The Ilocos Times

 POSTPONED. Palace press officer Usec. Claire Castro meets with Ilocos Norte officials led by Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos on Sept. 25, 2026 in the City of Batac , Ilocos Norte. Castro confirmed the postponement of BSKE to November 2028. (Lei Adriano) By Leilanie Adriano CITY OF BATAC—Ilocos Norte officials welcomed the postponement of the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) to 2028, saying the extension would give village officials more time to complete programs and deliver services to their communities. Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro officially confirmed the postponement Friday during a press conference at Mariano Marcos State University in the City of Batac, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s signing of Senate Bill No. 2387 . The measure amends Republic Act No. 12232 , extends the term of barangay and SK officials from four to five years, and moves the next BSKE to November 2028. Ilocos Norte Governor Cecilia Araneta-M...

  By Engr. Carlos V. Cornejo Herbert Prochnow said, “There is a time when we must firmly choose the course which we must follow, or the relentless drift of events will make the decision for us.”   I totally agree.   Life is full of decision-making processes.   By the time we wake up options are already made available to us. In fact, the very time we get up from bed is in itself a decision we have to make.   We can choose to get up from bed by the time the alarm clock rings or decide to sleep some more.   The drift of events Herbert Prochnow mentioned can refer to circumstances in life or persons around us that could decide things for us.   Usually, we make certain goals in life such as to finish college, to work abroad, to start our own business, etc. as our guide in making everyday decisions.   We normally ask ourselves before making a decision, “Is this activity going to bring me closer to my goals or not?” If we don’t have a firm reso...

RECOGNIZING COMMUNICATION EXCELLENCE. LANDBANK bags six Quill Awards for communication initiatives that connect and empower Filipinos during the 22nd Philippine Quill Awards on 27 August 2026 at Solaire Resort North in Parañaque City. Receiving the awards on behalf of the Bank were Senior Vice President for Corporate Affairs Catherine Rowena B. Villanueva (center-left), Vice President for Public Communications Gaudioso Carlos A. Garcia VI (center-right), and Assistant Vice President for Corporate Communications and Events Melissa B. Calimag (2 nd from center-left), together with other officers and personnel from LANDBANK’s Corporate Affairs Group. LANDBANK’s efforts to connect Filipinos to opportunities, champion sustainability , and support underserved communities earned six recognitions at the 22nd Philippine Quill Awards, affirming the Bank’s development impact beyond banking. The state-run bank received three Excellence Awards and three Merit Awards in communication manage...

WATER RESERVE. A water impounding project in Batac City , Ilocos Norte stores rainwater for agricultural use in this undated photo. The provincial government has allocated PHP25 million to build at least 23 rainwater catchment facilities as part of preparations for prolonged dry conditions . ( Lei Adriano) By Leilanie Adriano LAOAG CITY —The Ilocos Norte provincial government has set aside PHP25 million for the construction of at least 23 rainwater catchment facilities as the province prepares for prolonged dry conditions and possible El Niño impacts. Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) officer Marcell Tabije confirmed the allocation following a meeting of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Tabije said the project is intended to augment water supplies in communities that could face reduced availability during extended periods of below-normal rainfall. “The investment comes as communities face increasing pressure on w...