The Ilocos Times

Regarding the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), it is an international treaty that establishes the legal framework for maritime boundaries and activities. The arbitral tribunal ruling in 2016, which favored the Philippines and invalidated China's claims in the South China Sea, is legally binding under international law. However, China has rejected the ruling and continues to assert its claims based on historical rights. It is crucial for countries involved in the South China Sea disputes to engage in peaceful dialogue, adhere to international law, and work towards a peaceful resolution. Escalating tensions through provocative actions, such as military confrontations, can lead to unintended consequences and destabilize the region. Diplomatic efforts, multilateral negotiations, and international cooperation are essential in managing and resolving territorial disputes in the South China Sea. It is important for all parties involved to prioritize dialogue, ...

LAOAG  Vice Mayor Rey Carlos Fariñas is the only legislator of Ilocos Norte that joined the National Movement of Young Legislators (NMYL) trip to Sennan City, Osaka, Japan from May 7-11, 2024.  Fariñas had the chance to propose for partnerships with the international agencies on their possible projects that might be feasible for the City of Laoag for adaptation. On the first day,  they discussed the roles of embassies and consulates in the foreign countries and the styles on diplomacy, constitution and laws as presented by Voltaire Mauricio. After which, the group visited the Osaka Prefectural Government and discussed the Osaka Expo 2025. The second day featured the discussion on data science and other topics from Japan for the Philippine Tech Leap represented by Professor Renzo Tan. Professor Neriza Sato, meanwhile, discussed the possible areas of engagement with Filipino-Japanese Community since she has been part of the Philippine Community Coordinating Counci...

What are the current problems of agriculture in the Philippines? The Philippines has become a rice exporter since 1976, but the poor consumers who buy rice have not been benefited. The price of rice has not stopped increasing, because the prices of fertilizers and other farm inputs which are made by multinationals keep on increasing. Even the Filipino farmers are still poor. Thus, it has been claimed by expert observers that only the multinational corporations and their representatives in the Philippines reap the benefits. What are other factors that contribute to our agricultural problems: corruption, smuggling, mismanagement, inflation, 5 calamity. So, what possible recommendations or suggestions can we provide to correct these problems or at least improve our agricultural sector. The issues mentioned regarding agriculture in the Philippines are indeed significant and multifaceted. Here are some additional factors that contribute to the agricultural problems in the country: ...

The law requires municipalities, cities and provinces to appoint representatives of Indigenous Cultural Minorities (ICMs) to the municipal, city and provincial councils if there are enough of them who are living within their jurisdictions. This is a wonderful provision in the law, but it seems that its implementation is not uniformly or consistently done all over the country. At the outset, I would say that the Dept. of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) are the agencies that should take the lead in implementing these laws, but it seems difficult to gather compliance data about which jurisdictions are abiding with the laws and which ones are not. Aside from the two NGAs and the three levels of LGUs, I believe that the role of NGOs in the overall implementation should also be recognized, including the many churches-based organizations (CBOs) that are helping the ICMs everywhere. Counting everyone, there should be a three-w...

The Netherlands and Bhutan are two countries that do not have oil deposits, and yet they are net exporters of energy. The Netherlands because they tapped their natural gas deposits, and Bhutan because of their hydropower plants. Although I could only cite two examples, that is already sufficient proof that a country could become a net exporter of energy, even if it does not have oil deposits. But what about the Philippines? Could we possibly become a net exporter of energy? I would say that in theory, we could become one, but on the condition that we decrease our oil imports and increase our own local power generation. That might sound like a tall order, but we do have the assets that could make it happen. There are many countries that are now net exporters of energy, simply because they have oil deposits. By comparison, we do have oil deposits too, but the difference between these countries and the Philippines, is that they have tapped their deposits, and we have not. At least, not e...

In the Philippines , the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) is subject to rules and regulations that govern the proper use of SK funds to ensure transparency, accountability, and responsible financial management. The SK is not allowed to withdraw any amount from their SK funds without following specific provisions and controlling factors. Here are some important points to consider regarding the use of SK funds and oversight of SK functions:   Guidelines for SK Funds : SK funds are governed by the Local Government Code of 1991 and its subsequent amendments, as well as the SK Reform Act of 2015. These laws provide guidelines on the allocation, disbursement, and utilization of SK funds for youth development programs and projects.   Budgeting and Approval Process: The SK is required to prepare an annual budget that outlines proposed expenditures for youth programs and activities. This budget must be approved by the SK Council through a majority vote and endorsed by the barangay co...

For so many years now, many LGUs have been trying to implement waste recycling programs in their own localities, but very few seem to have succeeded. By the looks of it, many local officials seem resigned to the idea of doing the same thing repeatedly, and expecting different results, which is Einstein’s definition of insanity. Is it therefore the time now to try something different? So that we could have different results? Instead of just having one type of garbage truck picking up both biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste materials, why not have two separate trucks to do that, with two separate schedules? That way, the biodegradable waste, which is mostly food waste, could be brought directly to a biodigester facility, where these could be composted and converted to organic fertilizer. Without the biodegradable waste, it would be easier to sort the non-biodegradable waste, which is mostly recyclables. Better still, we should make it compulsory to sort or segregate the non...

Zero waste management is an approach that aims to minimize the amount of waste generated and sent to landfills or incinerators by promoting waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting. Proper waste segregation is a fundamental step in zero waste management, as it allows for the efficient sorting of waste materials to facilitate recycling and composting processes. Here are the steps involved in zero waste management relative to waste segregation, from collecting waste to recycling to proper waste disposal:   Waste Collection The first step in zero waste management is the collection of waste from households, businesses, and public areas. Waste collection systems should be organized to ensure that different types of waste are collected separately to facilitate segregation at the source.   Waste Segregation Waste segregation involves sorting waste into different categories based on their composition and recyclability. Common segregation categories include biode...

“BEHOLD, the hour cometh, and it is now come, that you shall be scattered every man to his own, and shall leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.” (Jn 16,32) These words of Christ should remind us of what to expect when we truly follow him. We can expect to be misunderstood and abandoned, and yet we should never feel alone because, as Christ said of himself which can also be said of us if we follow him, we can never be alone, because the Father will always be with us. We just have to train our human faculties—our intelligence and will, our emotions, memory and imagination, etc.—to align themselves to this truth of our faith. Let’s remember that we are not meant to be guided only by our natural powers. Given the way God wants us to be, we should be guided by God’s supernatural powers—the faith he shares with us, and the many graces and blessings he gives us. When we feel alone, we have to convince ourselves that we are not with God, and thus, should ...

AFTER  25 years in service, retired policeman Ritchie Tenegra ventured into poultry farming, and through LANDBANK’s support, now contributes to enhancing food security for the local community. LEON, Iloilo—From his sworn oath to ‘serve and protect’ the community for 25 years as a dedicated police officer, Ritchie Tenegra shifted his focus towards an equally meaningful purpose: food security. He has since embraced retirement by pursuing his other passion of poultry farming, and is now one of the reliable food suppliers in this town. At a young age, Ritchie saw the potential of animal farming through his parents who owned a piggery. He later followed their footsteps and established his own small piggery in his backyard in 2010 as an additional source of income to support his family. While still in the police force, he had limited capital to start his piggery operations. So Ritchie applied to be a beneficiary of the Swine Dispersal Program of the Department of Agriculture (DA), ...

RAINY SEASON. Trike drivers in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte make their way through a flooded street along Paco Roman Street on May 29, 2024. The public is warned to brace for the rainy season. ( Lei Adriano) By Leilanie G. Adriano LAOAG CITY—The Ilocos Norte provincial government is now bracing for La Niña, urging all local government units (LGUs) to brace for higher rainfall and the upcoming typhoon season. “Let us make sure our waterways are clear, all equipment is available—our generator sets, boats, and search and rescue. We have to be ready when the time comes,” Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc said during a meeting with department heads at the Provincial Capitol. He directed concerned personnel of the local disaster risk reduction and management councils at the provincial and municipal levels to take a proactive role in minimizing the effect of typhoons as well as La Niña. Based on the latest advisory of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical ...

It is truly unfortunate to hear about the persistent flood problems in Laoag City despite various efforts to address the issue. Dealing with such a complex and long-standing problem requires a comprehensive approach that goes beyond merely constructing canals. Here are some possible reasons why the flood problem in Laoag City has not been effectively addressed:   Inadequate planning The focus on individual canal construction projects without a comprehensive master plan could be a significant factor contributing to the ongoing flood issues. A lack of integrated planning can lead to disjointed efforts that fail to address the root causes of flooding.   Poor implementation and oversight If there are issues of corruption or mismanagement in the implementation of canal projects, it can result in substandard construction, ineffective maintenance, and ultimately, the failure to mitigate flooding effectively.   Climate change and urban development Factors ...

By Noralyn Dudt & Aileen Tangonan MacAndrew DNA ( deoxyribonucleic acid) is a molecule that contains the genetic code that is unique to every individual. Think of this code as an instruction manual for making all the proteins that form our bodies and help them thrive. The information code in DNA is hereditary which means it passes from parent to child. Because of this inheritance,  DNA also determines our traits  including how we are shaped and how similar we look to our parents and even grandparents. These traits coded in DNA will always get passed on from generation to generation. The DNA that determines heritable traits is found in the nucleus of every single cell in our bodies. DNA is made up of two intertwined strands linked together by pairs of building blocks, known as bases: adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine. Bases make up the rungs of the  DNA helix, the ladder-like double-stranded structure.  When a base joins the side of the ladder, a nucleotid...

INEC acting general manager Cipriano Martinez Dingras , Ilocos Norte—The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) announced a five-year plan to upgrade its distribution system to solve perennial power outages in the province, which is expected to cost around PHP3 billion. The average daily electricity demand of the cooperative’s 183,000 members rose to 67 megawatts from 40 megawatts due to El Niño phenomenon, acting general manager Cipriano Martinez said in a press conference at the INEC main office in Dingras said. “Whatever it takes, we will do that (upgrading of the system) to become efficient in distribution,” Martinez said, citing the plan to take out a loan from the National Electrification Administration (NEA). Engineer Jenner Pablo, INEC Construction, Operation and Maintenance Division manager, said at least three of their substations are nearly reaching 100 percent capacity and the other transformers are overloaded, hence, the need to make some adjustments to address the...

( Last of a three-part series ) The Triumphant Christ By Noralyn Dudt THEIR numbers were growing and had caught the attention of the authorities. They have been  told "to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people." They were ordered  to refrain from all public  speaking and teaching in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John said, "we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." The Book of Acts in the New Testament provides a record of how the 12 disciples (plus Paul, and minus Judas) of Christ starting in Jerusalem, went about the  Roman Empire preaching the Good News they have heard and seen  from THE  TEACHER, whom they were with, side by side  for three years. It was what we may call an "intensive study and training." "The Apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders among the people… more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. As a result, people brought the sick i...