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MY NEWS:
Friday, August 29, 2003
Protection of Ilocos Norte sand dunes urged
By Leilanie Adriano, Northern Luzon Bureau
LAOAG CITY–Recognizing the vital role of dunes in the protection of inland areas, members of the National Committee on Geological Sciences (NCGS) have proposed to restore the Ilocos Norte sand dunes, known for their unique formation in the tropical area.
These sand dunes were declared by the NCGS among national geological monuments on November 26, 1993, for their unique quality and scientific and aesthetic value.
Executive Secretary Angel Bravo of the NCGS, together with the Ilocos Norte provincial board members, instituted measures to safeguard the sand dunes in the coastal towns of Currimao to Pasuquin, on August 25 at the capitol session hall.
The marker of the Ilocos Norte sand dunes have been reinstalled to its original site after Provincial Board member Da Vinci Crisostomo gave a privileged speech denouncing the destruction of the sand dune marker in Barangay Calayab, this city.
The marker, patterned after that of the Hundred Islands in Pangasinan, was designed to withstand vandalism while refining its eye-catching appeal on this rare geological site.
Contrary to earlier reports that the marker had been missing, it was the regional Mines and Geosciences Bureau that took custody of the marker after it was found detached from its pedestal.
The bureau later turned over the marker to the NCGS for restoration, with the Philippine Tourism Authority providing funds for the same.
As this develop, Bravo reported that a memorandum of agreement between the NCGS and the Calayab barangay officials have been signed to maintain the monument.
Supporting its preservation, the provincial board members pledge to pass a resolution urging all local government authorities to help rehabilitate one of Ilocos Norte’s natural treasures.
In a separate interview with Ilocos Norte Vice Gov. Windell Chua, he said the provincial legislative body is willing to support the NCGS effort to preserve the monument.
Provincial Board member Antonio Raquiza, chair of the committee on tourism, also suggested that the body should not only focus on the marker restoration but more on the dunes.
Raquiza said that when the Ilocos Norte sand dunes would be promoted, more domestic and foreign tourists would flock to view in this Northern gateway an “eye-catching panorama of the Ilocos Norte sand dunes.”
The Manila Times learned that the NCGS is eyeing to develop more sand dune formations in the different land areas here including the coastal areas of Cagayan province.
"30"
Sunday, August 31, 2003
Ilocos Norte leads the way
in the use of wind power
By Leilanie Adriano, Northern Luzon Bureau
LAOAG CITY—Ilocos Norte will become the first in the Philippines and in the whole of Southeast Asia to utilize wind power as a major source of energy.
If plans don’t miscarry, the province will start drawing electricity from wind power next year, according to Ferdinand Dumlao, special project officer of the provincial government.
The project will be developed by the Northwind Development Corp. (NWDA), a Danish firm, in the town of Bangui through a $26-million loan granted by the Danish International Development Agency (Danida).
Dumlao said the project is part of the economic development program initiated by Gov. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. of Ilocos Norte, under the a build-operate-transfer scheme.
Aside from providing power, the windmills are also being eyed as a tourist attraction when they become fully operational.
Dumlao said the Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) board of directors approved on July 9 the memorandum of agreement with the NWDC for the construction of the windmills.
Under the agreement, NWDC is to sell to INEC electric power at a cost that is seven percent lower than what the National Power Corp. supplies to the cooperative at P2.09 per kilowatt hour.
The project is a fulfillment of the findings of the US Department of Energy wind resource analysis and mapping survey, conducted from 1996 to 1998, which identified the towns of Burgos and Bangui in Ilocos Norte, as having the best potential of providing energy through wind power compared to other areas covered by the study.
In addition to being considered as a cheap source of energy, the windmill project is also described as “environmental friendly and nonpollutive.”
The NWDC is to build 30 units of onshore and single row arranged Vesta wind turbines to generate electricity from the strong wind currents continuously available within the Burgos-Bangui area.
The first phase would produce 25 megawatts while the second and final phase, will produce an additional 20 for a total of 45 megawatt.
Meanwhile, Dumlao said that three Danish wind turbine manufacturers have expressed interest to participate in the international bidding to be conducted for the project.
Two of the companies, Dumlao said, sent their experts on August 27 to personally inspect the sites in Bangui.
The experts also visited the Gaang port in Currimao, to check if it could accommodate the 80-meter long towers needed for the project.
The winning bidder will choose whether the prefabricated wind turbines will be transported by land or sea, he explained.
"30"
Source: Manila Times, 2004-02-17
Author: Leilanie G. Adriano, Northern Luzon Bureau
Intro:
Archaeologists working on the National Museum’s five-day excavation of the century-old Tabacalera building here, which currently houses Museo Iloco, has uncovered the building’s earliest flooring dating back to 1878. . .
He said the excavation of the Tabacalera, the first of its kind here, is a unique feature of the building itself for it is only in this part of the country that an open pit, revealing the building’s earliest flooring is being showcased. “This will be an added feature for students, viewers and tourists [both foreign and domestic] to know first the history of the building before familiarizing themselves with the rich cultural heritage of the Ilocos Norte folks,” Bautista said.
"30"
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City: Laoag City
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