By Freddie G. Lazaro
VIGAN CITY – - A multi-awarded farmer from Vigan was adjudged as the country’s 2009 Most Outstanding Agrarian Reform Beneficiary (ARB).
Maximo Rabanal, a native of Barangay Pantay Daya, Vigan City, was chosen as the national outstanding corn grower, using his lot given to him on March 189, 1992 by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).

Through hard work, Rabanal converted his lot as a production area for rice and corn, excelling in both crops, but particularly on corn.

Rabanal received his award on Monday, June 15, from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in Malacañang in the presence of officials of the DAR headed by Secretary Nasser Pangandaman and the Department of Agriculture headed by Secretary Arthur Yap.

Rabanal was a previous recipient of various awards from the city government and up to the provincial and regional level of the DAR and the DA in previous years due to his model harvest from his farm.

By FREDDIE G. LAZARO

CAMP BGEN OSCAR M. FLORENDO, La Union—Eighty-six rookie policemen assigned with the Regional Mobile Group (RMG) 1 finished their 45-day rigid training course on Special Counter-Insurgency Operation Unit Training (SCOUT), it was reported on Tuesday.

The graduation rites of the PNP Scout Class 03-2008 “Santatag” class was held last Friday in a simple ceremony at the police regional office with Ilocos region police director Chief Superintendent Luizo C. Ticman as guest of honor and speaker. Read the rest of this entry »

VIGAN CITY-The city government formally launched the massive planting of dragon fruit with the distribution of 3,000 cuttings of the plant to farmer leaders on Monday.

City Mayor Eva Marie Singson-Medina spearheaded the distribution of cuttings to 28 of the 39 barangays in the city in a simple ceremony in front of the city hall.

Medina expressed optimism that the planting of dragon fruit could open the door for another job opportunity and income generating activity for farmers in the city. Read the rest of this entry »

By FREDDIE G. LAZARO

CAMP PRESIDENT QUIRINO, Bantay, Ilocos Sur—One person died ad 54 others were hospitalized due to food poisoning, according to health officials in Ilocos Sur.

The victims all came from seven sitios of two remote barangays in the upland town of Suyo, Ilocos Sur.

They are from sitios Tegteggamat, Baudan, Dadtuco, Banata, and Mantayao, all in Barangay Man-atong; and Sitios Kinapian and Indadangan – both in Barangay Suyo Proper, all in Suyo town. Read the rest of this entry »

VIGAN CITY—Two persons were killed and another one went missing as a result of typhoon Nina that battered the Ilocos region last Monday.

The fatalities were Dencio Culapit, 50, or Barangay Poblacion, Quirino, Ilocos Sur, and Rodolfo Villanueva, 27, of Parian, San Fernando City, La Union, who was electrocuted.

Provincial Jail Warden Floro Martinez, officer-in-charge of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) in Ilocos Sur, said drowned while crossing a river in Quirino town last Monday. His body was recovered at about 10 a.m. Tuesday morning. Read the rest of this entry »

By FREDDIE G. LAZARO

VIGAN CITY—The Ilocos Sur Electric Cooperative (ISECO) will be among the electric cooperatives in the country chosen to implement the socialized program for poor electric consumers.

Called “Pantawad Koryente; Katas ng VAT (Value Added Tax)”, the program will give P500 electricity cost subsidy to poor consumers, to be deducted from their monthly billings.

Teresita Ramos, manager of the Iseco’s Vigan sub-area office, disclosed that the application of the cooperative for the release of the subsidy fund is already being processed. Read the rest of this entry »

VIGAN CITY —Secretary Domingo Panganiban of the National Anti-Poverty Commission has urged local officials to encourage residents to continuously plant malunggay in all vacant lots to ensure cheap but nutritious food for the body.

Here to attend a meeting of key government agencies involved in the national Kalahi convergence program at the Cabugao Beach Resort. Panganiban cited the significant food nutrient derived form malunggay that could really save a lot of Filipinos in case of food crisis. Read the rest of this entry »

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union—Two rebel leaders surrendered to the police in La Union.

The two were identified as Randy Gasparin, alias “Ka Jack”, a former squad leader; and Iza Pasian, alias “Ka Irish” and “Liza”.

Both were working under a certain Francisco Ramos alias “Ka Putol” whose group operates in La Union and nearby provinces. Read the rest of this entry »

TAGUDIN, Ilocos Sur—Relatives of the late Bishop Alfredo Florentin Verzosa, who served as bishop of Lipa, Batangas, sought the beatification of their late kin in recognition of his holy deeds to the people and faithful service to the Catholic Church.

Verzosa, the first Ilocano bishop, was a witness to the alleged miraculous “shower of rose petals” at the Carmelite Monastery garden in Lipa, Batangas in 1948.
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SAN FERNANDO CITY—Ten newly graduated drug enforcement officers in Region had their baptism of fire when they and their senior officer busted a local drug syndicate operating in barangay Pagdalagan Norte, San Fernando City last week.

The 10 are newly appointed intelligence officers belonging to the “Mapalad” class who graduated from the PDEA Academy and trained as drug enforcement officers.
Read the rest of this entry »