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SOPA 2014: IN2020 The best little province in the country


(Delivered by Ilocos Norte Gov. Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos on  August 26, 2014 at the Plaza del Norte)

Apo bise gobernador, kakadwami nga miyembros iti junta probinsiyal, appo a mamayor ken sanggunian bayan, punong barangay ken kadagiti padak nga agserserbi iti ili, the honorable consul of the People’s Republic of China, Zhiao Quiaoliang; our good investors and businessmen, partners in progress and development; patpatgek a kailiak, naimbag a malemyo amin a sangapada.
Bimmangonen ti ilocos Norte, makitan dagiti adu a nagdur-asan ni Ilocano. Ta babaen ti alibtak tayo ket agtultuluyen ti panagbaliw ti aglawlaw. Ti panagdur-as ken pannakabigbig ti Ilocos Norte ket gapu iti gaget tayo amin, saan a gapu iti maymaysa laeng a sector wenno maymaysa nga ili, no dikket ti panagkaykaysa tayo: Ilocos Norte is great again!
Sama-sama tayo noong unang SOPA 2011 at paulit-ulit akong “Awan ti imposible”?  Tapos nung 2012 “One Great Ilocos Norte” naman—parang walang naniniwala noon, pati ako hindi sigurado kung saan tayo makakaabot. Kung sabagay fashion show naman ang SOPA, okey lang. Pero tignan niyo, ang dami nating nagawa! Wala man pumansin nung umpisa, ngayon walang kaduda-duda na malayo ang ating narating sa iilang taon, salamat sa inyong paniniwala, pakikilahok at pagkakaisa.
Wen, kabaelan tayo!
Yes, for all the naysayers and cynics, for all those of little faith, we have come a long way in four years. In 2011 we encountered a hollowed-out province, gutted by outmigration, poverty, crime and a dormant bureaucracy. Poverty in the coastal and mountain zones had climbed up from 21% in 2003 to 24% in 2010. We responded aggressively—food packs in the lean months, 16,000 scholarships per year, barangay roads, fishing boats, tools, and new agricultural packages
Napukawen ti kinakurapay. 9.9% laengen ti nabati pay, nasapsapa ngem 2015 nga nagun-od ti MDG, nga mabingay iti marigrigat.  Naparmeken ti maternal ken child mortality, ken pannakatay gapu iti dengue, rabies, ken chikungonya. Our efforts to reorganize the provincial hospitals, to rationalize and expand the PhilHealth system, and empower the BHWs, have raised the quality of life. Our Human Development Index ranks in the top 10 in the country, everyone who lives in Ilocos Norte is guaranteed the longest lifespan in the Philippines!
Matindi rin ang krimen—may high-profile murder, walang testigo o katibayan. Ngayon sa wakas bumalik na tayo sa katahimikan. Saluduan tay man dagiti pulis, soldado, dagitay taga Coast Guard ken dagitay barangay tanods, BPATS ken enforcers. We are the most peaceful province in Northern Luzon again, following anti-drug and illegal firearms campaigns. Crime clearance now stands at 73%, solution is at its highest at 59%, and there are fewer motorcycle-in-tandem shooting incidents. But we never take peace and order for granted. Anti-criminality, community intelligence, operations, the use of technology and forensic science all have to be prioritized. No mabalin, pasilawan tayo dagiti kalsada tapno agbuteng dagiti kriminal!
Hindi lihim na nakunsume ako sa sistema ng Capitolyo noon, nagngingitngit sa ilang empleyadong laging absent! Ngayon nagkakaunawaan na kami, at nakatutok ang digital Ilocano citizens, nagsusumbong sa text at tweet! I am very proud of our LGus who have earned the Local Government Seal of Good Housekeeping, and following the ISO of Laoag, the Province and our hospitals, nine municipalities are now ready for their own international ISO: Bacarra, Sarrat, Carasi, Curimao, Dingras, Marcos, Paoay, Pasuquin at San Nicolas. Congratulations sa aking mga kasangga!
Nakita tayon ket nangrugin ti panagbalbaliw ken mabigbig dagiti saririt ken laing tayo babaen iti narambak nga umuna a tawen ti Tan-ok Festival. Nagbukas ang Tabacalera at Wilcon, at blockbuster yung teleseryeng “Walang Hanggan” ni Coco Martin, starring Bangui Windmills at Burgos Lighthouse. 2012 agad pinasa ng provincial board ang EDC Burgos windmills. Inilunsad din sa Manila ang Paoay Kumakaway at ang Badoc Gateway naging unang tourist center. Abril ng 2012 dinagsa tayo ng daan-daang libong turista, na nagkaubusan ng pagkain at hotel! Pumasok noon ang Pagudpud windmill group.
Mayo dos ang unang Milagrosa at Himala sa Buhangin, kasabay ang pagbukas ng Savemore, shooting ng Enteng Kabisote at Agimat, at paglunsad ng Task Force Trabaho, tour guides at ILEA retail. Pinunla nung Hunyo yung premyo natin bilang top rice producer at Hulyo nag-province-wide rehab ng puno ang mango growers natin. Ilang buwan lamang andyan na rin ang Hypermart, Puregold at Johnny Moon digital media.
Kabaelan tay gayam! Babaen iti tulong yo amin! Tunggal adda SOPA nga ipagtangsit dagiti nasayaat nga naaramidan iti napalabas nga tawen. Ngem ti kinapudnu na, ditoy Ilocos Norte, dakayo iti makaigapo ken nangaramid ti panagbalbaliw—saan nga ti gobierno, saan a dagiti opisyales wenno babaknang, aglalo a saan a ti gobernadora, no di ket iti maysa ken maysa kadakayo a nangiduron tapno agbalbaliw iti napnuan saguday ti probinsiyatayo. Ilocos Norte is great again, and Ilocanos are greater still!
We have proven, to ourselves and to the world, that we have the will and the energy, the talent and commitment to transform our province. That sad, hollowed-out shell of migrating workers, decrepit infrastructure and desperate rural families is gone, and a vibrant new Ilocos Norte has taken its place. With hope and ambition let us now create a future for our families at home. So that IN2020 Ilocos Norte will truly be a home we can be proud of, the best little province in the country.
IN2020, what is that vision? After listening and planning with Ilocanos everywhere, let us more precisely name our targets.
We want to lengthen our lead in the areas in which we already lead the rest of the country—inclusivity, education and culture, and job creation. As we grow, we must maintain the social networks and compassion that are traditionally Ilocano. And while we embrace technology and all its devices, we will honor our culture, heritage and the values that define us as a people.
We want more and better jobs to provide adequately for our families, both in our cities and farflung rural areas. Every Ilocano must have the choice of working overseas or working here at home. But as our economy grows rapidly and diversifies, we will also safeguard the environment’s rare and fragile treasures.
We want finally to become a modern province, the best province in the country. With the momentum gained from recent development, we will use our natural resources and talents for the benefit of all Ilocanos. Still, as we modernize, we will manage urbanization, taking on the challenges of housing, transport and water management today while we still have the chance to map a sustainable Metro Ilocos.
IN2020, we want a province that we can say, of all the big cities and provinces in the country, Ilocos Norte is the best to live in. But to achieve this, we must plan—and yes, let us dream a little.
Ang pangunahing leksyon ng mga nakalipas na taon ay alam na ng bawat Ilocano: Umuna Edukasyon! Ngayon nasa 96.5% ang enrolment, halos wala ng OSY, at ang mga NAT score o National Achievement Test ay tumataas din: congratulations sa mga guro, estudyante at magulang ng Solsona National High School, Dumalneg at Bangui National High School at sa Badoc Pasuc-Parang Elementary, at Nagpatpatan Elem! Kayo ang katibayan na may K ako magyabang—ang tunay na produkto ng Ilocandia ay hindi bigas o tabako kundi mga Presidente, dahil sa kahabaan ng panahon, ang Presidente ng Pilipinas ay dugong Ilocanomatalino, masipag at tapat!
Now let us take education beyond the classroom, beyond age and place. Let us convert Ilocos Norte into a learning province, so that every field and beach is a science lab, a Heroes Walk is a library in the park, and Sirib buses become mobile movie houses.
Let us harness traditional customs as learning opportunities; Biagen tayo iti saranay, nga isut mangipalagip ti pinagtitinnulong, Dap-ayan nga usaren nga lugar a pagsursurwan dagiti ub-ubing, ken timpuyog- para iti panagkaykaysa nga manggun-od ti ballaigi tayo, ken ‘Apong’ para iti panangited panursuro iti sumaruno a kapututan. Ket babaen kadagitoy a nagkakauna nga kababalin ket ad-ada ken al-alisto nga masursuro.
Let us engage the elderly: my baby boomer generation, now 49 to 58 years old, will be senior citizens IN2020. Biglang dadami ang seniors sa loob ng ilang taon lang! Only lifelong learning will keep us young and vigorous. Lolas and lolos have much to teach the young, just as the young have a great deal to show us: history and computer skills, experience in exchange for Facebook and Twitter.
Ang mga iskolar ng probinsya ay nagbuo ng Sirib upang marinig ang kabataan. Nag-Sirib Express sa kolehiyo at high school, at ngayon mayroon leadership scholars at dalawang libo’t limang daang volunteers na binubunyag ang mga programa natin hanggang sa kasulok-sulukan ng probinsya. Agbiag dagiti agtutubo nga Ilocano! 2020 ay para sa kanila, sila ang tutupad sa ating mga pangarap.
Bagets ken bakets, pati nga Capitolyo naging eskwelahan na, nagte-training at nageempleyo ng sangkatutak na kabataan. Dalawampu’t lima lang ang nadatnan kung SPES o summer job noong 2009, naging 2,798 na bibong-bibong tourguides, clerks, IT, engineering trainees at kung anu-ano pa!
Palagay ko panahon nang pag-usapan din ang MMSU.  Our premier educational institution has begun to rethink its role in a quickly-diversifying economy. Originally focused on agriculture and forestry, bigger enrollments are now found in business, engineering, tourism and computer sciences. Our farmers also await from MMSU research and innovation that will impact their lives—when can indigenous Ilocano white garlic be developed into weightier, sturdier, new and more productive varieties?
Libreng managinip. IN2020 sana may handheld tablets na kaya ang mga klase at todo i-Hub na ang mga bayan. Sana maganda na ang Centennial at Stadium, at pati munisipyo, may sports hub—nasken malagipyo, kabaelan tayo!
Karamihan ng mga turista, pumupunta sa Ilocos Norte para makita ang Paoay Church, mapuntahan lahat ng Marcos Trail, matikman ang genuine bagnet ken empanada. Kaya’t dito sa atin, hindi luho o hilig lang ng mayayaman ang kultura, kundi hanapbuhay at industriya ng buong probinsya. Pasingkedan ti kinatan-ok ni ilocano, kayamanan natin ito. Napakalakas bumenta ng kulturang Ilocano!
Because every Ilocano was born with this immense heritage, all too often we take it for granted. We must urgently put in place a cultural strategy not merely to protect heritage sites and museums, but to promote art galleries and spaces, endow schools of architecture, design, literature, gastronomy, and renew vanishing indigenous cultures. In Ilocos Norte, culture sells, and for many among us today, heritage is our living.
The first conservation school in the country has been launched in Paoay CIT, to revive the classic trades of carpentry, wood-carving, handloom weaving, bricks and stone. The NCCA, Spain’s Escuela Talleres, and the Betis, Pampanga workshops are partnering with us. We watched with horror when the Bohol churches fell during the earthquake.
 Let us be mindful that after Bohol, our province has the most number of colonial churches. Only with long-term planning and fervent prayer can we safeguard them.
Bago tayo sumikat sa Instagram, ang probinsya, sumikat muna sa sine. Hanggang Thailand, at international Suddenly It’s Magic! Pati reality show sa Amsterdam shinooting dito. Nakakuha pa ng raket ang halos dalawang libong Ilocanong ekstra at support staff.  Starring na naman ang Ilocos Norte dahil sa rebulto ni Nora Aunor, ang Himala sa Buhangin humatak ng libu-libong Noranian at turista. Superstar talaga!
This October, Ilocos Norte’s creative and design industries will be the feature in FAME, the Department of Trade and Industry’s tradeshow in SMX Mall of Asia. It is a huge challenge, following Cebu and Pampanga, the powerhouses of export manufacture, and we are counting on your inabel, damili, baskets and furniture to do us proud! Kabaelan tay daytoy!
Tatlong Tan-ok na ang ating itinanghal, napatunayan na hindi lagi ang bayan na may pinakamalaking budget ang nananalo. Maski maliliit na munisipyo, mga tribu nagwawagi, pagkat malikhain, kaka-iba at kaakit-akit ang palabas. Ako ang unang humihiyaw sa gastos nitong events, Ilocana yata ang Gobernor niyo! Hindi bonggang costume o set ang humahatak ng tao at turista kundi kultura at katutubong talino!
Mapunta tayo sa aking paboritong paksa: trabaho! Kung dati mabagal ang pagdami ng trabaho, nakadagdag tayo ng labing siyam na porsyentong trabaho itong taon. Abot 44,609 jobs na ang dinulot ng Task Force Trabaho, higit doble sa ipinangakong 20,000! We have the highest employment rate in Region I, at 95.26%, higher also than the national average.
Ngem kurang pay! Trabaho pa rin ang utos ng pangangailangan, upang tayo’y maging pinaka-best, pinaka-best na probinsya. Nagbabago ngayon ang mga sector na maraming trabaho. Paunti ng paunti ang magsasaka at namimingwit, dumarami ang nagtratrabaho sa industriya, construction, transportasyon. Lalo’t higit na lumolobo ang service and retail workers, lampas triple ang dami ng namamasukan sa turismo, hotel, restawran atbp. Maraming oportunidad, ngunit kailangang paghandaan ang mga bagong job openings kundi mahuhuli at maiiwanan!
Sabi kasi ang Ilocano ay hindi papayag kapag walang diploma—pero aanhin naman ang diploma kung walang trabaho? Napakarami ng skills program, may K to 12 pa, ayaw kagatin dahil awan diploma. Magpakatotoo tayo, karamihan ng trabaho ay para sa skilled worker, hindi sa nars o titser! Madali nang pumasok, matataas pa ang sweldo! Aluminum fitter, master carpenter, hotel and restaurant work, lalo na bartender, telecoms, IT at healthcare, heavy equipment operator at iba pa. May Provincial Skills Masterplan na, kasama ng pribadong sektor, na tutugon sa mga in-demand na empleyo. Mag-training na tayopaspas dur-as!
While we have created new jobs, they are not always the sustainable quality jobs our families can depend on. An upsurge in retail employment accompanied the opening of the national chains in Metro Ilocos, but are they reliable? Tourism jobs remain seasonal and volatile, if indeed high-paying. At last, after a long wait international call centers are taking notice of our graduates and will be setting up shop. We will continue to partner with BPO’s to build on government property, and hopefully our local businessmen will join us too.
Ti pagserkan ti trabaho ket masarakan laeng iti ciudad. Arigna awan ti pagserkan kadagiti adayo a barangay. Addan programa BRO wenno Barangay Ranger Officers nga mangsalluad iti kabakiran. Siyak pay ket din ti madanagan, nu kasta nga marana da dagiti illegal loggers ken agtatakaw iti bonsai ta baka madisgrasya da.    
Babaen kadagiti nasurok a sangagasut a grupo ken federasyon dagiti naduma-duma a sector kas iti federasyon iti agmulmula iti bawang ken mangga- Babaen iti panagkaykaysa da, dimawat da iti tulong tayo tapnon matulungan da nga maipangato iti presyo da, nangted tayon ti kantedad tapno mapapintas pay ken umado ti apit da. Ti kayat ko nga idanun kadakayo nga no adda grupo yo al-alisto ti suporta ti gobyerno.
Marami na ring Manang at misis na nangutang sa Lacasa, Sea-K, OF-Red—dagdagan pa natin ang kanilang puhunan, dahil napakagaling ng Ilocanang magbayad: mabilis, buong-buo nakangiti pa.
Timmulong tayon ken adun iti trabaho nga naited kadagiti cailian tayo ngem ngimato iti lima nga porsiento dagiti magatgatang sapay lang ngimmato ti mabayadan ti BIR! Iti sumaruno a bulan ket rugyan ti probinsia ti Kadiwa Rolling Stores, kasla idi panawen daydi tatang ko. Agilako dagitoy a Kadiwa iti nalaka a presyo. Agbalin dagitoy a tulong kadagiti nakurapay!
Development in the mountainous east of Ilocos Norte lags behind, our rural folk are moving to the Metro Ilocos in record numbers: just a few decades ago, a mere 15% lived in the centros. IN2020 fully one-third of the province will live in Metro Ilocos. Urbanization is the phenomenon of our century. This year 2014 most people throughout the world are living in cities. Metro Ilocos will begin in the highway barangays of Batac—from Magnuang, Pimentel, Baay, Tabug -through Batac Centro, the Batac-Paoay Road and the crowded Paoay streets, most of San Nicolas’ barangays, to include all of Laoag City through Pasiocan in Bacarra. How do we avoid the pitfalls of urban sprawl, loggerjam traffic, water and other shortages that plague Metro-Manila, Cebu and other cities? Inggana nga adda pay panawen, masapol nga adda intay pagsasaritaan—Agtignay tayon!
Affordable city housing must be the first urban INitiative. The exorbitant cost of land, together with the opportunities offered by Metro-Ilocos to students, employees and aspiring workers are the deadly combination for illegal settlers and slums. We must provide housing finance, construct with private developers, and formulate a progressive legal framework. The province is building Adigi Housing in Batac, and is ready to start the Ayuyang Homes behind the Laoag stadium. This learning curve has shown us that we must diversify our housing efforts to address, above all, the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable.
Unang-una, ang isyu ng lupa, na laging isyu sa atin. Ang gobyerno ang may- ari ng 75.51% ng lupa ng Ilocos Norte. Malaki ang landbank na ito. Kung sana ipagamit ng DENR, DAR atbp. national government offices ang nakatiwangwang na lupa sa pabahay ng  mga Ilocano!
Sa probinsya, tuloy-tuloy tayong namimigay ng Natalged nga titulo, 12,351 titulo na, ngunit daang libo pa rin ang inaantay. Datayo ngamin, satay lang agpatitulo nu masapol tay nga umutang, Dakayo no di kay agpatitulo baka tay daga yo mapukaw ngamin uray rabii umakar ta muhon yo!
Madalas, hindi kayang bumili ng mahihirap ng bahay kahit na ipinapatayo ng gobyerno. Kailangan may housing na paupahan o rental malapit sa eskwelahan, mga opisina at sentrong pinagtratrabauhan. Dahil ang pabahay ay bahagi lamang ng malawakang kampanya kontra sa kahirapan. Sa ilang may-ari o nangungupahan ng bahay, basic utilities ang dapat itulong ng gobyerno—tubig, linya ng kuryente, kalsadang ‘di nababaha. Yung iba may sariling lupa’t bahay, ngunit ang bahay naman ay marupok at peligroso. Sana’y mabigyan sila ng murang semento, hollow blocks, tubo, yero at sila na ang mag-ayos ng kanilang  tirahan.
We seek to offer a whole gamut of housing options, and in partnership with the private sector, develop a modern Metro Ilocos IN2020. There is much to build and government is prepared to provide incentives and support for businessmen who will join us. If only Pag-ibig and the national authorities would accept that socialized housing only succeeds when locally implemented, if they could devolve at least the collections from the province, IN2020 we would surely have a housing program to be proud of!
Ti panagbalay ket saan nga ordinaryo wenno kwentaem no manut magastos mo. Nu diketdi ti panagbalay ket maysa nga parte iti biag ni Ilocano nga uray adayo ka iti lugar tayo ket sika ti agtagikwa. Ta ngamin, uray innot ayan mo, agsubli ka latta!
INisyatibong bago rin ang transportasyon. Lahat ng bumibisita dito ay nabibighani: ang gaganda ng mga daan, wala namang masakyan! Sa plete nagagastos ang baon ng mag-aaral, nauubos ang oras ng empleyado at turista at pati si Mamang Tricycle dumadaing na mahina ang kita! Panahon nang ayusin ang transportasyon. ‘Wag tayong maghintay maging Metro Manilang sakal ng trapik. ‘Di maayos ng mga nagtuturuang ahensya at mayor!
With urbanization, transportation has become our economic destiny: jobs in the city are only available to those with transport access. Yet LTFRB still confines franchises to the 1970’s south-north Manila North highway. Despite immense road building efforts into the Cordillera, many eastern towns and our northern coast remain underserved.
Rugyan tayon ti ruta a Laoag-Sarrat agingganat Dingras, Piddig, Kasano ngarud met iti Marcos ken Solsona? Uray Sabado ken Domingo wenno aldaw tienda laeng. Awan serbi ti nagbannugan tayo nu idiay Batac-Banna Road ket awan agpasada, pati Banna-Nueva Era ket dandani kumpleton! Awan byahe nga Laoag-Pagudpud iti rabii nu kasta a dumateng dagiti turista manipud airport. Adu nga agpayso iti lugan ngem maawan da met nu kasta nga agsipnget. Addan nightlife idiay Laoag, San Nicolas ken Batac, hantay nga Promdin, ket sapay kuma ta makidanggay met dagiti jeep ken tricycle nga agpasada agingganat rabii!
Panawenen tapno intay mangbuangay iti Ilocos Norte Transport Authority tapno isu ti mangdengeg iti amin a sektor ken agplano para iti naannayas nga trapiko ken serbisyo. Tapno iti kasta ket maurnosen ti susik gapu ti out of line, boundary dagiti tricykelan, jeep ken bus.
Ang totoo kaming opisyal takot makialam sa transpo, basag-ulo lagi! Ngunit tingin ko sa umpisa lang madugo, bandang huli, lahat naman makikinabang sa maayos na daloy ng trapiko. Lalo kung mapa-baba pa natin ang plete at madagdagan ang bumabiyahe, jackpot! Handa ang probinsya mag-arkila o bumili ng mga sasakyan para sa tinatawag na “missionary route,” mga bagong ruta papuntang daya na baka hindi agad kumita. Malamang kailangan din natin magpatayo ng “terminal,” maayos na daungan at lipatan ng pasahero sa Dingras at Pasuquin, ayusin pa ang Batac terminal at magdagdag ng ikalawang terminal sa Laoag sa bandang airport. Iba’t-iba rin kasi ang sasakyan na ating kailangan—Elf o cargo panghakot ng palay o gulay, minibus sa turista patungong Pagudpud, 4 by 4 pang-Surong Valley? Sosyal! Kabaelan tayo !
There is no land in our crowded town centers to build more and more roads. Hence, we shall soon have to limit road use in the sentros at least during rush hours. Eventually, we also must manage the flow of private cars into Metro Ilocos but first let us provide diverse public transport options, build more pedestrian walkways to increase walking time, and IN2020 learn to use public bicycles on designated cycling paths.
Magbisikleta sa Laoag? Masaya rin ata tahakin ang Rizal Street, nakasakay sa trambiya na walang trapik, trambiya tapos lumakad at sumakay din ng tricycle? Enjoy din siguro ang water taxi mula Badoc at Currimao, Laoag, Pasuquin, Burgos, hanggang Bangui at Pagudpud? Anat panagkunam, kabaelan tayo?
Dalawa ang pakay ng mga turista dito sa Ilocos Norte: makita ang makasaysayang simbahan at museo, at mapuntahan ang kakaibang kalikasan ng sand dunes, Kapurpurawan at Pagudpud. Tunay na mayaman sa kalikasan ang ating probinsya!
Going green is part of our provincial DNA. Last week, we constituted a multipartite monitoring team for renewable energy projects. Ironically, despite their mission to provide clean energy, wind construction sites have not always observed local ordinances on quarrying, coral preservation, and the protection of endangered plant and marine life. In Ilocos Norte, let it be known that even the country’s biggest companies have to comply with law, the laws of man and of nature.
Thus a third provincial initiative seeks to address the extreme changes we have experienced in rain and water supply. Pagkat bawat taon umuunti ang ulan at patubig—yung dating 556mm na ulan tuwing Agosto, ngayon ay 270mm na lang.
Ti panawen ket saan nga maawatan. Ngamin, ti igaaw ket walo agingana iti sangapulo nga bulan, dua a bulan ket bagyo wenno layos. Ti amianan nga daya ti probinsya tayo, malmes ti tudo—ngem iti abagatan tayo, ket agrengreng-ngat ti daga. Ay, apo, anat aramiden tayo?
Tuloy-tuloy kasi tayong nag-aaksaya ng tubig: ang Ilocano raw ay matipid sa lahat ng bagay pwera sa tubig! Wag linulunod ang bukid, tipid ang bigas sa AWD, o Alternate Wet and Dry Method. Wag basta tinatapon ang tubig na pinaghugasan, tubig sa labada, dahil mahal ang tubig at pwede pang gamiting pandilig o panghugas.
But water conservation province-wide is not enough, new and bigger sources of water should also be developed. With over one-third of the population living in Metro Ilocos IN2020, an unparalleled demand for water will dry up ground and surface sources, putting pressure on meager catchment areas such as INWD’s Sitio Dilomot in Pasuquin. To provide potable water, we require an extensive new system of “3 provincial faucets”: watersheds first in upland Pasuquin and second in Vintar to supply Laoag, third heavy forestration around Paoay Lake to provide water for Batac and the south.
Already the mountains of Solsona and Dingras are perilously prone to landslides and flooding. Our dams in Cura, Papas, Labugaon, Madongan, Solsona and Nueva Era are damaged and inadequate. Together with 3 provincial faucets, we must begin to plant the “Green Wall of Ilocos Norte” a massive watershed of forest along the eastern mountains, which like the Great Wall of China, will protect our dams and fertile plains. By planting sturdy endemic species, we can prevent continued erosion, flooding and drought first in the highly vulnerable barangays Puttao, Sta. Ana, Nagpatpatan in Solsona, in Dingras Francisco, San Marcelino, Barong, then through Banna and Nueva Era, northwards to Piddig, Carasi and Adams.
Perhaps IN2020 the ancient dakkel a dannum, epic rivers in Laoag, Sarrat, Vintar, Dingras, Bolo, Quiaoit and Nueva Era will then revive and flow once again. Even as new SWIP and Small Multi-purpose Storage Projects are planned Quiom–Maipalig in Batac and Tibangran in Badoc, and other potential catchments are built.  If we can manage our water resources, we will surely be the best little province in the country!
How indeed do we disaster-proof Ilocos Norte? We have set up the Provincial Resiliency Council, broadening and deepening the involvement of all sectors, including grocery and water suppliers, off-roaders and tree nurseries. We have prepositioned food, heavy equipment and medicines in newly-refurbished evacuation centers. Last week for the first time in the province, we conducted disaster exercises involving thousands of policemen, soldiers, officials and residents of high-risk barangays. We can never be too prepared! Nalabesen iti panagbaliw ti panawen isu a kasapulan ti intayo panagsagana tapnu magawidan ti pannakairisang ti biag. Nu pay kasta awan pay pimmusay.
Dapat buong taon na kasi tayong naghahanda sa tag-ulan at kalamidad. Imbestigahan ang mga lumang kalye, gusali, dam, dike at canal upang ipagtibay ang mga bahaging kailangan ayusin. Yung kalye, tulay, school building at irigasyon sa Ilocos Norte na pinagawa pa ng tatang ko—halos singkwenta anyos ang idad sa 2020. At hindi naman natin kayang palitan ng bago ang bawat isa sa mga ito?
Lagi nang nanganganib ang ani ng Setyembre at Oktubre; ‘di na dapat magtanim ng bigas sa mga bukid na laging binabaha o inaanod. Masapul nga planwen iti imula kadagita a bulan ngamin, masapol nga adayo kadagiti lalayusen nga lugar ken pagnaan iti danum tapnum saan nga maperdi kas kuma iti balangeg, kamotig, utong, tarong, ken okra. Ken agpanunot tay pay ti sabali nga pamastrekan kas koma iti panagtaraken iti dingwen 45 day chick ken agdait iti bado, ken dadduma pay.
Ngunit may mga dating ugali tayong dapat buhayin muli—ang paglilinis ng canal, pagsasaayos ng mga bahay at bubong. Ti Palomar o Bakris- malagip yo kadi nga daytoy ket us-usaren dagiti Appo tayo, nga no kasta nga agtudo, wenno agdakkel iti danum, ket isu ti mausar nga panaglapped. Ngem no met tiempo iti igaaw, daytoy ket mausar nga mangiturong iti danum nga mapan kadagiti kataltalunan. Iti panagsagana ket saan laeng nga iti gobyerno no di ketdi adda kadatayo!   
In the end, infrastrucuture is just hardware, while genuine resilience ultimately depends on people. We must foster the networks of friendship and family that hold our community together, develop the social capital that will leverage early recovery, and find our leaders capable of overcoming these crises. Kabaelan tayo!
In truth, six years is a short time to achieve all that we must IN2020. Government cannot go it alone, we need you to volunteer and assure continued change and transformation. If we can set in motion a virtuous cycle of generosity and volunteerism, awareness and participation will ensue, your volunteer work will generate government savings, which will in turn fund more student jobs, more loans for women, work for tribesmen, fisherfolk and the handicapped. A virtuous circle indeed!
Sa ngayon, iilan ang nagvo-volunteer, mga suki kong barangay, Red Cross at Chinese Chamber. Lahat tayo ay abala sa trabaho at pamilya. Ngunit hindi ako naniniwala na ang Ilocano ay hindi matulungin: nakikita ko ang hirap ninyo sa barangay gawin ang ating kalye, ang sipag ng mga magulang tuwing Brigada Eskwela, malasakit ng mga doctor tuwing kami’y mag-Capitol Express. Damang-dama rin ang mga donation ng mga balikbayan sa bawat bayan, at maraming Ilocanong nakasama nating tumulong sa Tacloban.
Itan! tapno awan ti maibati, awan ti maisiasi ken awan ti haan a maikkan iti tulong.
Kung abogado o notaryo, sumapi sa mga nagbubuo ng titulo at dokumento. Mahal na mga padi, kayo ang nakakaalam kung panung payuhan ang mga OFW families na namomroblema, mga propesor at mahusay sa numero, please help us with surveys and evaluation reports. Sa mga mag-caregiver at nars, marami tayong matatanda at may kapansanan na dapat alagaan. Natatabunan kami ng papeles sa Capitolyo—sana’y tumulong i-scan ang sangkatutak na papel sa Assessor, ng Accounts at pati mag-imbentaryo sa Engineering at GSO. Lalung makakatulong ang may skills sa pagpintura, pagluto, o mekaniko kung matuturuan niyo rin ang mga gustong mag-training at magtrabaho. Naglukaten ti Volunteer Desk ti Capitolyo, padasen yo!
Idi datayo iti KB, Kabataang Barangay, awan met pundo nga ited ti gobyerno, ngem adda met proyekto nga maipakita. Uray narigat idi panawen mi, ngem nararagsak kami latta, nga ti dakes isu met ti inda panagi-innarem ket nagi-innas-sawa dan! Those were the days ngarud!
Malagipko la unay daydi tatangko nga no adda didigra ket ugali ti pamilyami ti tumulong. Saan a maupay iti atiddog nga pila, ta uray adu ti intugot mi nga agas ken taripnum. Iti kauddian a pila ket inyawat ti amak iti nabati nga agas iti maysa a lakay. “Agan-anus kayo bassit Apo, daytoy laeng iti nabatin. Ti insungbat met ti lakay, “awan anniaman na Apo Presidente, ti laeng kasapulak ket bin-I. Nangitugot kayo koma iti bin-I tapno makamula kami metten”.  Nairut a pinetpetan ti amak ti ima ti lakay sana kinallabay ket kinunana, “Mabainak ken maupayak pay ketdin, Tata”
Bin-I para ti namnama ken masakbayan dagiti ubbing man wenno nataengan. Rugian tayon nga inikkan biag ti probinsia, napaneknekan tayon a kabaelan tayo a pabaruen ti ilocos Norte. Itultuloy tayo ti intay narugian. Bayat ti panagserbi ti amak,  adda met dagiti tiempo a maupay kami. Ngem nairugi min dagitoy babaen ti natibker a pammati. 
A vibrant and caring environment is an extraordinary legacy one generation can leave the next. In Ilocos Norte we are better educated, earn a higher income per capita, enjoy a zero carbon footprint, social equity and access to nature and live longer than other Filipinos.
There have been many provinces, usually large and close to MetroManila, that have laid claim to the title of “best province” in the past.
For us the objective is simple: as a place for us to live, bring up our children, work and do business, and renew the soul, IN2020, as it is now, Ilocos Norte is the best little province in the country.
Kabaelan tayo. Aramiden tayo itan! Agmaymaysa tayo ngarud, a mangsango dagita a karit para iti naprogreso na probinsya tayo.

Agbiag ti Ilocos Norte, Bayabayen na tayo koma ti Apo! 

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