The Ilocos Times

HISTORICAL MARKER. Representatives of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the National Museum of the Philippines as well as Laoag City officials unveil on Monday (June 17, 2024) a historical marker of the Spanish-era watchtower of Gabu. The watchtower is one of the last remaining watchtowers in the country recognized as a national cultural treasure on December 17, 2020. ( Lei Adriano) By Leilanie Adriano LAOAG CITY – Officials and residents here witnessed the unveiling of a new marker of the Spanish-era watchtower located at Sitio Torre, Brgy. 35, Gabu Sur this city. Laoag Mayor Michael M. Keon said the marker would serve as a reminder to preserve the city’s history for the next generation. “The Gabu Sur watchtower built during the Spanish colonial period and used as an outpost for sentinels tasked to warn residents of pirate attacks now stands tall as a symbol of resilience and strength, overlooking our lands with a silent grace that speaks volumes about our pas

City of Batac —Mariano Marcos State University’s research and development initiatives is now acknowledged international after it bagged the Gold Award under the Pharma Category for its Black Garlic product. Spearheaded by MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis, before she became university president, and commercialized by BauerTek Farmaceutical Technologies Corp, Black Garlic secured the said award during the E-NNOVATE International Invention & Innovation Summit, held May 16-18, 2024 at Krakow, Poland. MMSU’s industry partner, BauerTek, and inventors Richard and Rigel Gomez, assisted in the black garlic’s conversion from a research experiment into a full-blown commercial product. The packaged black garlic is aimed at helping patients with nerve disorders and certain forms of cancer. E-NNOVATE is an annual event supported by the Polish government in partnership with the International Federation of Inventors Associations. This year’s summit featured more than 200 entries from 25 cou

RIVER DREDGING. A dredging operator at the mouth of the Bislak River in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte in this undated photo. Dredging activities are ongoing to anticipate heavy rains this rainy season, a local official said. ( Lei Adriano) By Leilanie Adriano & Dominic B. dela Cruz LAOAG CITY—Ilocos Norte’s provincial government is lending its backhoe, excavator, and other equipment to towns and barangays in the province to hasten the desilting of rivers and creeks in anticipation of heavy rainfall that could trigger flash floods in low-lying areas. Marcel Tabije, local disaster risk reduction and management officer of Ilocos Norte reported that the desilting of waterways is ongoing in the flood-prone areas of Paoay, Pinili, Badoc, and Pagudpud towns. “We are declogging these waterways in anticipation of heavy rains and bring back their depth to prevent overflow that inundates nearby communities,” Tabije said. Aside from lending equipment, the provincial government’s implementati

I am proposing to build an Urban Forest Park (UFP) inside the Diliman, Quezon City campus of the University of the Philippines. I am hoping that if it becomes successful, it can become the showcase for my advocacy to build new growth forests in all urban areas all over the Philippines. It may sound ambitious, but do not worry because we have all the time to make it happen. Probably, it will take at least 20 years to grow. The proposed urban forest will be planted with native trees, and only native trees. However, it could also be planted with vegetables and other high value crops, in connection with my secondary goal of also building a food forest. Yes, the primary goal is to help combat global warming, but the secondary goal is to contribute to food security. Even if my goal is to build urban forests, the showcase in Diliman could also become the prototype for beach forests in coastal areas, and rain forests in mountain areas. The latter could take hundreds of years to build, but

By Aileen Tangonan MacAndrew and Noralyn Onto Dudt Clinical trials are research studies with the goal of   testing   a medical, surgical, or behavioral intervention in people. These trials are the primary means   for researchers to determine if a new form of treatment   or prevention, such as a new drug, diet, or medical device   ( for example, a pacemaker) is safe and effective in people. The trials   study   new tests and treatments and then evaluates their effects on human health outcomes. The importance of clinical trials in cancer care is evident in patients' overall survival.   Most patients with advanced malignancies are heavily pretreated with standard-of-care treatments. Thus, clinical trials in the practice of evidence-based medicine are important options for them. As clinical trials could   take as long as ten years, its application   involves dedication, patience, and great camaraderie among the entire research team: Primary Investigator, Sub-investigator, Research