The Ilocos Times

By Noralyn O. Dudt “Hallelujah hallelujah" chorus emanates from all quarters across the globe:   in cathedrals, churches, concert halls, shopping malls, school plays during this Christmas season. And HE shall live forever and ever… Hallelujah. Composed in 1741, The MESSIAH" by George Frideric Handel is still being played today and remains a favorite of many.   One wonders whether Handel saw the "Messiah" as his ticket to immortality. Handel wrote numerous oratorios but his most famous one was the "Messiah." The words were taken from the Bible and unless one is familiar with Scriptures, one would think this oratorio had no plot at first glance. However, the subject title is the plot—the prophecies about the Messiah: his life, death, resurrection, ascension,   and his eternal reign. An oratorio is different from an opera in two ways. It isn't acted out, with scenery and costumes, like an opera. The word "oratorio" comes from the Latin ...

By Carlos V. Cornejo A good book in managing our negative emotions is the one authored by renowned psychologist Susan David, entitled “Emotional Agility”.   In her book she gave four ways to deal with destructive emotions such as anger, sadness, boredom, self-pity or nervousness.   First, she suggested we need to be more accurate in describing our emotions.   That we should be able to distinguish sadness from boredom, anger from hatred, anxiety from loneliness, etc. in assessing our emotions.   Describing more accurately our emotions is like describing symptoms of our sickness to a doctor.   A well-defined problem will be a much easier problem to solve. Second, she advises us to accept our negative emotions.   Don’t run away from them by distracting ourselves with smartphone, use of social media or watching Netflix.   Running away from it would just make it come back with a vengeance.   I would want to inject a Christian remedy here.  ...

U.S. Marines and Philippine airmen load palletized family food packs onto a U.S. Navy MV-22B Osprey at Clark Air Base on November 13, 2025. Clark Air Base, Pampanga —In the immediate aftermath of Supertyphoon Fung-wong (local name Uwan ), the United States continues to answer the call for assistance from one of our closest friends, partners, and allies, the Philippines . Striking less than a week after Typhoon Kalmaegi ’s (local name Tino ) devastation, Supertyphoon Fung-wong has further strained relief efforts on the ground. The United States continues to support Philippine-led efforts to save lives, alleviate suffering, and address urgent needs. To this end, the United States is providing an additional US$1.5 million (Php87 million) in emergency, life-saving assistance in support of the Philippine government-led response, bringing the total US response to Typhoons Kalmaegi and Fung-wong to US$2.5 million (Php145 million), including support for logistics, emergency shelter, wa...

Frenchie  Mae Cumpio has been held in detention for nearly six years since her arrest in February 2020 on charges of illegal possession of firearms and financing terrorism . New York —The Committee to Protect Journalists and partners welcomed a Philippine court ’s decision to quash the murder charges against community journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio and called on authorities to drop all remaining charges against her. The 26-year-old journalist has been held in detention for nearly six years since her arrest in February 2020 on charges of illegal possession of firearms and financing terrorism. A court is set to rule on the firearms case in January 2026 . No date has been fixed for the other case. She faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted on both charges. Cumpio faced a separate case on murder and attempted murder charges over an incident in October 2019; a court in the eastern Philippines granted her petition to nullify the charges on November 6, 2025 . Another court als...

Laoag City —The provincial government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) showcased local mythology and creativity in this year’s “Semana ti Ar-aria” Ilocano Halloween Festival, a week-long celebration that brought together culture, artistry, and community spirit across the province. Held in commemoration of the Day of the Dead, the festival honored the memory of departed loved ones while celebrating Ilokano heritage and tradition. Leading this year’s festivities, Ilocos Norte Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos joined the parade dressed as "Inang Reyna" from “Encantadia,” a Filipino fantasy TV show. Provincial employees and public servants from across Ilocos Norte filled the streets in elaborate costumes inspired by Philippine folklore , bringing myth and fantasy to life through dance, music, and performance. Araneta-Marcos expressed PGIN’s continued support for initiatives that promote Ilokano culture and creativity, stating: “The Semana ti Ar-aria Halloween Celebration brings to lif...

San Nicolas Ilocos Norte—Barrio Onse, or Brgy. 11 San Fernando, in this town, celebrated its annual “Allawagi Festival Year IV”. The five-day celebration kicked off with a feeding program sponsored by balikbayan sisters Hazelyn, Ruby and Jenny Agustin from New Jersey, USA. The feeding program was held in the barangay’s Day Care Development Center led by teacher Miriam Currimao, serving 20 kids in the Nursery grade on October 24, 2025. A walkathon followed on October 25, with residents joining   the 5 am event. A Sumba followed   featuring the “Onse Sumbanatics.” Sangguniang Kabataan chairperson Jake Dela Cruz held the traditional “Laro Ng Lahi”,  with elementary grade pupils competing. Cash prizes were given to the winners of the native games. A mass officiated by Father Danilo Guevaras in celebration of the yearly Allawagi Festival every last week of October in the afternoon of the same day. A bloodletting program conducted by the Mariano Marcos Memorial ...

Laoag City — Ilocos Norte Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos pledged her administration’s commitment to strengthening Ilocos Norte’s tourism and investment sectors as she delivered her first 100 days report, outlining the province’s continuing progress toward Ilocos Norte as a " greener pasture ." “Tourism is truly Ilocos Norte’s greatest beauty, and we are committed to taking it to new heights,” Araneta-Marcos said. In her report, the governor highlighted several milestones in the tourism sector, including Ilocos Norte’s PHP 6.5 million in sales and second runner-up Best Booth recognition at the 36 th Philippine Travel Mart . She also emphasized the uncovering of “hidden gems” in the province, such as the cascades of falls in Pasuquin and the mountain ranges in Solsona, as potential destinations. Visitor services at the Laoag International Airport have been improved to offer guests a “warm and seamless welcome,” she said. The provincial government of Ilocos Norte...

Vintar, Ilocos Norte— Ilocos Norte is set to become Northern Luzon ’s hub for textile research and development with the forthcoming opening of the Regional Yarn Production and Innovation Center (RYPIC), locally known as “Panait ni Siwawer,” on November 20, 2025. The partnership for the establishment of the center was formally sealed through a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed on October 16, 2025 in Vintar, Ilocos Norte , between the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Textile Research Institute (DOST-PTRI), the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte , and the Municipality of Vintar. The facility, the first of its kind in Northern Luzon and the third in the entire country, forms part of DOST-PTRI’s program titled “Fostering the Revitalization of Nascent Textile Innovation Ecosystems in the Region.” It aims to strengthen the textile value chain by enabling the production of natural yarns from locally sourced fibers such as bamboo , cotton, abaca , and pineapple . On...

The Philippines is projected to become an aging society by 2030, but inadequate support systems, such as weak healthcare, limited pensions, and low digital literacy, risk leaving millions of older Filipinos vulnerable. Aging experts at the 11th Annual Public Policy Conference (APPC), organized by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) as part of the 23rd Development Policy Research Month (DPRM), urged the government to act now: strengthen institutions, embrace technology responsibly, and ensure no elderly Filipino is left behind. “The Philippines is aging before it becomes economically affluent,” warned Dr. Grace Cruz of the UP Population Institute. Findings from the “Longitudinal Study of Aging and Health in the Philippines (LSAHP)” reveal that older Filipinos have fragile and informal sources of support: six in ten rely on their children, 54% on pensions, only one in four earn from work due to low employment rates, and 18% receive remittances from abroad. ...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz, Staff reporter Laoag City —In a flavorful and festive showcase of Ilocano culinary pride, SM City Laoag successfully served 1,150 pieces of Ilocos empanada in what is now hailed as the largest empanada serving in Laoag City. The record-breaking event was one of the highlights of the SM City Laoag's Food Fest 2025, drawing in hundreds of mallgoers and food enthusiasts. The event transformed the SM City Laoag Event Center into a vibrant hub of aroma, culture, and live performances, as empanadas were freshly served on a sun-shaped platform symbolizing the “Sunshine City’” To create this feast, organizers used a staggering 1,150 eggs and approximately 40 kilograms of Ilocos longganisa, staying true to the authentic Ilocos empanada recipe that generations of Ilocanos have come to love.   A community effort The historic feat was made possible through the joint efforts of the following key partners: Department of Science and Technology (DOST); Departm...

By Lance Patrick Enad Amidst the prevailing existentialist view of life and the moral-therapeutic deist views of religion, which even those who go to church every Sunday are guilty of, it is good to note that there are those who experience phenomena that are seemingly unexplainable by science. These experiences could be beautiful, indifferent, and several times fearsome. This write-up does not intend to scientifically disprove the existence of what we call “demonic forces” (for he would most likely flunk science subjects) or to philosophically prove the existence of these forces (as the author has not yet attained sufficient philosophical awesomeness to do so). This write-up intends to spill some useful knowledge about such fearsome phenomena and perhaps to give practical guidelines on how to deal with them, well, if you must know, some catholic guidelines on how to deal with these. Whether we believe it or neglect it, evil does exist. This could be interpreted to morally evil thi...

Eureka ! Nasarakankan, wen nasarakakon ti bagik iti Ilocano American Association of Nevada (IAAN) kalpasan iti nasurok a dua a tawen a kaaddak ditoy sirok ti disierto iti sursurotek nga init. Kas iti Hawaii a nagnaedak iti nasurok a 52 a tawen ken kaaddak iti Hawaii Filipino community a kas maysa a community organizer ken volunteer a pakairamanan iti United Filipino Council of Hawaii, Oahu Filipino community, Lions Club International, Knights of Rizal, Gumil, Tri media council , Neighborhood boards ken dadduma pay. Ken kangrunaanna iti simbaan iti St. Paul’s church Pakaidayawan ti biang iti kalawa ti ridaw ti IAAN ta inawatdak a kas naan-anay a kameng itay Abril 2025. Kas maysa kadagiti board of directors adu met pay ti kayatko nga adalen ken maamuan maipapan iti IAAN tapno saanak nga aglabsing kadagiti pagalagadan ket mabalinko met nga ipakat ken isingay dagiti bukodko a padas ken panangidalan iti maysa a gunglo. Agyamanak iti panagtalek a naited kaniak aglalo iti panagtalek n...