The Ilocos Times

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter For the first time in Ilocos Norte history, hundreds of potential youth leaders from the entire province will converge in one place for a  summer leadership camp set on April 6 at the Dungon-dungon estate in  Burgos, Ilocos Norte. Hosted by the provincial government of Ilocos Norte, the five-day  Sirib leadership camp consists of an intensive workshop and hands-on  training of leadership skills and basic parliamentary procedures among  others. “After the interactive workshop, we hope that participants will be  able to appreciate more the province of Ilocos Norte and lead fellow  youth in the barangay, town or school they are in,” said June Arvin C.  Gudoy, Communication and Media Office (CMO) head. On April 6-7, the first batch of participants composed of 100  student-leaders will undergo training for trainors and the second  batch which will immediately follow on Apr...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter Laoag City treasurer Ma. Elena Asuncion is urging all dental clinics operating in Laoag to secure their mayor’s permit. Asuncion explained that the city government will not tax them in the practice of their profession but if they are operating a clinic, they should secure a mayor’s permit to operate. In view of this, Asuncion said they will again issue a second notice to the owners of dental clinics here for them to secure mayor’s permit. Asuncion disclosed that even during the time of former city treasurer Erlinda Ragasa, only 14 dentists complied while the others resisted. Laoag City General Hospital chief of hospital Dr. Francis Dacuycuy, for his part also believes that not all members of the medical society who have private clinics in the city fully understand the limitations of the professional tax receipt (PTR) in the conduct of their clinics. Dacuycuy suggested that there must be a conference between the medical ...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter Mango production in some areas of Ilocos Norte may fall from the expected yield this harvest season as a pest called cecid fly or “kurikong” in the vernacular has been attacking mango farms here. Agriculturist Edwin Cariño, Millennium Development Goals program head of the Ilocos Norte government reported on March 19 that several mango growers have already noticed a decline in their production due to these flies, infesting mango farms across the country. Earlier this year, mango growers in Pangasinan reported that up to 40 percent of the 460-hectare mango plantations covering 21 towns here have been attacked by cecid flies, also known as “buti” or “armalite” in Luzon. Apparently, the infestation has already spread in the southern towns of Ilocos Norte such as in Badoc, Pinili, Currimao and Batac City, according to Cariño. Experts from the Mariano Marcos State University in Batac City said an adult mango cecid fly rese...

( First of a series ) “MAHARLIKA”……A word, an image, a concept, a symbol, an archetype…..How deep can a word reach? How can a word transcend and transform our consciousness? How can a word be usurped and degraded? How can a word redeem itself? How can a word re-create the destiny of a nation? How can a word guide us into the past, present and the future?” Grace Odal-Devora, Ph.D University of the Philippines, Manila Last month , Ms. Romelene Pacis and I got invited to present at the plenary of the 1 st Maharlika Summit held at the Asian Center Auditorium, GT-Toyota Hall of Wisdom, University of the Philippines, Diliman.  The organizers, the UP Diliman Alumni, Friends and Benefactors of the Asian Center or AFBAC Inc., the Humanistic Studies 20 Class of Professor Grace Odal-Devora of the University of the Philippines, the UP Manila Alamat Society and the Katipunan ng Samahang Maharlika contacted us to do an analysis and share our perspectives on the future of the ...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter CARJACKING incidents in the city are rising. This is based on police records where it show that there has been nine carjacking incidents as of March 19, 2014. This was also confirmed by Laoag City police officer-in-charge P/Supt. Jeffrey Gorospe as he reported that there had been two carjacking incidents each in January and February, and five as of March 19. In the police reports, the incidents involved motorcycles with the latest even occurring on the parking area at the back of the Provincial Capitol and at the side of the Laoag City Hall, wherein both cases happened in the morning. Gorospe added that if the motorcycle cannot be jacked, perpetrators settle for motorcycle parts. To help stop these incidents, Gorospe held a meeting with all barangay tanod chiefs in the city to discuss the rise in carjacking incidents in the city. He urged the barangay security forces to be more vigilant to stop these crimes. Gorospe ...

By April Rose Ragmac PA II, DOST 1 The department of Science and Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) released the result of September 2013 DOST Scholarship Exam for Academic Year 2014-2015 last March 04, 2014. Out of 35,562 graduating high school students who took the examination, 182 passers came from Region I: 37 from Ilocos Norte; 35 from Ilocos Sur; 27 from La Union; and 83from Pangasinan. DOST Secretary Mario G. Montejo said the Department’s scholarship programs will provide the new awardees access to quality education in leading public and private institutions as it targets to substantially increase the number of scientists and engineers needed to boost economic productivity and knowledge creation in the country. Specifically, the passers of 2014 DOST Scholarship exam will have the following privileges: tuition and other school fees (P8,000/sem for RA7687 and Merit), book allowance of P5,000 per year, PE uniform allowance of P500 for the first se...

File photo of an earthquake dril at INNHS Senator Loren Legarda reiterated her proposal to conduct monthly fire and earthquake drills and other disaster preparedness measures in educational and healthcare institutions. Legarda, UN Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation for Asia-Pacific, made the call following the 1st Quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake drill spearheaded by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on March 19 in selected schools in every region. “When an earthquake occurs and a fire ensues, would our kids know what to do and where to go? Would the teachers and school staff know how to keep the children calm and guide them to safety? They would not know unless they undergo safety drills like the earthquake drill conducted by the NDRRMC. What I am proposing is to do these drills every month in educational and medical establishments, such as hospitals and schools,” she said. “The regular cond...

PREPARING CITY HALL. In line with the Fire Prevention Month as well as the recent strong tremor that rocked the province recently, the Laoag City government conducted a fire and earthquake drill on March 21. (Doms dela Cruz)

Each time I lectured in that classroom, I would stare at an empty chair, asking myself if there was something I could have done to save a life. He was a freshman engineering student from a small town. His classmates said they never noticed anything wrong with him. His parents likewise observed no unusual behavior exhibited by their only child. Everything seemed normal and usual with this boy’s life until he was seen hanging on a nylon rope fastened on a wooden beam. As a teacher, it was my first encounter with suicide by a student. And it was not to be the last. By all indicators, suicide cases are on the rise in the Philippines. According to the National Statistics Office, the suicide rate from 1984 to 2005 went up by 1,522% among men (from 0.46 to seven out of every 200,000); and up by 833% among women (from 0.24 to two for every 200,000). Noticeably, there is an increasing trend of suicide among the youth, particularly in the age group 5 to 14 and 15 to 24. Most ...

ILOCOS  Norte Gov. Imee R. Marcos receives the trophy and check worth P4 million from Agriculture Sec. Proceso J. Alcala and National Rice Program Coordinator and acting Usec. For Field Operations Dante S. Delima on March 14 in Pasay City. Also in the photo are (from left) provincial agriculturist Norma Lagmay, Delima, Marcos, and Alcala. (Photo Courtesy of PGIN-OPAG) By Jennifer T. Pambid PGIN-CMO THE ILOCOS Norte government, represented by Gov. Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos received the trophy and a check worth P4 million from Agriculture Sec. Proceso J. Alcala and National Rice Program Coordinator and acting Usec. for Field  Operations Dante S. Delima on March 14 at the Resorts World Manila as one of the top 12 Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers in the country for its commitment in attaining high rice self-sufficiency. This is the second time, Ilocos Norte was recognized as a top rice producer in the award launched on 2011 by the Department of Agricu...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter ACKNOWLEDGING their contribution to the city’s development, the Laoag City government lauded the top taxpayers for 2013. The top taxpayers were lumped into two categories: businesses in the city and those at the Laoag City Commercial Complex. Laoag Mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas said the top taxpayers were named based on the amount of the taxes they paid as well as their promptness in paying their obligations. The mayor stressed that there was no favoritism in the selection as it was based solely on the assessment of the City Treasury Office, which made the list from its computerized taxation system. The top 10 business establishments are: SanFord Marketing Corporation (SaveMore), Expressions by Mart One, Fort Ilocandia Land Development Company LTD., Jollibee Foods Corporation (Bacarra Road), Jollibee Foods Corporation (Laoag Centro), McDonalds Laoag, Pepsi Cola, MongDing Construction Supply, The New Laoag Auto Supply and the Dev...

Students of the Ilocos Norte College of Arts and Trades fill up a career planning questionnaire during the Career Counseling Roadshow spearheaded by the Ilocos Norte Public Employment Service Office in cooperation with Sirib Express and De La Salle University last March 7, 2014. ( PGIN-CMO) By Jennifer T. Pambid PGIN-CMO With its aim to assist students in making crucial decisions for their careers, the free career counseling roadshow, spearheaded by the Provincial Public Employment Service Office (PESO) in cooperation with Sirib Express and De La Salle University (DLSU), has successfully catered to more than 4,000 high school students on March 7, 2014. The program was held simultaneously in Ilocos Norte College of Arts and Trades, Ilocos Norte National High School, Sarrat National High School, Sta. Rosa National High School and Solsona National High School. The students were given free materials discussing the necessary work values and skills as well as steps an...

Pope Francis is the best known Jesuit in the world today, He’s the first member of the Society of Jesus, organized by Saints Ignatius of Loyola, Francis Xavier and companions in 1542, to be elected pontiff. Francis has been invited to address the US Congress. And many Filipinos hope that when he visits South Korea this year, he’ll make a side trip here to meet Yolanda victims. The news item, on a lesser   known Jesuit appeared last week, below the fold in the inside-pages, of a few papers: Bishop Joseph Fan Zhongliang, of Shanghai, a leader of China's underground catholic community, died March 15. He was 96. Fan served in prison after he and other priests were arrested in 1955 during a government crackdown. From 1958 to 1978, Fan was imprisoned in Qinghai province. Among other things, his work included carrying corpses to the cemetery, reported the Asian church news portal UCANews. He refused to recognize the Ch...

Ni Leonardo R. Agunoy AGTAUD a kasla uong dagiti saludsod kadakami no agpada kadi ti sarusar ken agamang? Maysa a kabsatmi a mannurat iti Iloko (agdadamo) ti nagtaudan dayta a saludsod. Makapaisem  a saan dayta a bugas ti saludsod. Ngem, gapu ngata ta addatayon iti agdama a modernization, awan metten ti makitkita a sarusar wenno agamang dagiti pada a mannalon ditoy Kailokuan. Iti biangmi, napintas unay a sungbatan ken ilawlawag batay ti nanumo nga ammomi. Agduma ngamin ti masasao a bengngat (diction) ti tunggal lugar. Adda lugar kas koma ditoy Ilokos, sarusar  ti awagmi (rice granary) idinto nga agamang ti awagna iti sabali a lugar. Adda pay lugar ti Kailokuan a ti awagda iti sarusar, agamang; kamalig, kunada. Mabalin a nasken a mailawlawag tapno sakbay a  malebganen dagitoy a balikas weno awag iti maysa a banag, agtalinaedto pay laeng nga adda ti pamalatpatan dagiti sumarsaruno a kaputoptan ni Ilokano. Kas ti balikas a labba (idiay Cagayan ken Ilocos Sur?), ...

WITH Lent in our midst, we should be reminded of our duty to hone up our skills in spiritual warfare. We should not let this Lenten season pass without doing anything to improve ourselves in this particular department. Christ already hinted this much when he said: “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent bear it away.” (Mt 11,12) We have to understand though that to be violent in this sense does not mean to be destructive but rather constructive, driven by love and the desire to be united with God and with the others in a way proper to us as children of God and brothers and sisters among ourselves. Our life here on earth cannot but be in some form of struggle. Aside from our innate urge to grow and develop that requires some effort, we also have to contend with enemies whose sole intent is precisely to bring us down, to divert us from our proper path toward holiness. We are not simply ranged against natura...