Ilocos Norte logs ‘zero’ crimes during Tan-ok Festival
LAOAG CITY – The just-concluded Tan-ok Festival held at the new Ilocos Norte Stadium hits a “zero” crime rate in this home province of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Ilocos Norte Police Director Col. Julius C. Suriben, said Saturday.
Suriben said the Tan-ok festival was graced by no less than President Marcos Jr., Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Cristina Frasco, Congressman Sandro Marcos, and other government officials with over 20,000 who witnessed the competition of talents showcasing the rich Ilocano culture.
The winners of the festival were the towns of Carrasi, 1st runner-up, while Currimao, headed by Mayor Edward Quilala, brought home this year’s championship with a grand prize of P1 million.
According to Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc, the Tan-ok fest is an annual tourism event that started during the time of then-Gov. Imee R. Marcos, now a senator, who also funded the construction of the new world-class stadium, which according to the President’s speech, is an “iconic sports arena” in the North that will further boost the tourism industry.
Suriben, the provincial director and Task Group Ilocos Norte, who managed the event security, revealed that 800 PNP (Philippine National Police) personnel, 500 friendly forces and volunteers were deployed.
According to Suriben, no crime and public safety incidents were recorded before, during, or after the successful event as he attributed it to the well-crafted plan, strong inter-agency cooperation, and organized execution of tasks of each agency involved.
