The Ilocos Times

Following the conclusion of the 3 rd United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction, hosted by Japan last March, the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) offers relevant input on how the country’s decision-makers can improve the Philippines’ disaster risk reduction and response framework. Drs. Marife M. Ballesteros and Sonny N. Domingo, research fellows at PIDS, argue that despite the fact that the Philippines has an elaborate framework for disaster risk reduction management (DRRM), there is a critical “gap in policy execution”. This gap leaves sectors like micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to suffer crippling economic loses when disasters strike. The authors believe that the problem lies in a number of things, which can be summed up as the ineffective translation of the national framework into localized and sectoral plans. Their discussion paper, titled Building Philippine MSMEs Resilience to Natural Disasters, reviewed the current poli...

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By Alfredo Garvida Jr. Contributor   The rush of construction activities in Ilocos Norte is defining the upsurge of commerce in this place, which uplifted in effect this province's economic state in the context of employment and taxation needs. Whereas on the employment side the impact is visible and notably felt in this province's residents, there is grave concerns on the taxes side however if the call of some influential members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan to abolish the Provincial Quarry Council of Ilocos Norte on reasons of this office's ineffectiveness in timely processing quarry applications, alleging as well the prevalence of corruption, is substantiated. SP member Joel Garcia has lately upped the ante on this issue with his allegation that the quarry fees due to the stakeholders, i.e., the province, municipalities, barangays, etc., have drastically and noticeably gone down since the creation of the Council, an assertion that seems to be fortifying th...

RA Form No. 10.1 (LCRO) Republic of the Philippines Local Civil Registry Office Province of Ilocos Norte Municipality of Bangui NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION    In compliance with Section 5 of R.A. No. 9048, a notice is hereby served to the public that RAFAEL EARL A. RUFFNER has filed with this Office a petition for change of first name from EARL to RAFAEL EARL in the birth certificate of EARL AGULLANA RUFFNER who was born on July 12, 1959 at Bangui, Ilocos Norte and whose parents are Earl B. Ruffner and Generosa M. Agullana.    Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this Office not later than July 20, 2015. (SGD) GLORIA B. AMUDO Municipal Civil Registrar July 6-12, 13-19, 2015*IT ________________________________________________ DEED OF ADJUDICATION AND ABSOLUTE SALE             Notice is hereby given that the intestate estate of the late RE...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter June 26, 2015 BATAC CITY—The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) broke ground for the first cultural center in Northern Luzon on July 2, in time for the 86 th  birthday celebration of former first lady and now Ilocos Norte 2 nd  district Rep. Imelda R. Marcos. In her speech during the groundbreaking, Mrs. Marcos said the cultural center project is very important as she said “Culture is nature and nature is the law of God.” “We are doing not something physical, not something material, not something intelligent but we are doing something spiritual. Because we are bringing out the soul of the Ilocanos to show to the world how beautiful, purely and great we have”, Mrs. Marcos added. She also disclosed that she is very excited and happy as the groundbreaking coincided with her 86 th birthday celebration. The bigger Batac Cultural Center has long been envisioned by Mrs. Marcos to showcase the arti...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Batac City —The Batac Sangguniang Panlungsod gave its full backing on the ongoing “golden rice” field trials being undertaken by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in this city. Batac councilor Violeta D. Nalupta, who sponsored the resolution supporting the project, announced their full support for this after all members of the city council expressed their favorable action on the measure. The Ilocos Times learned that there was prior field trial for the same program in the past but this did not yield satisfying results. In view of this, Ms. Nalupta, who chairs the council’s agriculture committee, said they need to continue the field trials using different varieties as there would be many benefits one the trials give better results. Based on research, the golden rice is rich in Vitamin A which prevents cancer, help builds immunity of children, helps perform bodily functions, plays a direct role in performing p...

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By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—Farmer-leaders in this northern part of Luzon have sought the help of government authorities here to plan for the conduct of cloud seeding operation to produce more rain. Rogelio Ceredon, president of the Municipal Agriculture and Fisheries Council (MAFC) in Dingras, Ilocos Norte said   hectares of agricultural lands planted with hybrid rice failed to survive the prolonged dry spell, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported it will continue until the end of this month. According to Engr. Cynthia Iglesia, chief of the PAGASA weather station in Laoag said   most parts of Ilocos Norte is still experiencing water shortage or below normal rainfall even if it rained for three consecutive days now. As more than 11 typhoons is expected to hit the Philippines until December, farmers expressed their concern a cloud seeding operation to induce rain may help...

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Manila — Applications are now being accepted for the 2015 Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative   (YSEALI) Generation Startup Weekend August 4-6 which takes place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The YSEALI Generation Startup Weekend is hosted by Techstars SE Asia in partnership with the United States Department of State and YSEALI and will take place during the ASEAN Regional Forum which is being held in Malaysia the same week. Interested applicants should join YSEALI if not already members and submit a one-minute video pitch describing their idea for helping Southeast Asia grow in the areas of economic development, civic engagement, environment and education.  The deadline for applications is July 3, 2015.  One hundred and ten aspiring entrepreneurs from South East Asia, aged 18 to 30, will be selected to take part in the event.  Participants will receive entrepreneurship training and build online apps. The team that creates the best app will win a free trip ...

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—A magnitude 4.0 quake shook  Laoag City, including Vigan City and Sinait in Ilocos Sur on June 24 at 2:18 am, a report from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said. The epicenter of the earthquake was at 39 kilometers southeast of Laoag with a depth of five kilometers. Some Laoag City residents who were awakened that time felt a mild shaking of the earth while nearby Sinait felt shock of intensity II and intensity I in Vigan, Ilocos Sur. The earthquake was of tectonic origin. No damage and aftershocks is expected. The Philippines sits on the “Pacific Ring of Fire” where continental plates collide causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

WE all know that life has more to offer than what we can manage. There are surprises both of the pleasant and welcome ones as well as the terribly unwelcome ones. There are heavy pressures and insoluble predicaments. We have to be ready for these eventualities, though we also know we cannot be truly ready enough.   We have to learn to live with this fact of life and strengthen our conviction, based on our Christian faith, that there’s such thing as divine providence. God always governs all of his creation, and in his own mysterious ways directs all things to himself. If this is part of our bedrock belief, then we would be open, ready and game with anything in life. A great part of his providence is beyond our understanding. What we know is that it is at once all-wise, all-powerful, all-just and all-merciful. If we would just be open to this truth about his providence, I suppose we would be ok even if along the way we commit all sorts of mistakes and even sins. God know...