree, is not deep-rooted.

In the Philippines, macadamia trees grow well near volcanoes because of the well-drained lava land that is sufficiently developed or weathered to support a solid cover of natural vegetation and other deep, well-drained soil with a pH that ranges from 5.5 to 6.5.

The Ilocos region can grow macadamia trees because its soil content has boron, a natural soil fertilizer for growing macadamia trees. At their early stage, saplings should be watered twice a day.

Based on Macnut Philippines’ information material, macadamia trees are not invasive to the environment and are used primarily for reforestation in Hawaii. These nuts are considered as the world’s most nutritious nuts and are cholesterol-free. Supporters say macadamia-nut oil is superior to all other vegetable oils including olive oil.

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cross-posted from source: Business Mirror (http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22423:ilocos-farmers-taught-how-to-grow-macadamia-trees&catid=53:agri-commodities)

IRAA update (Partial unofficial overall standing as of 5:00PM last March 1, 2010)

All games will be finished today March 2, 2010

1. Ilocos Norte
2. Pangasinan 2
3. Pangasinan 1
4. Alaminos City
5. Laoag City
6. La Union
7. Ilocos Sur

Advanced congratulations to Ilocos Norte Team and Laog City Team. For sure this will be their 11th consecutive win.^^

..
.
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.
.

I don't see Batac - are they part of the ilocos norte contingent?

^^ Good Luck sa inyo!

By Danny O. Sagun

Dagupan City (2 March) -- Two more expressways are being mulled for North Luzon including one that will connect La Union to Laoag City, President Macapagal-Arroyo revealed yesterday in her third visit to Pangasinan this year.

Mrs. Arroyo yesterday afternoon inspected the newly-started civil works in barangay Tumana West in Rosales town which will form part of the 88-kilometer Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX). In her remarks after she was briefed on the status of the project, she bared that San Miguel Corporation will be submitting plans to construct under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme expressways that will link La Union to Laoag City, and Nueva Ecija to Cagayan.

She said that even she was no longer president, construction of said projects would continue with the involvement of the private sector in the government?s infrastructure program.
She thanked SMC for its major role in pursuing infrastructure projects in the Northern Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle (NLAQ). The firm is one among the Filipino private contractors that formed the Philippine Infrastructure Development Corporation (PIDC) to build under BOT the TPLEX project worth P16.88 billion.

The 2-lane expressway will run from the end of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) in La Paz town in Tarlac all the way to Rosario town in La Union. SCTEX also connects to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).

Presidential Management Staff chief Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., who briefed the President on the status of the right-of-way acquisitions, said that 52 percent was already accomplished as of February 28. A total of 561 lots out of the 1,088 affected lots were already acquired under Section 1 of the project which covers a distance of 47.3 kilometers traversing the towns of Victoria, Gerona, Pura, Ramos, Anao, Paniqui and Moncada in Tarlac, Nampicuan and Cuyapo in Nueva Ecija, and Rosales in Pangasinan. He said that a one-stop-shop public assistance center composed of various agencies helped fast track lot acquisition thru negotiations with the affected landowners.

Section 2 runs from Rosales to Urdaneta City covering 14.9 kilometers, while Section 3 with a total length of 25.9 kilometers covers Urdaneta City and Pozorrubio town and finally Rosario in La Union.

The expressway will have two viaducts crossing two major rivers ? Agno and Bued - eight interchanges, several road and farm crossings and tollway facilities. PIDC will operate the tollway for 30 years.

TPLEX, which is expected to be finished by April 2012, aims to connect Northern Philippines to the Urban Luzon beltway and speed up the transport of food staples from the production areas of the North to the markets in Luzon. SCTEX, NLEX, EDSA, South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) and the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) are the major road networks that interconnect with the Subic and Clark economic zones and the trade, financial and IT centers of the National Capital Region and the industrial zones of Laguna and Batangas.

Travel time will be cut by at least two hours. Travel from the NLEX in Balintawak to Rosario, La Union will take about three hours or even less, Esperon told newsmen in an interview.

The Chief Executive only last February 19 opened the Aeronautical Highway of the North at a ceremony in the Binalonan airfield. The Sky Pasada project aims to serve less-traveled areas in the north. (PIA Pangasinan)

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cross-posted from source: PIA (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p100302.htm&no=37)

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view Hires version here (http://www.pacaf.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/100222-F-4369D-001.JPG)

2/24/2010 - Maj. Gen. Jan-Marc Jouas, Director of Operations, Plans, Requirements and Programs at Pacific Air Forces, provides closing comments for Operation Pacific Angel at Caaoacan Elementary School in Laoag, Philippines, Feb. 22. 2010. The elementary school was a recipient of the engineering civic assistance program held as part of the operation. Operation Pacific Angel is a joint and combined humanitarian assistance and civic assistance program conducted in the Pacific area of responsibility. (U.S. Air Force photo/Capt. Genieve David)

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source:PACIFIC AIR FORCE (http://www.pacaf.af.mil)

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The Farmers' Festival is Celebrated towards the end of November each year...

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photo credits: A Mother's Stuff (wahm.blogpostie.com/)

Around Ilocos Norte in less than 7 minutes....

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Work has begun on two more expressways in North Luzon, one that will connect La Union to Laoag City, and the other, Nueva Ecija to Cagayan.

President Arroyo Wednesday inspected a portion of the expressway in Rosales town, which will form part of the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway, an 88-kilometer toll road that will cost P16.88 billion.

After getting an update on the project, Mrs. Arroyo said that San Miguel Corporation will be submitting plans to construct under the build-operate-transfer scheme the expressways that will link La Union to Laoag City, and Nueva Ecija to Cagayan.

Even after her tenure, the President said work on the projects would continue with the involvement of the private sector in the government’s infrastructure program.

Mrs. Arroyo thanked San Miguel for its role in pursuing infrastructure projects in the Northern Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle. San Miguel is one among the Filipino private contractors that formed the Philippine Infrastructure Development Corporation to construct TPLEX under the build-operate-transer scheme. The infrastructure firm will operate the toll way for 30 years.

Under the plan, the two-lane expressway will run from the end of the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway in La Paz town in Tarlac all the way to Rosario town in La Union. SCTEX also connects to the North Luzon Expressway.

Section 2 of the extended expressway runs from Rosales to Urdaneta City covering 14.9 kilometers, while Section 3 with a total length of 25.9 kilometers starts from Urdaneta City to Pozorrubio and finally Rosario in La Union.

TPLEX, which is expected to be finished in April 2012, will cut travel time from the NLEX in Balintawak to Rosario, La Union to three hours or even lessPresidential Management Staff chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. told newsmen.

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cross-posted from source: Manila Standard Today (http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideNation.htm?f=2010/march/4/nation3.isx&d=2010/march/4)

Regions
Written by Leilani Adriano / Correspondent
FRIDAY, 05 MARCH 2010 20:20

BANGUI, Ilocos Norte—Ilocos farmers are not the only ones complaining about water scarcity; even doctors are.

In the Bangui District Hospital (BDH) servicing at least five northern towns of Ilocos Norte, Dr. Susana Galvan, acting officer in charge of the newly expanded district hospital, reported on March 3 that their water supply from a water-pump well with pressurized tank has already reached its minimum water level. This, she said, was reported by the hospital’s utility worker.

“We do not usually have a water problem at the hospital, but it is only now that we have experienced low water supply,” Galvan said. “This may be because of the dry spell.”

With a grant from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Department of Health, plus an equity from the provincial government and the local unit worth P21 million, the BDH just expanded from 25 to 40 rooms. Currently under construction are an air-conditioned pay ward building, and the improvement of the emergency patient building, ward building and a sewerage system.   

The P21-million upgrade of the hospital is part of the more than P108-million fund from ADB-assisted projects under the province’s Health Sector Development Program, which includes improvement of two more hospital facilities—the Gov. Roque B. Ablan Sr. Memorial Hospital in Laoag City and the Dingras District Hospital.

Ilocos Norte Gov. Michael Keon led the turnover ceremony on March 3 attended by several provincial officials and municipal mayors in Burgos, Dumalneg, Adams, Pagudpud and Bangui.

This is part of the continuing effort of Keon’s administration to implement the province’s health sector reform agenda by upgrading hospitals, buying medical equipment and hiring additional health personnel. The European Union (EU) also backs this project.

Apart from this, the acting officer in charge of the BDH noted the water-scarcity problem during the turnover ceremony when she requested the governor to act on it. She also requested the hiring of one surgeon so that patients who need surgical operation will no longer be transferred to other hospitals. The governor immediately gave a “thumbs up” to the request, saying “quality health care” has always been one of his priority programs even though there are some in the medical community who “misunderstood” his “passion.”

Galvan expressed hope that the hospital’s water system will be fixed soon.

Meanwhile, Dr. Walberg Samonte, former chief of the BDH who is now the provincial health officer, on March 2 narrated how the Bangui hospital started small.

“About 20 years ago, you can see tall grasses within the hospital building, which then looked more like a school building,” Samonte recalled, saying the hospital ground used to be an animal pasture with no grass cutter to trim weeds.

The BDH has metamorphosed into a two-story hospital building that is much cleaner and organized.

Keon also said P2 million worth of medical equipment will be purchased soon following a grant from the EU.

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cross-posted from source: Business Mirror (http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22607:ilocos-norte-district-hospital-faces-water-crisis-too&catid=45:regions&Itemid=71)

Bangui Windmills, Bangui
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Photos by MON CORPUZ of DPP

Another set of Kapurpurawan
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Photos by Edwin Karganilla of DPP

nice pics...parang di sa pinas :)

OSG: Void Marcos claim over ‘Malacañang of the North’ (http://www.malaya.com.ph/03052010/metro2.html)

THE Presidential Commission on Good Government and the Office of the Solicitor General yesterday petitioned the Sandiganbayan to nullify the 32-year-old deal between the late President Ferdinand Marcos and the Philippine Tourism Authority involving the development of a 57-hectare lakeside property in Paoay, Ilocos Norte.

Government lawyers named as respondents former First Lady Imelda Marcos and her son, Ilocos Norte Rep. Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, being the co-administrator of the Marcos estate, and PTA general manager Mark Lapid representing the agency.

Aside from a declaration of nullity, the government also asked the court to pronounce the properties as owned by the Republic of the Philippines.

PCGG and OSG claimed the Dec. 20, 1978 contract was signed by Marcos and then PTA general manager Bernardo Vergara "without undergoing the usual verification process and feasibility study." Under the lease contract, PTA will pay a nominal lease fee of P1 per year to Marcos as lessor and owner of the land for a 25-year period from Jan. 1, 1979 to Dec. 31, 2003.

PTA agreed to undertake on its own or jointly with other parties, the development of the land as a public park for tourism purposes and to turn over everything to the Marcos at the expiration of the contract.

Under this contract, PTA constructed the Malacañang ti Amianan (Malacañang of the North), Maharlika Hall, Suba Sports Complex (also known as the Paoay Sports Complex) and an 18-hole golf course – all using public funds.

Government lawyers said that until now, all improvements remain under maintenance and supervision of the PTA, except for the Malacañang of the North which has been converted into a museum.

On Feb. 7, 2005, the Marcos estate sent PTA a demand letter to vacate the leased premises and to remit all rentals to it. On March 26, 2007, the Marcoses sent a final demand letter to the PTA and PCGG with the same request. Five weeks later, the Marcos estate sued PCGG and the PTA before the Paoay-Currimao court in Ilocos Norte invoking the expiration of the lease contract on Dec. 31, 2003. The case remains pending.

OSG and PCGG lawyers claimed the lease contract was void from the beginning for being grossly disadvantageous to the state. They argued that Vergara’s signature on the contract was not binding in the absence of a resolution from the PTA board, and that there was no proof that Marcos actually owned the subject land as there is no certificate of title covering the property or a declaration for taxation purposes that Marcos was the owner of the said. – Peter J.G. Tabingo

If VIGAN have its gold heritage,
And CAGAYAN have its natural falls and caves,
If BORACAY have its white sand beaches,
And BACOLOD is the place for polite and smiley faces,
If CAMSUR is the province of extreme sports,
And SUBIC is the home of dolphins in motion,
If CEBU, DAVAO, and MANILA have skyscraper and first class malls
Well ILOCOS NORTE HAVE THEM ALL.




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http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs156.snc3/18375_108569399154330_100000038120444_226310_7641965_n.jpg Street Dancing

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs098.snc3/16531_1139579019782_1536610060_30336727_3568398_n.jpg La Paz, LC

http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs098.snc3/16531_1139576379716_1536610060_30336726_5584450_n.jpg Carmellite Church, LC

credits: Laoag City Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Laoag-City/52424693455)

Kung tungkol sa SM. Maniwala lang tayo pag grand opening na. Like in Santiago wala rin yata tapos meron na naman rumor na sa Ilagan naman daw pero hindi SM ang pangalan kundi Northsar or something like that na SM and Sy owned din.

Yep... Maniwala nlng kung anjan na... Sa Santiago, although na ipublished na nila ang plan nila, pwede pa magbago.... Sa Ilagan Savemore lang ang itatayo. Same with Tuguegarao, Savemore lng din... Kaya maghintay nlng...:)... May idea ako na pakulo lng yan ng mga pulitiko, ngpapabango kung baga...

Wow... Ilocos... ang ganda!!!.... Nakapunta na ko diyan three times... I guest, Laoag city is somehow similar siya sa Santiago... Mukhang ito ang ginagaya ng Santiago in terms of kaayusan... Santiago kasi bata pang syudad; only 15 years old... parang Laoag ang ginagaya niya... kung hindi man ginagaya, may similarities sila... Though mas marami tao Santiago...

Wow... Ilocos... ang ganda!!!.... Nakapunta na ko diyan three times... I guest, Laoag city is somehow similar siya sa Santiago... Mukhang ito ang ginagaya ng Santiago in terms of kaayusan... Santiago kasi bata pang syudad; only 15 years old... parang Laoag ang ginagaya niya... kung hindi man ginagaya, may similarities sila... Though mas marami tao Santiago...


They just need to clean Santiago, masyado syang magulo, mapolusyon at makalat.

They just need to clean Santiago, masyado syang magulo, mapolusyon at makalat.

Somehow, I agree. Sa city proper niya, marami na kasi talagang tao dun.. specially sa marketplace(s) niya... pero sa mga baryo baryo niya at entrance ng place, maganda siya at tahimik... Mukhang napabayaan kasi ng mayor dun ang nasasakupan niya... Ngayon lang ulit inaupgrade yung city proper. Malapit na kasi ang election! alam na natin!!!... Though yung upgrade na ginagawa ngayon, as in upgrade talaga!!!:)

Somehow, I agree. Sa city proper niya, marami na kasi talagang tao dun.. specially sa marketplace(s) niya... pero sa mga baryo baryo niya at entrance ng place, maganda siya at tahimik... Mukhang napabayaan kasi ng mayor dun ang nasasakupan niya... Ngayon lang ulit inaupgrade yung city proper. Malapit na kasi ang election! alam na natin!!!... Though yung upgrade na ginagawa ngayon, as in upgrade talaga!!!:)

Oh yeah...same thing with Tuguegarao. I never go downtown when I'm there. Or else I wouldn't know how to get out of there unscathed :lol:. It's an absolute chaos midtown. The traffic, narrow streets, sidewalk vendors, horse and buggies, you name it, they're at your nose. That's what makes Laoag different from the other cities up north. It's clean and traffic friendly :).

IN athletes rule IRAA 2010

BY LEILANIE G. ADRIANO
STAFF REPORTER

THE POWERHOUSE Ilocos Norte team continued with its winning streak as it stretched its run to the 11th year after they bested 13 other divisions to rule the 2010 Ilocos Region Athletic Association meet on February 26-March 2.

The 11th consecutive overall championship was extra sweet this year as Ilocos Norte hosted the 2010 meet.

With an overall total of 674.67 points in the elementary and secondary divisions, the Ilocos Norte team defended its crown as the grand champion for 11 consecutive years now.

Though the Ilocos Norte athletes were unable to train as hard as they did in previous IRAA meets and the lack of national coaches to train them, Ilocos Norte Gov. Michael M. Keon said he was “gratified” by the young boys and girls of the province who fought very hard in the various competitions particularly in ballgames and defended the title once more.

Keon was the project director of Project Gintong Alay, a well-rounded sports program during the administration of his uncle, former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, and which netted the Philippines a number of medals in various international competitions.

Citing for example the Ilocos Norte basketball girls’ team, who fought for the championship games but lost by six points, the sport czar of the province before he became governor said, “That’s sports — sometimes, you succeed, sometimes you lose.” But the ultimate reward is the “life long experience” by learning “to train (harder), prepare and take the challenge” no matter what.

The defending champion dominated in athletics, archery, sepak takraw, swimming, baseball and softball in the elementary and secondar divisions for boys and girls, and volleyball in the elementary, to bring home the crown anew after the sixday meet.

Ilocos Norte’s closest rival, Pangasinan 2 was the second in the over-all standing with 437.17 points followed by Pangasinan 1 with 332 points. La Union province placed fourth place.

Laoag City improved its performance as it emerged fifth in the overall tally with a total of 194.67 points with Dagupan City finishing sixth with 172.05 points.

Keon particularly lauded the Laoag City athletes, coaches and supporters for improving their record in sports activities and Batac City delegates for bagging the special award as most disciplined delegation.

The newly created Batac City maintained its special award since last year.
The other delegations that competed in the meet were from Ilocos Sur and San Carlos, Urdaneta, San Fernando, Vigan, Candon and Batac cities.

Meanwhile, the governor announced immediately after the awarding ceremony on March 2 that winners in the IRAA 2010 will be using the newly rehabilitated
Ferdinand E. Marcos Memorial Sports Stadium as their training ground for the next Palarong Pambansa which will be held in Tarlac City.

“We will bring in national coaches to train them,” assured Keon.

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crossposted from source: Ilocos Times (http://www.ilocostimes.com)

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YELLOW INVASION. The Aquino sisters, Ballsy (at left) and Pinky, visited Laoag City on March 3 to test the waters in ‘Marcos Country’ where they were given a warm welcome by Noynoy Aquino’s local campaign coordinators and supporters from the business sector. The sisters vowed to relay the warm reception to
the Liberal Party presidential bet and to urge him to visit Ilocos Norte soon.

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photo courtesy of Ilocos Times (http://ilocostimes.com)

BY CARLO P. CANARES
PIA-ILOCOS NORTE

THE DEPARTMENT of Health (DOH), World Health Organization (WHO) and Medicines Transparency Alliance, Philippines gave the top award to the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital & Medical Center (MMMH&MC) of Batac City for having the best practices, structures & systems on medicine selection, procurement, management, financing, use and access to medicines.

The MMMH&MC bested eight local government units, two other DOH hospitals and one private sector facility for the First National Awards on Good governance in Medicines. The award, launched in August 2008 by the department of Health (DOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the Medicines Transparency Alliance, aims to inculcate that
transparency and good governance are essentials in improving access to quality medicines. It also tries to identify good practices in both the private and public sector and provide incentives for these good practices and build models and duplicate them.

Aside from the MMMH&MC, the Davao Medical Center, Jose Fabella Memorial Medical Center; the provinces of Capiz, Isabela, Zamboanga del Norte, Negros Occidental, Oriental Mindoro; Pasay City, Alicia, Sibugay Zamboanga, municipality of Opol, Mizamis Oriental; and the National Pharmaceutical
Foundation were assessed on their compliance to WHO and national standards for their over-all management of medicines.
The criteria are on minimum structural and systems requirements; transparency and good governance structures and systems; medicine selection, procurement, management, financing, rational use and access.
Examples of these criteria are: presence of a functional drugs and therapeutic
committee, use of the Philippine National Drug Formulary as basis during selection, an annual procurement plan and Certificate of Product Registration from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) during procurement and inspection, compliance to the government procurement law, First Expiry, First Out and maintaining required temperature and stock levels, use of standard
clinical practice guidelines, availability of essential medicines and rationality of procurement and retail prices, among others.

The MMMH&MC was found to have conformed to WHO and national standards on management of medicines. The public, particularly the patients are assured of safe and quality medicines and drugs bought and used at the hospital and
have passed rational selection, transparent procurement and proper management.

The MMMH&MC, headed by Dr Maria Lourdes Otayza, is a 200-bed capacity DOH retained Level IV hospital in Northern Luzon. It is the only level IV PhilHealth Accredited Medical Center in this part of the country whose primary mandate is to serve indigents through the provision of high quality low cost
health care and engage in a high level academic training for its medical
and paramedical personnel and affiliates.

Being the only medical center in Northern Luzon (about 200 kms north of the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center in San Fernando, La Union), the MMMH&MC caters to the health needs of the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Northern Cagayan, Abra, Apayao and Kalinga. It also holds the distinction of being the second-best DOH hospital in the country.

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cross-posted from source: Ilocos Times (http://ilocostimes.com)

Oh yeah...same thing with Tuguegarao. I never go downtown when I'm there. Or else I wouldn't know how to get out of there unscathed :lol:. It's an absolute chaos midtown. The traffic, narrow streets, sidewalk vendors, horse and buggies, you name it, they're at your nose. That's what makes Laoag different from the other cities up north. It's clean and traffic friendly :).

Hehehe... Though mas ok naman sa Santiago compared to Tuguegarao... Dun talaga, kailangan nilang gumastos ng malaki para maayos yung commercial place niya... Anyways, hope comparison would end here... Baka kasi pagsimulan ng away... Cities of the north naman has its own charater na pwedeng ipagyabang ng mga tao sa nasasakupan niya...:)

By EDU H. LOPEZ
March 15, 2010, 3:12pm

The Philippines-Australia Partnership for Economic Governance Reforms (PEGR) has defined a strategic national transport network under the proposed national transport plan for the country.

The strategic national transport network will serve to create a unified, well-integrated economy where people and goods can move and trade swiftly and efficiently both domestically and internationally, according to assistant team leader George Esguerra.

The network would expand capacities and level of service in the inter-regional and inter-provincial transport links based on the emerging concentrations of demand generated by industries and services.

Esguerra stressed that the country’s roads, seaports, airports, and railways have been spotty and many of them are operating beyond asset capacities.

As specified in the plan, the strategic national road network consists of north-south road backbone, east-west laterals, and other roads of strategic national importance which inter-link regional and provincial capitals, growth centers, and defined principal ports and airports of the country.

The plan aims to increase the paved ratio from 21% to 90% of the entire road network by end-2016.

As regards the national port network, it covers the base ports and terminal ports under the jurisdiction of the Philippine Port Authority (PPA) and the Cebu Port Authority (CPA), and ports directly managed by the special economic zones, particularly the Subic Port (SP) and the Mindanao International Container Port (MICP).

The plan targets to improve or construct 15 RORO terminal ports and nine ports for international transport and strengthen port security systems and procedures of all national ports by end-2016.

The national airport network, on the other hand, consists of the international ports under the special airport authorities and the national airports in the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) airport classifications, except the 40 community airports while the road RORO terminal system includes the identified Western, Central and Eastern Nautical Highways.

Under the plan, four international airports (Diosdado Macapagal International Airport (DMIA), Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), Mactan, Cebu and Laoag) will be developed and four intermodal and tourism airports such as Panglao, Caticlan, Puerto Princesa, Butuan and Cotabato – are to be expanded.

The strategic national transport network translates to a seamless, intermodal transport logistics network connecting production hubs, distribution centers and markets to establish high-quality, efficient logistics chains.

Part of the plan is to establish a single transport document for customs, immigration, quarantine and security purposes that can be used in all transport modes and a single access point for administrative processes and procedures to promote the simplification and decentralization of exchanges of freight-related information and to substantially reduce the cost of regulatory requirements.

The proposed NTP is estimated to cost P748 billion or about 1.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), about 69% of which are for road and road transport.

The investment cost is slightly higher than the average actual investment in transport infrastructure during period 1999-2008, which is less than 1% of GDP, but is significantly lower compared to about 4% for other Asian countries.

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cross-posted from source: mb.com (http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/247858/rp-australia-partnership-defines-strategic-nat-l-transport-network)

ang ganda talaga nang ilocos wow super wow.

Medical mission in Pinili, Ilocos Norte set April 17
MANILA, March 18 (PNA) - The non-profit, civic organization Pinili-Metro Manila Residents Association, Inc. (PMMRAI) will hold its free Medical Mission and summer Outreach Program in the historic town of Pinili, Ilocos Norte on April 17.

This is the 11th year of the group, composed of professionals, civic leaders and students, in holding its Medical Mission and Outreach Program since it was formed in 1993.

PMMRAI president Honor Blanco Cabie said the Medical Mission and Outreach Program would cover barangays Cabaroan, Buanga, Santo Tomas, Liliputen, Lumbaan-Bicbica and Sacritan.

Last year, PMMRAI extended free medical consultation to nearly 300 barangay residents in Darat at the town’s junction and surrounding barangays.

The Medical Mission will come two days after the non-government organizations night of the five-day town fiesta, when Cabie will be the guest of honor and speaker after he was invited by the Town Fiesta Directorate, headed by Mayor Anunciacion Pagdilao.

Cabie is expected to talk on the town fiesta theme: Celebrating 90 Years and Remembering Past and Present Town leaders.

Pinili, Ilocos Norte’s 17th municipality, was established on Jan 1, 1920, after it was weaned from the mother towns Paoay, Badoc and Batac, more than a decade after bloody hand-to-hand combat between advancing American troops and guerrillas of Catholic priest Gregorio Aglipay, appointed by Emilio Aguinaldo, the vicar general of the Philippine Revolution.

Pinili, which now concentrates on garlic under the government’s “One Town One Product” program, has emerged as among the cleanest and greenest municipality in its category not only in Region 1 but throughout the country. (PNA)
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=12&sid=&nid=12&rid=265135

Dagupan City (17 March) -- This early, 20 street dance groups have already confirmed participation in this year's edition of the Festivals of the North dancing competition, according to Vice-Mayor Belen T. Fernandez, festival chair.

The Festivals of the North is a showdown of street dancers clad in eye-catching costumes from different towns and cities in NorthernLuzon for the showcasing of their respective culture, tradition and beliefs.
The event was conceived in 2008 by Mayor Alipio Fernandez, Jr. and the vice-mayor to add color and excitement to the yearly Bangus Festival. This year it will be staged on April 26.

The vice mayor encouraged all Dagupeños to invite their relatives and friends abroad or from other parts of the country to participate in the festivity and witness the battle of the best festival dancers in the North performing in a single event.

At present, the following contingents have already confirmed their participation: Baguio City, Laoag City, Pinili, Paoay, San Nicolas, San Fernando City, Naguillian, Sto. Tomas (La Union), Anda, Binalonan, Binmaley, Infanta, Lingayen, Manaoag, Sto. Tomas (Pangasinan), Umingan, Urbiztondo, Masinloc.

The cities of Laoag and Baguio have registered 2 entries each.

Candaba, Pampanga's Ibon-ebon Festival street dancers, Iloilo City's Dinagyang and Cebu's Sinulog festival dance groups were also invited by the chairman as special guest performers during the event.

The overall champion will receive P200, 000,;first runner up P100,000; 2nd runner up P75,000; 3rd runner up P50,000; and 4th runner up P30,000. The non-winning contingents will receive P10,000 as consolation prize.

Winner of the Best in Choreography minor award will bag P20, 000 cash prize.
The event also promises to be star-studded as the cast of GMA 7's First Time Barbie Forteza, Joshua Dionision and Jake Vargas will come to Dagupan to grace the event.

Fernandez is now on her third stint as Bangus Festival chair. (LCA/PIA Pangasinan/dos)
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cross-posted from source: PIA.GOV (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p100317.htm&no=38)

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2009 Miss Earth Candidates at Ilocos Norte Convention Center

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Miss Earth Candidates at Kapurpurawan, Burgos

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Kapurpurawan, Burgos

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Aglipay Park, Pinili, Ilocos Norte

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Banna, Ilocos Norte

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Badoc, Ilocos Norte

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photo credit: I Love Ilocos Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/ilocos)

by Cristina Arzadon

Laoag City (19 March) -- Ilocos Norte Gov. Michael Keon has given the clearance to tap the province's calamity funds to assist farmers whose rice lands have dried up due to the dry spell.

Records from the Provincial Agriculture Office as of March 12 showed some P7.2 million crop losses in rice and corn affecting some 1,480 farmers in the towns of Dingras, Bacarra, Pinili and Laoag.
Norma Lagmay, provincial agriculturist, said the damages are expected to shoot up once the PAO completes its validation of reported damages in other towns.

Dingras town, considered the province's rice granary, has been declared under calamity state due to rising farm losses amounting to P2.3 million in rice and corn.

Keon said at least P12 million from the calamity fund were ready for release to buy farm implements that would help rehabilitate parched farmlands.
"The amount is equivalent to 50 percent of (the province's) calamity fund. It is there for immediate dispatch," he said.

The governor announced the release of the funds during the inter-agency meeting of the El Niño government task force on Tuesday (March 16).
Keon said the fund assistance could be used in buying water pumps, fertilizers and seedlings.

During the forum, farmers' representatives were asked to identify areas which were vulnerable to drought and list down their needs that required immediate government response.

Amador Sadumiano, director of the Department of Agriculture's regional field unit, however, cautioned farmers on calculating farm damages and reflect only their actual losses.

"If we under-estimate, the NFA (National Food Authority) may under-import rice allocations. If we over-estimate, farmers will suffer because they will find difficulty in selling their crops," he said.

Sadumiano noted the practice of some towns declaring their areas under calamity state despite the absence of actual validation of farm losses.
"Some officials are in a hurry to be placed under calamity because they want to utilize their calamity funds. But this is not a good practice," he said.
Meanwhile, the National Food Authority assured that Ilocos Norte's present rice inventory would be sufficient to ride out the dry spell until the rainy season beginning May.

Tirso Mendoza, NFA asst. provincial manager, said the province has a rice stock of 643,875 bags which would last for 170 days or more than five months. (PIA)
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cross-posted from source: PIA.gov (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&fi=p100319.htm&no=68)

Ilocos Norte Hotel & Convention Center opens this month (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=559901&publicationSubCategoryId=87)
(The Philippine Star (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=559901&publicationSubCategoryId=87)) Updated March 21, 2010 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Paramount Hotels
and Facilities Management Co. Inc. is opening a new property in Laoag City, the capital of Ilocos Norte.

The Ilocos Norte Hotel and Convention Center will open this month with 100 hotel rooms
, 24 dormitory rooms, restaurant and state-of-the-art convention center that can accommodate up to 1,200 people.

Guests can choose between standard rooms and suites with cable TV, IDD/NDD service, complimentary bottled water, and private verandah.

The hotel is located adjacent to a golf course and shooting range. It features a chapel for private weddings, sprawling garden for outdoor events, swimming pool, hotel function room, and in-room massage services.

The property caters to convention, business and leisure travelers and offers unique attractions such as Spanish colonial buildings, white sand beaches of Pagudpud, Marcos-era mansions, and Paoay Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, among others.

Laoag City is the center of economic and social activities being an active member of the North Luzon Economic Triangle. It is just 55 minutes by plane from Manila, Hong Kong or mainland China.

With Laoag being one of the political, commercial and industrial hubs in the Ilocos region, tourism has been the major driver of the city’s economy. It has also been declared by the Department of Tourism as an ecotourism area.

The hotel is managed by Paramount Property Management Co., a property development and management firm with more than 10 years of experience in developing properties in the country.

For inquiries, call (02) 899-7171 or 0917 8881800 or e-mail at reservations@ilocosnortehotel.com.

Laoag pala talaga yung Ilocos Norte Hotel and convention Center, ang dami kasi dati ngasasabi nasa part na sya ng Paoay.

^^Pero Paoay talaga yata ang nakakasakop diyan kasi nasa malapit lang siya sa Malacanang of the North.

Nasa labas lang siya ng Golf Course sa may Paoay Lake.

Ilocos Norte to tap calamity fund due to onslaught of drought
LAOAG CITY, March 21 (PNA) -- Gov. Michael Keon had given the go-signal for the Ilocos Norte provincial government to use its calamity fund to assist farmers affected by the onslaught of the long dry spell caused by the El Nino phenomenon.

Keon's move was spurred by a report from the Provincial Agriculture Office that as of March 12, losses from rice and corn in the towns of Dingras, Bacarra and Pinili, Ilocos Norte reached some P7.2 million.

At least 1,480 farmers were affected by the phenomenon in the three towns.

Governor Keon said that with the release of the calamity fund, the provincial government can come to the aid of farmers in the three towns whose rice and corn lands have dried up.

Provincial agriculturist Norma Lagmay reported that the damages wrought by drought from the three towns could rise yet once her office completes its validation.

Keon disclosed that at least P12 million from the provincial calamity fund is being readied to be released for the purchase farm implements like water pumps, fertilizers and seedlings.

He said the amount is equivalent to 50 percent of the province's calamity fund.

Meanwhile, it was reported that the energy generated by a mini hydro electric plant in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte is now down to only 50 percent starting February as a result of the dry spell.

The Agua Grande hydro power plant, which is being run by the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC), has a production capacity of five megawatts.

A report said the mini hyro's actual production is now only one megawatt because only two of its five water turbines are operating.

The plant supplies power to more than 70,000 households in the northern towns of Adams, Dumalneg, Bangui, Pasuquin, Bacarra, Burgos and Pagudpud.

Plant Manager Danilo Garcia confirmed that the power generated by the facility has been running low due to the decreased volume of water from the river. (PNA)http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=265578

^^Pero Paoay talaga yata ang nakakasakop diyan kasi nasa malapit lang siya sa Malacanang of the North.

Nasa labas lang siya ng Golf Course sa may Paoay Lake.

According to an official whom i talked, Laoag talaga siya, although Paoay is trying claim it. Sabi pa nya, even a large part of the what we call Suba Beach is actually a part of Laoag. Yung kabilang side ng kalsada ng INHCC, yun daw talaga ang Paoay.

^^
yes, it's (INHCC) located in Laoag, Brgy. Balacad to be exact :)

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2492/4178512074_2309e8aa45.jpg

by Cristina Arzadon

Laoag City (23 March) -- Capitol officials are set to unveil the more than P400 million-Ilocos Norte Hotel and Convention Center tomorrow.

Managed by the Paramount Hotels and Facilities Management Co. Inc., the INHCC has 100 hotel rooms, 24 dormitory rooms, restaurant and state-of-the-art convention center that can accommodate up to 1,200 people.

The Ilocos Norte provincial government started investing on the property under then Governor Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. to capitalize on the province?s rising tourism industry.

The hotel sits next to a golf course and shooting range in barangay Balacad this city. It features a chapel for private weddings, sprawling garden for outdoor events, swimming pool, hotel function room, and in-room massage services.

Governor Michael Keon will lead the hotel?s grand opening on Wednesday with a series of activities from a morning motorcade, blessing, a tour of the facility and a fireworks display. (PIA)

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cross-posted from source: PIA (http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&fi=p100323.htm&no=79)

New Ilocos Norte Hotel & Convention Center Now Open

Agri-Commodities
Written by Leilani Adriano / Correspondent
FRIDAY, 26 MARCH 2010 19:37

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte—The Ilocos Norte Hotel and Convention Center (INHCC), the newest addition to Ilocos Norte’s tourism industry, finally opened for business on Wednesday. The hotel-cum-convention center is expected to cater to about 100 hotel guests, and its world-class convention center can accommodate1,200 people.

As early as its grand opening on Wednesday, Paramount Hotels and Facilities Management Co. Inc. and Philippine Exhibit and Theme Park Corp., private firms the provincial government tapped to manage the INHC, reported early bookings with the number expected to ri se. The INHCC has 100 hotel rooms, 24 dormitory rooms, restaurants and a state-of-the-art convention center. With more than P450-million funding from the Development Bank of the Philippines, the INHCC started its groundbreaking in 2007 under then-governor now Rep. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The project was continued under the administration of current Ilocos Norte Gov. Michael Keon.

With the opening of the INHCC, regional director Martin Valera of the Department of Tourism (DOT) said during the grand opening that the province would have the opportunity to offer additional service to visitors with a bigger market.

The INHCC still needs to be accredited by the DOT to further promote the newest tourism pride of Ilocos Norte. Before the INHCC, the province could not accommodate various groups that wanted to hold conventions in Ilocos Norte due to the limited number of hotel rooms available.

“I am pleased and satisfied that the INHCC is finally open,” said Keon in his speech, as he recognized the need for hotel and convention experts to share their skills and talents to Ilocos Norte to ensure its viability.

The grand opening of the INHCC was also attended by local officials and visitors from various government and nongovernment agencies, including former First Lady Imelda Marcos and daughter Imee, who represented her brother, Ferdinand Jr., who was campaigning in Cagayan Valley.
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cross-posted from source: Business Mirror (http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=23394:new-ilocos-norte-hotel-and-convention-center-now-open&catid=53:agri-commodities)

people of Ilocos Norte, who is your GOVERNOR?

michael KEON

imee MARCOS



people of Ilocos and the Philippines, who is your PRESIDENT (top 5 candidates)?

noynoy AQUINO

erap ESTRADA

dick GORDON

gibo TEODORO

manny VILLAR


VICE PRESIDENT (top 5 candidates)?

jojo BINAY

bayani FERNANDO

loren LEGARDA

edu MANZANO

mar ROXAS

San Miguel mulls bullet train project (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=561232&publicationSubCategoryId=66)
By Mary Ann LL. Reyes (The Philippine Star) Updated March 26, 2010 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - San Miguel Corp. (SMC) has set its sights on what could probably be its most ambitious and expensive project to date as it spearheads the Philippines’ bid to become the first country in Southeast Asia to build and operate a bullet train.

SMC president and CEO Ramon Ang told The STAR that they have commissioned a group that includes international companies with experience in bullet trains to study the possibility of building a bullet train railway that will run from the north to the south end of Luzon.

As planned, the bullet train railway will run the Laoag-Manila-Bicol route. As for the right-of-way acquisitions, Ang said this will be up to the government.

He revealed that they hope to submit their unsolicited proposal to government by the end of the year.

SMC’s top executive expressed optimism about the possibilities that this venture will present to the country’s tourism industry. “We want to help tourism. If nobody dared, we will,” he said in an interview. A high-speed train service is also expected to help boost not only tourism but also the economy in general.

Travel from Manila to Laoag takes around 12 hours by land. The Philippine National Railways (PNR) has a train service that runs the Manila-Bicol route – the Bicol Express which carries as much as 20,000 passengers daily – although it has not been operational for three years due to heavy damage wrought by typhoons. There are plans to resume operations before President Arroyo’s term ends.

Both the Manila to Laoag and Manila to Bicol lines are also currently accessible by air and there are public buses that ply the two routes.

Running speeds of as fast as 300 kilometers per hour, a bullet train can cut travel time to the far ends of Luzon from Manila significantly. Fares are also expected to be cheaper than plane fares but higher than bus fares.

With SMC’s plan, the Philippines will be pitted against Vietnam in the bid to build Southeast Asia’s first bullet train.

The Vietnam project is estimated to cost $56 million and may choose either the group of Sumitomo Corp. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, or Itochu Corp. and Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd, all Japanese companies, for the project. The two groups currently run lines in Japan similar to what would be built in Vietnam.

Vietnam is said to be favoring Japanese technology for the 1,555-kilometer Hanoi-to-Ho Chi Minh City line as Vietnam “is geographically similar to Japan with not enough land and too many people, and a long coastal line,” Nguyen Huu Bang, chair and CEO of Vietnam Railways Corp., was quoted as saying.

The Nomura Research Institute has helped with initial studies for the project, and Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will fund a feasibility study that will start in June, Vietnam Railways said.

Work on the Vietnam bullet train line is due to start in 2012, with services beginning on the first section by 2020. The high-speed train will probably be financed by a mix of overseas development aid, state funding and public-private partnerships.

A ticket for the full Hanoi-to-HCM City high-speed rail journey may cost about 75 percent of the average current plane fare, Bang said.

China is also working on building high-speed trains to support its surging economy. The country in December opened a high-speed rail link of more than 1,000 kilometers between the cities of Guangzhou and Wuhan.

Back in 2004, South Korea became the second Asian nation after Japan to build a high-speed train service between major cities.

The Tokaido Shinkansen, connecting Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka was inaugurated in 1964 as the first shinkansen (high speed train or bullet train line) and the world’s first high speed train service. At that time the trains already ran at about 200 km/h. Nowadays they reach speeds of 300 km/h.

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs447.snc3/25622_1211733984425_1561044197_30477794_498866_n.jpg

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs467.snc3/25622_1211733344409_1561044197_30477778_2998670_n.jpg

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs467.snc3/25622_1211733224406_1561044197_30477775_910846_n.jpg
IMEE MARCOS

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs467.ash1/25622_1211733664417_1561044197_30477786_2442347_n.jpg
IMELDA MARCOS

http://photos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs447.snc3/25622_1211733624416_1561044197_30477785_444934_n.jpg
IMELDA MARCOS, VERNIE VARGA and MICHAEL KEON

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs467.ash1/25622_1211733264407_1561044197_30477776_6646833_n.jpg
MICHAEL KEON, IMELDA MARCOS and IMEE MARCOS in one table together with DBP OFFICIALS, HEAD OF THE CONSULATE OF THE PRC in LAOAG and other VIP's

*forgive the pictures' low quality. just used my phone 'cause i forgot my cam.

Hi,

Is this new hotel open for public booking? or its still in soft launch?

Thanks...

It's open and fully operational. You may call their Manila sales office at (02) 899 7171 or email them at reservations@ilocosnortehotel.com :)

It's open and fully operational. You may call their Manila sales office at (02) 899 7171 or email them at reservations@ilocosnortehotel.com :)

^^ Thanks for the info. Ok yun rate nila :cheers:

^^ don't mention it. Hope you can visit Laoag and Ilocos Norte soon :)

Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte - March 31, 2010

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs456.snc3/26111_380367736106_585251106_3918621_2362228_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs476.ash1/26111_380367726106_585251106_3918619_2447442_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs476.snc3/26111_380367731106_585251106_3918620_3263330_n.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3639/3493929997_ef58dfc853_o.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs446.ash1/24589_109323222417245_100000187022879_248966_2938713_n.jpg

President FERDINAND MARCOS Sr.

some of Marcos' projects and accomplishments:
1.Cultural Center of the Philippines
2.North and South Luzon Expressways (1st in SEA)
3.Geothermal Plants
4.San Juanico Bridge
5.LRT (1st in SEA)
6.Philippine Kidney Center
7.Philippine Heart Center
8.Philippine Lung Center
9.Nayong Pilipino
10.Folk Arts Theater
11.Philippine Film Center
12.Manila International Airport
13.Bataan Nuclear Power Plant
14.Philippine International Convention Center (1st in Asia)
15.Coconut Palace
16.Schools, Roads, Bridges and Irrigation Systems
17.Creation of Metropolitan Manila

...and many more.
CAN YOUR PRESIDENT DO THESE OR EVEN MORE? :)

haayy lalo lang ko lang namiss at hingaan ang pinaka magaling na presidente natin...hope si FM Jr. ang magtuloy ng plano ng ama niya

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs446.ash1/24589_109323222417245_100000187022879_248966_2938713_n.jpg


President FERDINAND MARCOS Sr.

some of Marcos' projects and accomplishments:
1.Cultural Center of the Philippines
2.North and South Luzon Expressways (1st in SEA)
3.Geothermal Plants
4.San Juanico Bridge
5.LRT (1st in SEA)
6.Philippine Kidney Center
7.Philippine Heart Center
8.Philippine Lung Center
9.Nayong Pilipino
10.Folk Arts Theater
11.Philippine Film Center
12.Manila International Airport
13.Bataan Nuclear Power Plant
14.Philippine International Convention Center (1st in Asia)
15.Coconut Palace
16.Schools, Roads, Bridges and Irrigation Systems
17.Creation of Metropolitan Manila

...and many more.
CAN YOUR PRESIDENT DO THESE OR EVEN MORE? :)

Dapat lang na marsami siyang naaccomplished. 21 years ba namang presidente e. Ang sad part dun, marami din siyang nakurakot (daw)...;)

Dapat lang na marsami siyang naaccomplished. 21 years ba namang presidente e. Ang sad part dun, marami din siyang nakurakot (daw)...;)


well at least may nagawa siyang malalaking projects at development bago xia nangurakot if nangurakot man xia ( di pa naman napatunayen eh) base sa mga kasong pinila against Marcoses. Magbigay ka nga nang pangalan ng presidente oh kahit sinong pulitiko ang hndi nagrurakot? well i think mahihirapan ka to name some kung merun man. hahaha:cheers: well Marcoses lang ang nakagawa nang development, wala nang iba

well at least may nagawa siyang malalaking projects at development bago xia nangurakot if nangurakot man xia ( di pa naman napatunayen eh) base sa mga kasong pinila against Marcoses. Magbigay ka nga nang pangalan ng presidente oh kahit sinong pulitiko ang hndi nagrurakot? well i think mahihirapan ka to name some kung merun man. hahaha:cheers: well Marcoses lang ang nakagawa nang development, wala nang iba


Hahaha... try to check Ramon Magsaysay. I'm not sure kung nangurakot siya pero mukhang malinis ang name niya....

Pero its not good to justify his wrong doing(s) (specially when it's grave) by stating the projects he made.... kaya nagiging cycle na at lumalala ang corruption sa Pilipinas. Yan nga actually ang source or way para magnakaw ang mga officials, magpapatayo daw ng bridge, pero yung budget bloated.:)

Pero hindi ba, nagstagnate ang Philippine Economy sa panahon niya? 20 years na walang growth, kung meron man minimal. Bakit kaya, hindi ko maintindihan, pero marami naman siyang naitayo...

Hahaha, yung ibang kaso niya nadissmiss na malamang dahil moot and academic na siguro. Patay na siya e.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4505301842_333eaf78ca_o.jpg

Hahaha... try to check Ramon Magsaysay. I'm not sure kung nangurakot siya pero mukhang malinis ang name niya....

Pero its not good to justify his wrong doing(s) (specially when it's grave) by stating the projects he made.... kaya nagiging cycle na at lumalala ang corruption sa Pilipinas. Yan nga actually ang source or way para magnakaw ang mga officials, magpapatayo daw ng bridge, pero yung budget bloated.:)

Pero hindi ba, nagstagnate ang Philippine Economy sa panahon niya? 20 years na walang growth, kung meron man minimal. Bakit kaya, hindi ko maintindihan, pero marami naman siyang naitayo...

Hahaha, yung ibang kaso niya nadissmiss na malamang dahil moot and academic na siguro. Patay na siya e.


well ilocanos would say MARCOS still the best president in the country even if you don't agree. :banana:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4504726409_08bbacd677_o.jpg

well ilocanos would say MARCOS still the best president in the country even if you don't agree. :banana:

hehhe... well not all ilocanos;).. Pero I must say angaling ng Infra projects niya. Up to now yung mga pinapatayo concept pa nung panahon niya.;):)

Dapat lang na marsami siyang naaccomplished. 21 years ba namang presidente e. Ang sad part dun, marami din siyang nakurakot (daw)...;)

Bilangan na lang ng nakurakot si Gloria at Ferdinand..LMAO

Si Glu paalis na humihirit pa kahit alam niya na basang basa na ang pangalan niya dahil sa lapse of judgement na yan. Dapat nag stepdown na siya nuong time na nagadmit siya ng lapse of judgement na yan he he

Bilangan na lang ng nakurakot si Gloria at Ferdinand..LMAO

Si Glu paalis na humihirit pa kahit alam niya na basang basa na ang pangalan niya dahil sa lapse of judgement na yan. Dapat nag stepdown na siya nuong time na nagadmit siya ng lapse of judgement na yan he he

heheh... No question kay Gloria... The most corrupt hahah...

"...history is always bias; it only considers one side..." :lol:

eh hindi ba galing naman sa US at iba pang international aids ung pinanggamit sa mga projects na yan?? at tsaka malaki talaga ang nakuha niya, minsan sobra pa sa original cost nung project...:(

have a northern tour recently and this is what i got..
paoay church
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/4499364385_3c72754404_o.jpg
bangui windmills
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/4499365085_c8319bbf99_o.jpg
patapat viaduct
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4014/4499365233_49d86dca76_o.jpg
pagudpud beach
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/4500000768_d9222a45a3_o.jpg

it's such a shame how the media turned a great man into the exact opposite. a considerable number of people have already been, in a way, "brainwashed" by politicians' propaganda taking advantage of the people's idiocy.

but it puts a smile in my face knowing that a lot of people already see the untold side of the "story" :)

it's such a shame how the media turned a great man into the exact opposite. a considerable number of people have already been, in a way, "brainwashed" by politicians' propaganda taking advantage of the people's idiocy.

but it puts a smile in my face knowing that a lot of people already see the untold side of the "story" :)

how sad. may katotohanan yang sinasabi mo.

Pero look. Ferdinand marcos really did so many infra projects specially in the Ilocos region kaya siguro mabango siya sa mga ilokanos, or hindi makita ang mga grave misconducts niya? (remember its a question mark). Just like gloria, andami niyang projects sa Pampanga kaya mabango siya sa nakararaming kapampangan pero sa nakararaming Filipino she's an exact opposite.

For sure Ilocanos dont like Gloria manipulating the Judiciary, kaya ayaw ng nakararami na siya ang magappoint ng next CJ kasi pag nagkataon controlado niya na ang SC. Ganito ang nangyari noong panahon ni Marcos, controlled niya hindi lang ang judiciary kundi pati ang legislature haha. Kaya nagawa niya ang lahat ng gusto niya. Naabuso. Nawala ang check and balance. Lahat ng batas na pwede niya ipasa ginawa niya kahit na for self interest. Lhat ng justices noon appointed niya kaya lahat ng kaso laban sa kanya binasura.. This fact is not due to the influence ng media. Study law, then malalaman mo kung papaano naabuso ang constitution nung panahon ni Marcos who drafted the 1972 constitution. haha..

Pero dont get me wrong ha. I admire those infra projects he made. Very long lasting at matibay. great concept. Pati yung concept niya about Sabah galing. Yung concept niya about military buildup. Galing...

^^ no harm done. it's just a matter of sharing thoughts, right? :lol:

i guess every man really has a good and bad side.

^^ no harm done. it's just a matter of sharing thoughts, right? :lol:

i guess every man really has a good and bad side.

yep;) I guest hindi naman ganun kasama si marcos sa iniisip nila at binibintang sa kanya, iguest yung ibang move niya is para panindigan at makamit yung mga gusto niyang mangyari para sa bayan...

Anyways, thanks din sa sharing po.;)

okay guys, let's break the monotony......

By CLYDE MARIANO
April 12, 2010, 6:36pm

TARLAC CITY — All that she wanted was to retain her title in the javelin throw but Ilocos Region’s Stephanie Cimatu did more than that in Day 1 of the Palarong Pambansa Monday at the Tarlac Recreational Park.

In winning the first gold medal of the week-long festivity, Cimatu did not only better her personal best but might have gained a spot in the Philippine team that will see action in the Southeast Asian Athletics Championship next month.

A discovery of former Gintong Alay star Erlinda Lavandia, Cimatu threw the iron spear to a distance of 38.90 meters to eclipse her old mark 38.53 meters which she recorded in Tacloban last year.

Though her effort was way below the meet record of 44.54 meters which was recorded by Rosie Villarito in 1998, the 16-year Cimatu earned a P25,000 reward – P20,000 from former Gintong Alay chief and now Ilocos Norte Gov. Michael Keon and P5,000 from the delegation for becoming the first gold medal winner in the event.

Immediately after her win, the 16-year-old farmer’s daughter from Bangui, Ilocos Norte was recommended by Ben Silva-Netto, secretary-general of the Philippine Track and Field Association (PATAFA), to be part of the national team that will take part in next month’s championship.

Jansel May Candelaria of Camarines Norte, settled for silver (34.11 meters) while Gemma Candisan of Cordillera Autonomous Region got the bronze (33.89 meters).

It was Cimatu’s fourth gold in the Palaro, counting her two other victories in the elementary level.

For her feat, Cimatu received P20,000 from Ilocos Norte Governor and former Gintong Alay head Michael Keon and another P5,000 coming from the delegation, according to her coach former national javelin thrower Erlinda Lavandia.

Ivan Castaneda of Central Visayas and John Albert Mantua of Region 12 (Socsargen) shared the limelight with Cimatu by winning the boys’ secondary long jump and boys’ secondary shot put, respectively.

Swimming competition was cancelled at the last minute as the pool needs filtering.

A total of 16 gold medals will be disputed today where the Big City bets are expected to dominate.

The 5-foot-9 Cebuano, who works as part time waiter to support his studies at Gothong National High School, leaped to the gold in 6.82 meters, denying host region Domingo Antigo, who settled for the silver in 6.64 meters.

Gerald Mark Lagunas of Western Visayas, got the bronze in 6.64 meters.

Mantua, 17, won his second consecutive gold, hurling the iron ball to a distance of 11.58 meters.

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cross-posted from source: mb.com.ph (http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/252372/ilocos-bet-bags-1st-palaro-gold)

Laoag City (14 April) -- Officials of state-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and the provincial government of Ilocos Norte recently inaugurated the Ilocos Norte Hotel and Convention Center that will assist the booming tourism industry in the area.

Ilocos Norte Governor Michael Keon and DBP senior vice president Cresenciana Bundoc led the unveiling of the three-storey, 100-room hotel built through a P475-million loan assistance from the DBP. The hotel, which also features a single-storey banquet style convention center and a dormitory, is expected to boost the image of Ilocos Norte as a premier tourist destination and growth center in Northern Luzon.

DBP's assistance to the project is in line with its thrust to promote community development by financing critical infrastructure such as housing, hospitals, hotels, and schools.

The hotel will provide first-class accommodations to tourists and business travelers in Ilocos Norte known for popular tourist attractions like the Paoay Church, Spanish colonial structures, and white sand beaches in the town of Pagudpud. The province is also considered as an ideal destination for tourists and businessmen from cities in the nearby East Asia region. (PIA)
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cross-posted from source: pia.gov (http://www.pia.gov.ph/?m=12&r=&y=&mo=&fi=p100414.htm&no=79)

http://www.peza.gov.ph/images/stories/map/tourism_list.gif

:cheers:

By Cristina Arzadon
Inquirer Northern Luzon
First Posted 19:53:00 04/17/2010

Filed Under: Economy and Business and Finance, Tourism

LAOAG CITY—THREE YEARS AGO, the more than 3,000-square-meter lot in the middle of farmlands here was only meant as a shelter for farm animals and a spot for golfers to perfect their swings.

But this sprawling property just across from the Malacañang of the North has been transformed into a complex that has easily become Ilocos Norte’s newest icon of grandeur yet keeping its old-world charm.

The Ilocos Norte Hotel and Convention Center (INHCC), which opened late March, aims to cash in on the growing tourism industry. It lies along a traditional tourist path in Barangay Balacad.

Across the Paoay Lake and near a world-class golf course, the facility serves as a halfway stop between the religious heritage Paoay Church and the Malacañang of the North, which continues to attract hundreds of visitors.

The hotel is the answer to Ilocos Norte’s much-vaunted image as a premier tourist destination and growth center in the North, according to Milagros Gonzales, tourism provincial chief.

It sits next to a golf course and shooting range, and features a chapel for private weddings, a sprawling garden for outdoor events, a swimming pool, a hotel function room and in-room massage services.

“We hope to catch more tourists to Ilocos Norte this time. Our existing hotels were not just enough to accommodate all,” she says.

Managed by Paramount Hotels and Facilities Management Co. Inc., the INHCC has 100 hotel rooms, 24 dormitory rooms, a restaurant and a modern convention center that can sit up to 1,200 people.

The hotel’s first clients would have been a big group of campus journalists who wanted to hold a three-day Luzon-wide press conference in Ilocos Norte in early February. Management, however, begged off from housing the event because it did not want to offer rushed services.

The provincial government started investing in the property under then Gov. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to capitalize on the rising tourism business. It took years to complete the structure because developers wanted all things to be perfect, for, after all, it is the local government’s first and biggest business venture.

Gov. Michael Keon says he got the commitment of owners of Fort Ilocandia Resort and Casino, another Ilocos icon, that they would not compete against the facility.

“Fort Ilocandia Hotel would provide complementary support for the Ilocos Hotel. The [Fort Ilocandia] owners gave us their word,” he says.
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cross-posted from source: inquirer.net (http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20100417-264846/New-Ilocos-hotel-hopes-to-cash-in-on-rising-tourist-inflows)

^^ I don't know what are the standards of the PEZA (Philippine Economic Zone Authority) but I think it (Fort Ilocandia Resort and Casino) was named as such because it is the only 5 star hotel and first class property in Northern Luzon touched with Spanish-Morrocan architecture. it is also equipped with a Casino, an Olympic-sized pool and 2 other pools, a ballroom for different events from meetings and conventions to weddings and birthday parties, various resort activities like ATV, archery, shooting and a hot air balloon to name a few. numerous restaurants and bars are also found in the property; even a mini zoo, a lagoon where small boats may be rented and a shopping arcade with brands including Gucci and the like.

the Fort Ilocandia Golf and Country Club is also included which is located beside the legendary Paoay Lake and near the posh Malacanang of the North. it has a world class 18 hole golf course designed by Mr. Gary Player.

accross the golf club is the newely opened Ilocos Norte Hotel and Convention Center which, we can safely say, is included in the "economic zone".

the Laoag International Airport, the only international gateway in Northern Luzon, is located near Fort Ilocandia which is only a 5 minute drive away.

the entire complex was built amidst the famed Ilocos Sand Dunes, the only desert in South East Asia, where films like "Born on the Fourth of July", "Mad Max" and our very own "Himala" were filmed. the resort also faces the vast South China Sea.

:cheers:

http://www.philippinesbestplaces.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/fort-ilocandia.jpg

source: http://www.philippinesbestplaces.com/category/ilocos-norte/

GAWA HINDI SALITA... VOTE #34. RAMON MITRA FOR SENATOR
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs484.ash1/26477_379195874481_291770214481_3710177_312241_n.jpg

how could they say that it is a tourist zone when there is only one hotel/resort in that zone? -- ot sorry.
what are you talking about?:nuts:

good morning, laoag and ilocos norte!

just got back in manila some hours ago from laoag. attended a convention in neighboring vigan but spent a day in laoag. hope to visit again and see pagudpud's beaches and bangui's windmills next time.

http://www.peza.gov.ph/images/stories/map/tourism_list.gif



i was talking about this.

Pamalican Island Tourism Zone has only one resort, which also has its own private airport. It is just Amanpulo.

I just guess PEZA has a different standards or "standard" in declaring an area a tourism zone.

OT

^^ i thougth you were refering to Fort Ilocandia since it's in that photo and we are in the Laoag thread after all.

@truenorth: yes, i am also refering to that. my question really is how PEZA chooses tourist zones as noted in that map. aS far as pamalican and fort ilocandia tourism zones are concerned, it seems that their standards are simply first class amenities.

and in posting reply #967, i am only answering gr8-ones question. :)

yaman na rin lang na OT na ako, todo ko na. nakakainis lang kasi yung PEZA bakit nila gagawing tourism zone ang isang resort. if i am not mistaken, may support na makukuha yung investor pag nagtayo ng establishment sa zone na yun. eh pano makakapag tayo ng resort dun eh private owned na yung zone, so as na ang makikinabang rin lang ay yung nag iisang may ari nung zone. yung sa boracay, imbis na buong island ang gawing tourist zone, isang resort lang ang pinaboran. napaka discriminating kasi.

sorry sa thread for being so out of topic. dito ko lang kasi nakita yun so dito na din ako nakapag react. :)

A closer look on Paoay Church

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/retro_ga/214/PaoayChurch.jpg

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/retro_ga/214/side_view.jpg

Hi, folks, musta kayo? Newbie here. I think I'm seeing familiar faces here like gr8-one and metrolaoag.

gr8-one and metrolaoag: This is Beef of INOL. Howdy!

Now on topic: Medyo sumasambakol ang mukha ko sa tuwing nakikita ko yang 9 tourism zones nayan. Pagudpud and Paoay deserves to be in that list.

hi beefpapaitan, you made it here - welcome!

Salamat, great-1. Tagal ko muna nag-lurk bago nag-post, hehe.

I think when they say "Fort Ilocandia Tourism Zone", they are actually refering to Laoag as a whole. or maybe even the entire province?:lol:

I think when they say "Fort Ilocandia Tourism Zone", they are actually refering to Laoag as a whole. or maybe even the entire province?:lol:

I think yung word na "zone" refers to the area within and nearby fort ilocandia resort sa western laoag, parang sa poro point economic zone sa san fernando referring to poro point of san fernando. :banana::banana:

^^ that may also be true. But the entire city of Laoag is also recognized as an economic zone by businessmen and government agencies which is a different story from that of the FIR tourism zone.

:cheers:

Kelan ba matutupad ang Economic zone dyan sa Laoag?

Pagudpud
April 21, 2010

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs441.ash1/24353_1440868663852_1297118208_31273000_2473153_n.jpg

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Gud evening to all!

Ganda naman ng mall nyo. Congrats!:)

^^ thanks! we're hoping for an SM soon :banana:

(philstar.com) Updated May 01, 2010 12:00 AM

BANGUI, Philippines (Xinhua) - Twenty-something entrepreneur Leia Nagal was amazed the first time she saw the windmills that lined the shore of Bangui, a remote coastal town in northern Philippines. She visited the renown wind farm in April 2007, upon the recommendation of some friends and the local tourism department, as she and her business partners are planning to include a visit in Bangui in the itinerary of a tour package that they plan to sell later that year.

"The windmills are so beautiful. Wow!" Nagal recalled in an interview with Xinhua. She snapped up some photos and posted them in the company's website. Friends and clients saw the photos, liked what they saw and asked Nagal to include a visit to Bangui in their future tours.

In November 2007, Nagal's company, Travel Factor, started offering the Photoholic Ilocos Tour. The four-day tour package caters to photo hobbyists keen on expanding their portfolio by taking shots of famous sites in the provinces of Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. The itinerary includes not only a visit to the usual sites which the two provinces are known for - waterfalls, historic churches and ancestral houses. But it also includes a two- hour stop in Bangui, where shutterbugs just can't get enough of the majestic windmills. The initial tour was such a hit, with over 40 people joining and enjoying the tour.

The windmills of Bangui started its operations in 2005. They provide a more environment friendly source of energy to the province of Ilocos Norte, by harnessing the wind coming from the South China Sea into electricity. The Northwind Power Development Corp, a group of Dutch and Filipino investors and engineers, operates the wind farm, obtained a $40 million loan from the Danish Development Agency (DANIDA) and built the windmills under the build-operate-and-own scheme.

Plant Manager Dino Tiatco said that making the windmills a tourist site was not really in the cards. These windmills, 15 of them, each about 70 meters tall, were there just to supply power to the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative and generate electricity for the province.

But the novelty of these windmills, the only one of its kind in the Philippines and the rest of the Southeast Asian region, has piqued the curiosity not only of locals but Filipinos from other parts of the Philippines who have seen images of these windmills in TV, newspapers and the Internet.

This has made the windmills not only a source of clean energy, but also a major tourist attraction. Several enterprising individuals, taking note of increasing tourist arrivals, have set up shop and selling snacks, souvenir t-shirts and even miniature windmills made of bamboo to tourists.

Tiatco said that the fact that the windmills is a tourist site is just a bonus. "We never advertised. They (tourists) just came here," he said.

Tiatco welcomes the busloads of tourists that flock to the area, especially during weekends and the summer season of March to May. Some of them are primary and high school students go there as part of their field trips, while others are a group of friends and/or families who just want to take souvenir photos of their trip.

"But there are some tourists who are asking questions about windmills and wind power and I'm usually there to answer their questions," he said.

Indeed, the windmills of Bangui also opened up new avenues of learning for tourists who go to Bangui and who want more than another photo of the windmills.

Windmill technology is new in the Philippines and Filipino engineers who are now working in Bangui had to be sent to Denmark to learn the mechanics of operating a windmill.

This time around, numerous engineering students are flocking to Bangui, and curious not only with the windmill itself, but more on how the windmill really works. Some even applied as apprentices, according to Tiatco.

But for the likes of Nagal, and her fellow "photoholic" tourists, the windmills of Bangui is just another reason to visit the many sites that Ilocos Norte has to offer.

Three years after Travel Factor launched the Photoholic Ilocos Tour, that this package remains one of the company's most popular products, according to Nagal. The tour company is offering this package four times a year. And clients will always request for a stopover in Bangui windmills, asking that they go there either on dawn or sunset - perfect for those dramatic shots.

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cross-posted from source: philstar.com (http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=571399&publicationSubCategoryId=200)

^^ Bangui Windmill at Ilocos Norte......

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/retro_ga/349/BanguiWindmill.jpg

:banana: I consider it a truly manmade wonder. When you are in one of the tower base and looking up the windmill blade the scenery looks like one you are somewhere in Europe. Very amazing :okay:

A closer look on Paoay Church

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/retro_ga/214/PaoayChurch.jpg

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/retro_ga/214/side_view.jpg

Hindi naman kailangang pintahan yan, dapat linisin lang para lumabas yung dati niyang kulay. Powerwash lang yan para matanggal yung mga moss. Suggestion lang po sa mga namamahalang pari diyan sa Paoay. :)

Yung tumirik na Korean tanker, hanggang ngayon nakabalagbag pa sa tapat ng Patapat?!

^^ yup it's still there. surprisingly, it became an attraction :lol:

as for the Paoay Church, no modification must be done on it for one important requirement of UNESCO is that the structure must maintain its original form (including materials used etc.). doing so might disqualify the site. the same goes with other World Heritage Sites :)

by Cristina Arzadon

Laoag City (30 April) -- Schools in the Ilocos Region need to focus on training their students in the areas of tourism, business process outsourcing and information and communications technology where employment opportunities are high.

Undersecretary Hermenegildo Dumlao, executive director of the North Luzon Growth Quadrangle Area (Northquad), said the three investment areas were identified by the National Economic Development Authority as "21st century-industries" where the country is globally competitive.

The other areas are in high-value agribusiness and aquaculture, renewable energy, shipbuilding and mining.

"For Ilocos Norte, it is going to be the three?. We can not compete in manufacturing or heavy industries. We must rely on our manpower to make it to these industries," he said.
Dumlao gathered teachers and trainers of public and private schools specializing in information technology including state agencies involved in marketing and science and technology to a briefing so that they could redirect their resources, retool and strengthen their IT programs.
He also invited representatives of the Sutherland Global Services, a multinational BPO company, which was scouting for prospective workers for a proposed call center in Ilocos.

Dumlao said the Ilocos Region has yet to qualify as next wave cities such as Metro Laguna, Metro Cavite, Metro Pampanga, Bulacan, Cagayan de Oro, Lipa, Iloilo, Davaoa and Bacolod because it needs improvement in manpower, infrastructure, telecommunication and road system, power and water supply.
He said Northquad programs have been assured of continuity even after the May elections whether or not there would be a changing of the guards.
"Some (presidential) candidates have committed their support to our programs. Northquad will stay after May," Dumlao said.

Northquad's program management office is presently negotiating with Chinese investors for the upgrading of the Laoag International Airport.

The airport needs new navigational facilities, longer and wider runway and improved facilities to comply with the safety standards that the Federal Aviation Authority set.

"If we have a good airport, we could have direct flights from China or Beijing. They are our markets because they have the people and the money," Dumlao said.

He said the government could not get additional international flights for Laoag at the moment because airport facilities are not considered safe.

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cross-posted from source: PIA (http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&fi=p100430.htm&no=76)

^^ yup it's still there. surprisingly, it became an attraction :lol:

Not good. Baka me mga krudo pa yan, maaapektuhan ang mga dagat ng Pagudpud at NW Cagayan North.

^^ true. but I think the ship's oil has already been removed. but the actual removal of the vessel is unsure as of now.

BY LEILANIE G. ADRIANO
STAFF REPORTER

HUNDREDS of local visitors from the Ilocos Region and Metro Manila were the first guests to try out the comfort and leisure being offered at the newly opened Ilocos Norte Hotel and Convention Center (INHCC) located here in Laoag City.

Marty Jastillan, general manager of the said hotel, related that on April 27 the provincial government-owned but privately managed hotel recorded 150 guests on Easter Sunday alone. He added that on April 27, 150 guests from the Department of Agriculture Region I office will be staying at the hotel for a
three-day gathering.

Jastillan said INHCC is faring well in the market considering that is still a new hotel.

He added that the hotel is being introduced to visitors slowly though some of their guests were surprised to discover that the said hotel has already opened.

He further stated that they would intensify their promotional activities to encourage more visitors to spend time at the hotel either for business or pleasure.

The INHCC started its operation a month ago with Paramount Hotels and Philippine Exhibits and Theme Parks Corp. (PETCO) lending their expertise
to operate the said hotel which was built by the Ilocos Norte provincial government to promote tourism, investment and job generation in the province.

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cross-posted from source: Ilocos Times (http://www.ilocostimes.com)

true north, sa palagay mo sino ba ang mas-gusto ng mga ilocanos between Michael Keon & Imee? Wala bang poll diyan?

Paoay Church is beautiful as it is...

The gubernatorial race between IMEE MARCOS and MICHAEL KEON is neck to neck. It's hard to tell.

I ask the people of Ilocos Norte: who is your governor? :)

Sino bang malakas na presidentiable at VP dyan sa IN?

true_north: Pero yung barko mismo andyan pa. Kakalwangin at hahalo sa dagat yan.

^^ President and VPres?

i think GIBO and VILLAR are the top contenders for the presidency.

imee marcos is with NP, while michael keon is with LAKAS.

with NOYNOY and ROXAS, they only have a few followers since Ilocos is Marcos country.

with the candidates for VP, i think LOREN, BINAY and BAYANI are leading.

I'm rooting for Michael Keon...
and Bong Bong for Senator of course!

By VIC ALBORNOZ LACTAOEN
April 28, 2010, 3:25pm

http://www.mb.com.ph/sites/default/files/Ilocosjpg.jpg
Locals gather some pebbles along the shore in Balaoi,
Pagudpud, where Bantay Abot Cave is located.
(Photo by RONALD G. JAYME)

Just north of Manila, the picturesque provinces of Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur provide a glimpse into the archipelago’s distant and recent past. How do you traverse these two huge provinces in just four days? We recently tried to cover as much as we could. Ilocandia, as these two provinces are known for, is also famous for its people who eke out a living on the narrow strip of land between the mountains of the Cordilleras and the South China Sea.

The provincial terrain is unforgiving-rocky, unirrigated and sandy. Summers are hot and cold seasons can sometimes be severe. These conditions result in limited crops. But perhaps, it is because of this that Ilocanos became one of the early migrants, becoming pioneers in Mindanao and in practically every other province. They have moved, as well, including abroad, beginning with the migration to Hawaii in 1906 as the first group of sugarcane workers.

A quick 45 minute flight from Manila to Laoag City or an eight hour travel by land allows one to enjoy the beautiful coastal view from the province of La Union, up through Ilocos Sur to Ilocos Norte. The phrase birds–eye view suddenly acquires its full meaning. A city tour of Laoag and its vicinity prove to be educational and inspiring. First stop: Gameng Ilocos’ Museum- this is Irene Marcos Araneta’s pet project. Gameng is an Ilocano word meaning treasure. Indeed the museum is a treasure trove of everything that makes the region of Ilocos the home of the brave and the land of the free. Housed in a tabacalera (tobacco) warehouse, the museum was primarily designed to instill a sense of patriotism for the young Ilocanos and other citizens of the province. [ continue to surce: Manila Bulletin (http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/254992/a-glimpse-ilocos-four-days) ]

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs384.snc3/23469_1111021192039_1722177814_222445_3536828_n.jpg

:banana::cheers:

^^ Bangui Windmill at Ilocos Norte......

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/retro_ga/349/BanguiWindmill.jpg

:banana: I consider it a truly manmade wonder. When you are in one of the tower base and looking up the windmill blade the scenery looks like one you are somewhere in Europe. Very amazing :okay:

kailangan ng Pilipians ng mas maraming ganito...renewable energy dapat :okay:

^^Magkapamilya pala ang naglalaban diyan sa Ilocos Norte....

Welcome to Thread 2! :cheers:

Keep posting friends :okay:

Link to Thread 1 (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=508754)