TRAFFIC.Students queue Ablan Avenue on their way to the main gate of the Ilocos Norte National High School. More students are expected in the coming weeks as the school prepares for the full implementation of face-to-face learning.(PNA photo by Leilanie Adriano) LAOAG CITY -The first day opening of classes on Monday caused traffic jams in Laoag's university belt areas, particularly along Ablan avenue and P. Gomez street where most schools are located. School officials at the Ilocos Norte National High School said traffic congestion could get even worst when students go on full face-to-face (F2F) classes. Data from the Schools Division of Ilocos Norte (SDOIN) said they have logged a total 85,515 enrolees so far from kindergarten to senior high school. As early as 6 a.m. on Monday, school principal Rolen Oracion of the San Nicolas Elementary School said in an interview that several barangay tanods and police officers were deployed in front of the school to ensure the smooth flow of t
ILOCOS INFLATABLE ISLAND. An inflatable island is being set up at Paoay Lake which is expected to open this December. The province of Ilocos Norte continues to invest in outdoor tourism as part of its economic recovery amid the pandemic.(Photo courtesy of Ilocos Norte Tourism) LAOAG CITY - The province of Ilocos Norte keeps on innovating outdoor sites as tourism stakeholders find ways to bounce back in the "new normal" amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. As 2021 ends, the Department of Tourism (DOT) along with the 21 towns and two cities of Ilocos Norte are rebooting the province's tourism development framework focusing on promoting more outdoor sites to attract tourists with no more testing required at the provincial borders for fully vaccinated individuals. As of Dec. 22, 2021, the Pinili tourist triage has registered a total of 15,741 tourists since Oct. 1, 2020, with more tourists arriving when Ilocos Norte started to relax its travel protocols amon