The Ilocos Times

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Laoag City —At least 208 college scholars of the Ilocos Norte provincial government have received their stipend. Each scholar received P4,500 in cash for the months of June and July and a certificate. The scholars received their stipends at the La Tabacalera function hall in this city. These students are enrolled mostly at the Mariano Marcos State University and at the Divine Word College of Laoag and Data Center. Handed by members of the Committee on Education composed of Provincial Social Welfare and Development officer Lilian Rin, acting education department head Matilde Neri, Provincial Planning and Development officer Pedro Agcaoili, Communication and Media officer June Arvin Gudoy and Provincial administrator Windell Chua. Jean Marie Antonio, a resident of Solsona town and a fourth year student of MMSU taking up Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management said she is blessed for being a scholar of the provincial governmen...

By Dominic B. Dela Cruz Staff reporter Laoag City —The city government here is urging local business establishments to help in the promotion of the city’s tourism industry. To speed up this process, the Sangguniang Panlungsod recently passed a resolution requesting establishments to also display shirts with the printed name of the city or any other landmark in the city. Laoag councilor Joseph H. Tamayo, sponsor of the measure, said that the shirts he usually sees being worn in the city are printed with the names of the country’s different cities or features their prime tourism destinations. He then said he decided to craft the resolution to urge local businesses to also print display shirts that feature Laoag. Mr. Tamayo also enjoined the public to create unique designs for the city’s tourist spots as a means to attract domestic and foreign tourists. He added that this will also promote the city whenever and wherever these shirts are worn. Mr. Tamayo disc...

The Philippines , which achieved 97-percent rice self-sufficiency last year, is now the Asia`s fastest rice producer after registering a 4.04 -percent average change improvement in milled rice production from 2010-2013. Data from the World Market and Trade of the US Department of Agriculture showed that from 9.77 million metric tons of milled rice recorded in 2011, production increased to 10.99 million metric tons last year. With the produce, the Philippines surpassed major rice exporters including China and India, which showed an improvement of 1.55 and 3.77 percent, respectively. Thailand, a leading rice exporter, only posted a 0.39-percent change difference in milled rice production. Tom Slayton, former editor of The Rice Trader and co-author of an article on how rice price crisis could be prevented from becoming a hunger crisis, noted that Philippines, considered a key importer in the world rice trade, posted zero imports that was maintained at 1.50 million metric ...

By Stephen T. Barreiro Once hard hit by the liberalization of garlic imports, agriculture in Ilocos Norte is experiencing a renaissance with the increasing demand for the dragon fruit, a variety of fruit bearing cactus with distinctive agronomic properties particularly suited for Ilocos Norte’s warm dry climate and predominantly sandy loam soil. Relative ease of propagation, minimal crop maintenance, short turnaround time between planting and harvesting (1-2 years) as compared to other common fruit bearing trees or plants; multiple harvests (8-10 harvests) and high yields (10-30 kilos per harvest) for single healthy plant in a year all combine to make the dragon fruit a highly viable commercial crop. To top it all, a healthy plant with proper care lives and produces fruit for 20-30 years. When first introduced in Ilocos Norte in 2006, the dragon fruit was looked upon with curiosity and considered as merely an exotic plant. Increasing consumer awareness however has led...

WE need to know the real essence of love, its true and ultimate dimensions, its theoretical and practical implications, its source, power and goal, its pattern, ways and manifestations. Though it is an endless exercise, it would always be worthwhile since from that effort is derived everything that is true, good and proper to us. Especially if done in earnest, such effort generates vitality, health, meaning and joy in our life. As much as possible we should try to stay clear from an understanding of love that is based only on feelings, instincts, sensual urges, or on some social trends and fads that often trivialize and distort love even as they make a lot of hype about it. Not even should we rely merely on some ideological, philosophical or cultural and historical factors. They may give something valuable, but if they are not grounded on the real source and power, which is no other than God, they can mislead us. God, for sure, is everything that we need to go to not...

Students are all ears during the forum  (Tina Tan photo) By Stephen T. Barreiro IT staff Northwestern University, in line with its progressive thrust in tackling the latest issues, hosted the first forum on the controversial issue of black sand mining in Ilocos Norte on August 20, 2014. Dubbed “The 1 st Black Sand Mining Forum” in Ilocos Norte, the forum was organized by the Kwago Society, a cause oriented citizen watchdog group based in NU led by its president, Jenny Simon, together with the Natural Sciences and  Social Sciences and Humanities departments of NU, Kabataan Party List, Defend Ilocos, and the College Editors Guild of the Philippines. The forum was a “revelation” according to the organizers. Forum organizer and NU professor Shermon Cruz stated that students, professors and concerned citizens, were exposed to the real dynamics of mining particularly black sand mining and its effect and impact on public safety and its risks, government enforce...

SAY IT ain’t so. Just days before the 31 st death anniversary of Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino Jr., his son and namesake—and incumbent President—Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III has floated the idea of amending the Constitution to allow Presidents to run for reelection. This surprised many Filipinos—both supporters and critics alike. The critics though harped on the idea of a new dictator in the making. True blue—or yellow—Aquino supporters were also stunned, flabbergasted and disappointed. This was, after all, the reluctant presidential candidate in 2010; who after prodding and pleading decided to run for the country’s top post. Out of time and out of funds, Mr. Aquino won on the wings of the love given by the Filipino peoples to his then recently-deceased mother, former President Corazon “Cory” C. Aquino. Now, four years later, PNoy is singing a different tune. Floating the very idea is already considered a sin; that it was his mother who fought tooth and nails to ha...

From a city with small, homegrown groceries and department stores that close at 6:00 p.m., Laoag City in the past couple of years has built a reputation as a retail mecca, with big stores sprouting faster than you can say “cheese”... or “Sy.” In December 2009, Robinsons Ilocos Norte (San Nicolas technically but is geographically almost Laoag) was the first national retail chain to open in the Ilocos Region. It was followed by three others, all located in Laoag: SM SaveMore in December 2011, SM HyperMart in October 2012, and PureGold in November 2012. Another SaveMore branch will open in San Nicolas before the end of this year. Of the five, however, only Robinsons is a full-service mall with a department store, supermarket, cinemas, a food court, an array of shops, and an activity area. To many (including myself whose fond memories of SM began during our high school field trips in Manila), the Ilocos mall scene will never be complete without a full, honest-to-goodness SM. Ev...

(Delivered by Ilocos Norte Gov. Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos on  August 26, 2014 at the Plaza del Norte) Apo bise gobernador, kakadwami nga miyembros iti junta probinsiyal, appo a mamayor ken sanggunian bayan, punong barangay ken kadagiti padak nga agserserbi iti ili, the honorable consul of the People’s Republic of China, Zhiao Quiaoliang; o ur good investors and businessmen, partners in progress and development; patpatgek a kailiak, naimbag a malemyo amin a sangapada. Bimmangonen ti ilocos Norte, makitan dagiti adu a nagdur-asan ni Ilocano. Ta babaen ti alibtak tayo ket agtultuluyen ti panagbaliw ti aglawlaw. Ti panagdur-as ken pannakabigbig ti Ilocos Norte ket gapu iti gaget tayo amin, saan a gapu iti maymaysa laeng a sector wenno maymaysa nga ili, no dikket ti panagkaykaysa tayo: Ilocos Norte is great again! Sama-sama tayo noong unang SOPA 2011 at paulit-ulit akong “Awan ti imposible”?  Tapos nung 2012 “One Great Ilocos Norte” naman—parang walang naniniwala noo...