By Leilanie G. Adriano
Staff Reporter
LAOAG CITY—On a bright sunny day, hundreds of Laoag City government employees wearing red shirts joined for the first time the Provincial Capitol flag raising ceremony, which is just a few meters away from the city hall.
Officials and employees of the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte and the City Government of Laoag were seen together singing the national anthem as they vowed to work together as “one province”.
After decades of being ruled by the Marcos and Farinas families of the province, the new Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc and his uncle, Laoag Mayor Michael M. Keon announced they will make sure to unify all programs and projects of the provincial and city governments to promote better collaboration to the best interest of Laoagueños.
The two families have been alternately allies and rivals since 1998 when the Marcoses returned to Ilocos Norte and reclaimed their old political turf after being politically dormant following the exile and death of the late former Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos in Hawaii in 1989.
But during the May 13, 2019 elections, Mr. Keon ended the Fariñas family’s grip on their Laoag’s stronghold when two-term Laoag Mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas lost her bid a third and final term.
“This is a symbolic and historic day for us as we look like the Philippine flag. As we all know, it’s been a long time since the city and the provincial government has been on the same page. With me and Tito Mike, expectations are very high and we hope to prove to you all that we can fulfill our promise as a united province no matter who hired you or where your loyalty belongs,” said Mr. Manotoc as he enjoined all government workers in the province to work hand in hand for a progressive ‘One-Ilocos Norte’.
Like the “Solid North” during the term of former President Marcos, the “One-Ilocos Norte” campaign of the Marcos children envisions to foster unity among all leaders in the province.
In his speech before Capitol and City Hall employees, as well as other government workers from the different national government line agencies who attended the flag raising ceremony, Mr. Keon said, “The city government will stand with you in implementing various plans and projects together.”
According to Mr. Keon, among the first collaborative projects that Laoag residents may expect is to address traffic woes in downtown Laoag.
As of the moment, Mr. Keon reported workers from the city and provincial government will sit down together to discuss possible measures to ease traffic congestion.