The Ilocos Times

Cities with fully automated business permitting systems recorded stronger growth in local business tax revenue than cities that had not fully automated their permitting processes, according to a new study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS). The study, titled “Relevance of e-Governance in Revenue Generation among Philippine Cities,” found that cities with fully automated Business Permits and Licensing Systems (BPLS) were associated with an 18.16-percentage-point increase in local business tax (LBT) revenue growth compared with cities that had not fully automated their permitting processes. These cities also recorded higher levels of active business establishments, suggesting that streamlined digital services can encourage business formation and expansion. Authored by PIDS supervising research specialist Tatum Ramos and Vice President Marife Ballesteros , the study examined data from 138 cities to determine whether digitalizing business permitting contribu...

By Carlos V. Cornejo A good book on making big decisions, reveal blind spots and come up with creative methods in solving problems is that of Shane Parrish entitled “The Great Mental Models”.   It makes use of the acronym I.F.S to recall the mental models of Inversion , First Principle Thinking , and Second-Order Thinking . Inversion means if you are having a hard time solving a problem, try to look at that problem in another perspective by solving the opposite problem.   Instead of asking, “How can I make a really good presentation video?” ask, “How can I make a really bad presentation video?”   If you come up with a list of how to make a bad video it might be using a PowerPoint with no images and just pure texts, use a monotone voice that makes the presentation boring and put your audience to sleep, and make it longer than it needs to be.   Since you’ve imagined what a bad presentation looks like you can now come up with the criteria of a good one if you inv...

MUSIC has always been more than entertainment. It is woven into the fabric of human life and, more importantly, into our spiritual journey . The Bible alone testifies to this truth, containing hundreds of references to singing, musical instruments, and songs. From the Psalms to the heavenly choirs in Revelation , music has long been a powerful expression of faith and worship . In everyday life, music speaks a language that words often cannot. It comforts us in moments of sorrow, lifts our spirits when we are weary, energizes us during physical activity, and calms us after stressful days. It has an extraordinary ability to reach the heart, making it one of humanity's most universal forms of expression. Music also brings people together. Whether in worship, celebration, or shared moments of grief, singing creates a common rhythm that unites individuals into a community. It strengthens relationships and even rekindles memories. A familiar melody can instantly transport us to a ...

For decades , we looked at plastic as the villain of modern life — polluter of oceans, killer of turtles, clogger of esteros. And rightly so. Traditional plastics last for hundreds of years, break down into microplastics , and only a tiny percentage ever gets recycled. So, the logic was simple: replace plastic with something biodegradable — seaweed, bagasse, hemp, rice straws, bamboo woods, anything natural. But what if what’s better than plastic… is also plastic? Out of nowhere comes a new material called Lyfecycle , a proprietary “self-destructing” plastic. At first, rumors claimed it was made of seaweed. But as it turns out, it is plastic after all — but the good kind, if there is such a thing. Developed by UK-based Polymateria , Lyfecycle behaves like regular plastic during its useful life. It’s strong, durable, recyclable, and compatible with existing waste systems. But the magic lies in the additive built into it. If it escapes collection —meaning if it ends up as waste, i...

VALUE-ADDING. Judy Viernes shows his pickled garlic at the Garlic Incubation Center in Laoag City , Ilocos Norte on Wednesday (July 22, 2026). He is among the first garlic incubatees being assisted by the Taiwan Te chnical Mission in the Philippines to help revitalize the local garlic industry . (Lei Adriano) By Leilanie Adriano LAOAG CITY—Garlic growers and processors benefit from a microfinancing program supported by Taiwan, providing farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs with greater access to capital to improve productivity, expand operations and enhance the competitiveness of the local garlic industry. Eric Pin Yu Chen , representative for the Taiwan Technical Mission in the Philippines, told the Philippine News Agency on Tuesday that at least 10 garlic incubatees have been selected so far this year for the grant. "Each incubatee received PHP240,000. The amount can be used to start their business or to improve it,” he said in an interview at the Garlic Incubation ...

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr (DND file photo) City of Batac —Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. has called on Filipino youth to become defenders of truth and active partners in protecting the country's sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), stressing that national resilience begins with an informed and united citizenry. Speaking before students, youth leaders, government officials, and security stakeholders during the Ilocano Dialogue on the West Philippine Sea in the City of Batac, Ilocos Norte on July 18, 2026, Teodoro said the country's ability to withstand external threats depends not only on military strength but also on public awareness and national resolve. “We will rely on you to be the future of our organization, be the future of the national economy, be the future public leaders,” Teodoro told participants. The dialogue, organized by the Ilocos Norte Model ASEAN Meeting (INMAM), focused on strengthening public understanding of the WP...