The Ilocos Times

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan is finalizing its revision of the provincial quarry ordinance. The revisions aim to provide a more systematic and comprehensive implementation of the said ordinance. The revisions also seek to improve the implementing rules and regulations of the ordinance for the stakeholders’ benefit, particularly to the granting of quarry permits. The board will also try to address the continuous decrease of quarry revenues that began in 2015. They believe the among the factors that precipitated the revenue decrease is the process in the renewal of permits and illegal quarry operations. SP member Vicentito “Toto” M. Lazo stressed that quarry permittees must pay their taxes based on their respective total area of excavation, instead of based on their finished products from their quarry. ( Frances Alegre )

By Dominic Dela Cruz Staff reporter Batac City —The city government here expects to enter an agreement with the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center MMMH-MC to tackle complicated pregnancies here. To achieve this, the Sangguniang Panlungsod here authorized Batac mayor Albert D. Chua to represent the city government in negotiating a memorandum of agreement with the Batac hospital. Dr. Ma. Lourdes Otayza, MMMH chief of hospital, will represent the hospital. Batac councilor Dr. Medeldorf Gaoat, who moved for the authorization, said the hospital should provide more advanced maternal and newborn care for complicated pregnancies referred by the Batac City Maternal and Child Health Care Clinic (BEMONC)/Lying Inn Clinic. Mr. Gaoat, who chairs the committee on health, said that the BEMONC is a certified health facility which provides obstetric and neonatal care only to normal or uncomplicated cases. In view of this, they will refer high-risk pregnancies i

Sarrat , Ilocos Norte—Mayor Remigio B. Medrano ordered the preventive suspension of Sangguniang Bayan (SB) secretary Dennis Ribuyaco. The preventive suspension, according to the mayor, is to protect the municipal government, especially the SB’s integrity from Mr. Ribuyaco’s “misconduct.” The issue stemmed from an alleged existing Sarrat ordinance that granted permits to 22 quarry firms to excavate gravel and sand along this town’s Padsan River. The mayor apparently discovered that the official ordinance only granted permits to 5 of the 22 quarry firms. Mr. Ribuyaco was on leave when the suspension the police served the suspension order on November 17, 2017. ( Bernard Ver )

In support of the World AIDS Day, the city government of Laoag thru the City Health Office joins the commemoration through a walk-for-a-cause; “The Right to Health” campaign; HIV symposium and a media forum for HIV Awareness on December 1, 2017. ( Doms dela Cruz)

Noel Rosales Argana, regional business manager of Allianz PNB Life, lectures on financial literacy during the lecture series of the Graduate School Supreme Student Council (GSSSC) of the Mariano Marcos State University. As part of its year-long lecture series, the Graduate School Supreme Student Council (GSSSC) of the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) held a financial literacy seminar on November 26 at the MMSU Graduate School Audio–Visual Room. The main speaker for the seminar was Mr. Noel Rosales Argana, regional business manager of Allianz PNB Life, one of the major life insurers in the Philippines. Mr. Argana’s talk focused on personal finance management and giving very useful tips on saving and handling money, investing and insurance. “The richer people are those who took more risk,” he said. Students of MMSU Graduate School, student leaders of AMA Laoag, members of the Sirib Ilocano Kabataan Association (SIKA) and employees of the city government of L

By Dominic Dela Cruz Staff reporter Laoag City —Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Vicentito “Toto” M. Lazo questioned the operation of the Laoag City Cockpit Arena without the needed permits and approval. Mr. Lazo stressed that the provincial board has yet to review the franchise ordinance passed by the Laoag City council granted to the operator. The cockpit arena conducted a derby on November 10, 2017. Laoag mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas reasoned that she gave the operator a “special permit” to operate. She added that she based this on the opinion and advise of the city government’s legal officer. She stated further that the permit she granted contained provisions that abide by all the requirements set forth by the franchise ordinance passed by the council. The permit specifically states: “This permit is subject to the condition that all laws, ordinances, resolutions, general orders, Presidential Decrees, letters of instructions and letters of implementation g