The Ilocos Times

Marcos Mayor Antonio Mariano in an interview with the members of the media. ( Photo by Dulce Valenzuela) By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Marcos , Ilocos Norte—" Awan kinagpayso na dayta nga agwarwaras ta iti kinapudno na ket kayat paylaeng dagiti appo nga kakailiak iti Marcos nga itul-tuloy ko iti pinagserbik kadakuada babaen ngata dagiti nagkaadu a makitkita da a pinag progreso ti ili mi ”. This was Marcos Mayor Antonio Mariano clarification on rumors that he will no longer run for re-election in next year’s elections as he will be going back to the United States for his family. The Ilocos Times learned that there are already some politicians eyeing the said mayoralty post, including his opponents in 2019 election and one of his present councilor. The mayor likewise said that his relationship with Marcos Vice Mayor Hilario Lorenzo is “okay in terms of work”. “ Dayta iti the big question mark no kayat nak to pay a kadwa wennu saanen ngem possible met a kadwa...

ACTING  Solsona Vice Mayor Jonathan De Lara presides the Aug. 10, 2021 regular session of the Sangguniang Bayan as he was officially designated as the acting vice mayor of Solsona by DILG Sec. Eduardo Año. ( Doms Dela Cruz ) By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Solsona , Ilocos Norte—The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) central office thru Secretary Eduardo M. Año has formally ordered Sangguniang Bayan member Jonathan De Lara to assume as acting vice mayor of Solsona. De Lara’s designation, dated August 5, 2021 as acting vice mayor of Solsona, was to fill up the temporary vacancy created in the said office due to the assumption as acting mayor of Solsona Vice Mayor Bob Sacro. Sacro assumed as acting mayor due to a 60-day preventive suspension order issued to Solsona Mayor Joseph De Lara by Ilocos Norte Governor Mathew Joseph M. Manotoc dated July 16, 2021 for an administrative case. DILG regional director Julie J. Daquioag further informed DILG ...

  By Noralyn Onto Dudt "To educate the Filipinos and to uplift and Christianize them,” was what Pres. William McKinley announced in an interview by James Rusling of "The Christian Advocate" for annexing the Philippines in 1898. Quite ironic indeed as the people of the Philippines had been Christian for about three centuries before McKinley and his supporters got the idea. Free access to modern public education was made possible through the Spanish enactment of the Spanish Education Decree of Dec 20, 1863 by Queen Isabella II. And although public education—the kind that we are familiar with—was not yet in place, the Jesuits and the Dominican Orders had built parochial schools all over the archipelago. The University of Santo Tomas in Manila, a pontifical university was founded in 1611, about a decade before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts. For all its bad and harsh beginnings, American tutelage had its good points.   The "sentimental impe...

Currently circulating online are photos comparing the food packages being distributed by Ilocos Norte's two cities. Laoag provides "ayuda" to some 70% of families in the city while Batac caters to all families residing within its boundaries, with no exception, registered voters or not. The food package being distributed by Laoag, photos show, also pales in comparison to that of Batac in terms of quantity and, many say, even in quality. Moreover, one of the two cities is faster by a mile in distributing goods, and it is not Laoag. Laoag Mayor Michael Keon, since last year, has been uncomfortable—bordering on allergic—being compared to his Batac counterpart. The other city has a smaller population, he says, and it has fewer barangays, which is why it can give more and distribute faster. Going by this logic, all other municipalities that have been outdoing Laoag owe their success and good work mainly to their smaller populace. Going by the same logic, LGUs with larger p...

By Noralyn Onto Dudt Watch what you eat. You eat the wrong stuff and your arteries will be clogged, your pain will be worse, and your brain will be fogged.   Blame inflammation which comes from a chemical reaction initiated by your immune system. Inflammation is the immune system's response to injury and infection. It is the body's way of signaling the immune system to heal and repair damaged tissues as well as to defend itself against foreign invaders. The attacker could be a foreign body, such as a thorn, an irritant, or a pathogen. Pathogens include bacteria, viruses, and other organisms which cause infections. When you cut your finger, white blood cells produce chemicals to combat the invader and to protect the infected area.   These chemicals are then released into the bloodstream, increasing blood flow to the area, causing inflammation.   In cases like these, inflammation is temporary and promotes healing. However, there are times when the immune system does ...

COMPLETE D. Rep. Ria Cristina Fariñas (Ilocos Norte. 1 st  district) meets with BHW, BNS, BSPO, tanods and day-care workers during the AICS distribution at Brgy. 11 Sta. Rosa in Sarrat, Ilocos Norte as she assisted the DSWD personnel in giving the financial assistance to beneficiaries. ( Doms Dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City —The Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) distribution for the first district of Ilocos Norte is complete, Rep. Ria Cristina Fariñas (Ilocos Norte, 1 st district) announced. Of the 12 local government units (LGUs), including the Laoag City, and with a total of 285 Barangays and about 5,331 recipients received PHP2,000 each. In total, PHP10,926,000 were distributed. Records show that the Laoag had the highest number of recipients for the AICS distribution with 1,455 barangay health workers (BHWs), barangay tanods, barangay nutrition scholars (BNS), barangay service point officers (BSPOs), and barangay day-c...

Manila —PLDT Enterprise, the B2B arm of the largest fully integrated telecommunications company in the Philippines, called for innovative solutions that would address the threats to the well-being of students and teachers as they continue eLearning in the next normal. During PLDT Enterprise’s recently held eBossing Online Class—dedicated for the members of the   Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities (PACU)   and their 3,000 university and colleges heads, faculty members, and admin officers—Dick Perez, PLDT Enterprise Assistant Vice President and Corporate Relationship Management Head for Academe & FMCG, said that the toll of increased workload on teachers and other associated effects of the pandemic should not be underestimated. A study from United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) found that more than 28 million students, educators, and parents are grappling with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which also affects t...