The Ilocos Times

By Joni C. Luis ( Correspondent) Pagudpud , Ilocos Norte—"Full, solid, 100 percent.” That is how Pagudpud Vice Mayor Matilde “Maja” H. Sales described her support for Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos, who is running for the congressional seat of Ilocos Norte’s first district. Sales, who is aiming a return as Pagudpud mayor, said she believes that Marcos, with his educational background and exposure in Congress, is “ripe and ready” to represent the district. She added that having him as congressman will be very beneficial for the district, especially if his father, presidential frontliner Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr., becomes the nation’s leader. “ Alam niyo naman, manipud idi , no matter what and against all odds, hindi talaga kami umaalis sa Marcos, kaya ikarigatanmi a tulungan isuna ,” said Sales who intimated that her association with the younger Marcos goes way back. Sandro himself has shared in previous media interviews that among his fondest memories grow...

As journalists , we do have our own personal biases, beliefs and principles. As human beings, it is inevitable that there are just things and persons we like and don’t like. Here at The Ilocos Times , the only criterion we use for news stories is objectivity. We don’t include opinions of the news writer neither do we allow their “slants” for or against the personality involved in the news. We try to balance the issues by getting both sides’ comments and takes. There may come a time when a person concerned is not interviewed or asked about the issue he/she may be involved in; but this is mainly due to the fact that the person is unavailable or simply doesn’t want to comment. Either way, we do try our best to get their take on whatever issue they may be concerned with. Opinion pieces, on the other hand, is a totally different animal. Here, our opinion and editorial writers make their stand on issues they are tackling. On this side of journalism, the personal biases, prejudices and ...

By Noralyn Onto Dudt OMICRON, the 15th letter of the Greek alphabet has been drafted   by the World Health Organization as the name for the new COVID-19 variant, technically known as the B.1.1.529 variant. The Omicron variant is a reminder of what scientists and medical experts have been saying for months: COVID-19 will thrive as long as vast numbers of the global population are not vaccinated. Scientists say that Omicron is the weirdest creature they have ever encountered with 30 unruly swarm of mutations scattered on three major prongs of the spike protein that is essential to the virus ability to infect cells,   a first of its kind with so many mutations gathered in "one package." Even though some of these mutations are recognizable,   many of them are new and utterly enigmatic. That said, scientists do not want to get ahead of the facts: no one knows exactly yet how this variant behaves in real-world situations. However, should they find a high degree of immune-...

The recent events that unfolded in the last two years should give us pause to rethink the criteria we use in voting for our public officials. Anyone can become mayor or a governor, or a president even, but not everyone can become an efficient and effective crisis manager when once-in-a-century catastrophe and tragedy befall us. The COVID pandemic has unmasked and uncovered what we really are in a crisis situation. And although some did their best with whatever they had, there are others who failed epically--and miserably. As such, it was their constituents who suffered most. Here in Laoag City, the response and the pandemic rose and fell, and as much as much was promised, to call whatever promised was realized an   under-delivery is a tragedy in itself. The full lockdown of whole barangays without the subsequent and sufficient help and aid, became more troubling for those who were caught in the middle; forbidden to go to work but without any ample government relief in any way ...

Laoag City —The Department of Agrarian Reform-Ilocos Norte (DAR Ilocos Norte) earned its ISO 9001:2015 certification following the successful establishment of its quality management systems (QMS) amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The certification process was administered by TUV NORD Philippines, Inc. through remote two-stage audit which was held on Nov. 4 and 11, 2021. During the audit, DAR Ilocos Norte was assisted by ISO consultant Christine Lazaro. ISO 9001:2015 is a globally recognized quality management standard developed and published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The certification provides a model in building an effective QMS. The standard is based on several quality management principles, including having a strong customer focus and high-level management. Provincial agrarian reform program officer II (PARPO II) Vic M. Ines said “The management conveys our sincerest thanks and appreciation as we recognize the substantial efforts   and contri...

By Noralyn Dudt PAIN is not   imagined, but your brain plays a role.   A large number of the population suffers from chronic pain which is defined as pain experienced most days to some, or every day to the unfortunate others. Conditions include migraines, sciatica and gastrointestinal disorders, as well as shoulder, knee and elbow pain. Back and neck pain have been experienced by a lot of people at some point in their lives. The medical community has traditionally regarded chronic pain in one or two ways. Doctors either consider it a structural problem caused by tissue damage—muscle strain, ruptured disks, an inflamed or torn tendon; or they shrug, saying they cannot find anything wrong and suggest painkillers,   physical therapy,   rest, or a different diet or lifestyle. In too many cases, surgery is performed,   despite dismal success rates of around 25 per cent.   The view that chronic pain originates in the brain—that it is fundamentally a psycho...

It was 1904 and the World's Fair in St Louis, Missouri buzzed with excitement. The World's Fair was to be the Centennial celebration of the 1804 Louisiana Purchase from France.   It was going to be the event of the century. In the words of David Francis who was the chief executive of the Louisiana Purchase,   it was to "demonstrate to visitors that human history has reached its "apotheosis" in Forest Park,"   the venue for the World's Fair.   The $15 million that was spent to create such an extravaganza showed   that no expense was spared. The Fairgrounds covered 1,000 acres ( 405 hectares). It was a pivotal and contentious moment in American history, when in the midst of a new industrial era,   the United States of America celebrated itself as a growing imperial force. The World's Fair of 1904 was designed to showcase American glory, American democracy,   American economy.   On display were the greatest technological innovations of the time: o...

Ni Leonardo Rosqueta Agonoy POLITIKA!   Adu a tattao wenno umili ti ulawenna. Politiko, naruayda. Iti kaaduda, matikawka no asinoda ti pudno a butosamto. No pudno nga isuda ti makatulongto ti ilulung-aw ti panagbiag ti tunggal maysa. Pangenpangen. Saggaysadanto manen nga umay manumtubalay. Mamerienda ken mainum ti balonda nga iyawat kadagiti botante. Kasla aso ken pusa met ti idiar, kababalin dagiti agsusupangil. Begbegento met ti media dagita nga isyu ti politika. Kasano itan?   Di met ammon no asino ti patiem ti sasawen ti tunggal maysa. Ngamin, kaarig met dagiti politiko ti upa a manok - kutak-a-kutak a di met maka-itlog! Anian sa itan?  Ti met gayam agtutunggali nga isyu ti politika ti wagas a panaglatak ti kinaasino ti tunggal politiko!  In short , awan ti maidumduma ti kinaasino dagitoy. Maymaysa ti burikda!  Burik ti buaya!  Kasla alinta pay ti kaarigda!  Kunatayo a puera de los buenos? Kakailian. Masaotayo laeng ditoy iti kinabuklis, ki...

ECO-FRIENDLY. On Oct. 20, 2021, a worker at the newly-inaugurated Ilocos Norte Eco Hub demonstrates to local officials of the province led by Vice Governor Cecilia Araneta Marcos how the stripped plastic sachets are mix with cement to produce eco-bricks. Also shown in the background photo are eco-bricks used in the construction of the first eco hub in the province which is envisioned to be replicated in various parts of the province to help beat plastic pollution. ( Lei G. Adriano) Leilanie G. Adriano ( Staff Reporter) LAOAG CITY—The province of Ilocos Norte is heading towards beating plastic pollution with the manufacturing of eco-bricks using recycled plastic wastes for construction purposes. Located along the national highway at Sitio Bato, Brgy. Tonoton in Piddig, Ilocos Norte the project is a model eco hub recycling facility, the first of its kind in Ilocos region. Through a public and private partnership agreement between the Ayala-led renewable energy corporation-North Luzon...

The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC), the statutory Liquidator of closed banks, will sell a total of 59 agricultural lots owned by various closed banks through electronic public bidding (e-bidding) on Nov. 19, 2021. The PDIC announced that it will accept bids from interested buyers from 9:00 a.m. on November 18, 2021 to 8:00 a.m. on November 19, 2021, via its e-bidding portal at https://assetsforsale.pdic.gov.ph . Bids will be opened starting at 9:00 a.m. on November 19, 2021. To be sold individually on an “as-is, where-is” basis are 53 agricultural lots (two of which have improvements) and six mixed agricultural-residential lots (two of which have improvements) with a combined minimum disposal price of P110.2 million. The properties are located in Bataan, Batangas, Cagayan, Laguna, La Union, Leyte, Marinduque, Palawan and Pangasinan. To complete the required one-time registration, interested parties can go to the PDIC Assets for Sale website at https://assetsfors...

Ni Leonardo Rosqueta Agonoy MANGRUGRUGIN ti binnara,pinnalapal, pinniltak iti lubong ti politika. Idi punganay ti puon ti historia iti kasta a pakasaritaan ti politika ditoy Filipinas. Iti agdama, maituloy latta ti saan a nasayaat a kababalin dagiti politikotayo a dangdanggayan dagiti adda iti likudan dagiti politiko. Nasaknap, nangruna iti agdama a panawen, ti panagsaknap ti fake news ken nadumaduma a kita ti panagpipinnadakes dagiti politikotayo. Am-amang pay a segsegpen ti sangapagilian iti panagbalbaliw koma metten ti di nasayaat nga ugalitayo, kakailian. Iti biang ti nasional ti pangarigantayo laengen, kakailian. Ub-uboren, palpalapalendan ti narnuoyan iti bunga, isu dayta ti sigud a Senador Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. Permi ita ti panangpadpadakes dagiti kontra-Marcos. Panggep pay ketdi ti nadunaduma a grupo a pa-disqualify ti COC ni BBM gapu kadagiti kaso a bibiagen manen dagiti mabuteng iti posible a panagsubli ti Marcos idiay Malacanang. Banag a saan la idandaneng t...

By Noralyn O. Dudt SMALLPOX was on its way of being eradicated in 1979, and in the following year, the World Health Organization declared it official.   Its eradication was   not only due to   the aggressive vaccination programs that were launched,   but also due to the unique characteristics of the virus. These unique characteristics were:   the virus needed animal hosts to keep it alive;   the virus had clear features that made the disease easy to recognize in people who suffered from it;   the virus was   infectious for only a short period of time, and getting infected conferred immunity for life. Measles , on the other hand,   is an example of a disease that couldn't be eradicated. This highly transmissible respiratory virus only came under control after a vaccine was developed in 1963, and in highly vaccinated regions such as the United States, it has technically been eliminated, although occasional outbreaks still occur. The end...

By Noralyn Onto Dudt If my grandfather were still alive today, he would be 121 years old. He was born in the poblacion of Batac   in 1900 just as the Americans were setting fire on the town and burning   it to the ground. His parents, my great-grandparents, named him   Anselmo. It's not really an Ilocano name so I looked up its origins. The English and German "Anselm" means "God- protected", while the Spanish origin "Anselmo" means "God-helmet."   However, as his daughter (my mother) told me many times, the "selmo" in his name sounded like "silmut" which is the Ilocano word for "ignite." The town was being ignited, a historical fact   that never   made it into the mainstream history textbooks. It's a story that had to be told by the elders, by word of mouth and by a few history preservationists. I wonder if my great-parents recognized early on what this "burning" was all about. Surely their newbor...

Agbatay iti natalged nga ima ken tunos dagiti kamkameng ken ti liderato ti balligi ti maysa a gunglo. Mabangon ti gunglo tapno maisayangkat ti/dagiti napintas nga objectives ken goals para iti pagsayaatan ken pakairanudan dagiti kameng ken ti komunidad. Agpaut ti gunglo, ken agballigi daytoy no awan ti makuna nga utek kappi. Ketdi, agturay ketdi iti pinnarbeng, respeto ken panagtutunos. Awan ti makuna a linnumbaan. No agkalikagum ti maysa nga agbalin a pangulo, adda pagsasao,   umuna koma a natudio a pasurot,   a kitaenna nga isu ket natudio a kameng.   No adda napintas a singasing ti maysa, ited dayta iti respeto. Saan a takkaban, saan nga agawen. Ketdi,   ited ti hustisia,   ited ti pammigbig no asino ti akin-utek a maipaayan iti kredito. Kunak daytoy ti gapuna, no dadduma, adda a mapasamak dagitoy iti dadduma a gunglo. Banag a pangrugian ti panagsisina, ken no dadduma, tumaud manen ti sabali ti gunglo. Panagkaykaysa ti kanayon a birbiroken ken kalkal...