The Ilocos Times

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...

Frenchie  Mae Cumpio has been held in prison for more than five years. New York —More than 250 journalists and representatives from media groups around the world on September 24, 2025, called for Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to take “decisive action” and immediately release journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, in a letter coordinated by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the #FreeFrenchieMaeCumpio coalition. The 26-year-old journalist has been detained for more than five years, while her trial on charges of illegal possession of firearms and financing terrorism moves slowly through the court, in a case a United Nations expert called “a travesty of justice.” Cumpio is the only journalist imprisoned in the Philippines for her work. If convicted, she faces up to 40 years in jail. “It is unconscionable to hold Frenchie Mae Cumpio in prison for even one more day,” said CPJ Asia-Pacific Director Beh Lih Yi. “President Marcos Jr. must seize the opportunity to right...

  World War II Veteran Corporal Ernesto C. Luis Sr. leads the ringing of the ceremonial bell at 12:10 p.m., marking the exact minute of General Yamashita’s surrender to Filipino and American forces in 1945. Baguio City —United States of America Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson and Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong led a ceremony commemorating the 80 th  Victory Day at the U.S. Ambassador’s Residence in Camp John Hay on September 3, 2025. Together, they honored the shared sacrifices of Filipino and Allied forces during World War II and celebrated the enduring ties between the Philippines and the United States. Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr. served as the guest of honor. Victory Day marks the end of World War II in the Philippines. In the 80 years since standing shoulder-to-shoulder in battle, the Philippines and the United States have grown ever closer as friends, partners, and allies. “The liberation of the Philippines during World War ...

HOUSE THAT CARABAO MILK BUILT. Members of the Timpuyog De San Marcelino Sustainable Livelihood Program Association Inc. pose for a photo in front of the house of their co-member, Edelberto Reyes Jr., in this undated photo. Reyes built his house through savings from carabao milk production. Lei Adriano By Leilanie Adriano DINGRAS, Ilocos Norte—A remote farming village here is not yet bidding goodbye to the carabao amid farm mechanization, as improved breeds can still bring more rewards than expected. Such is the case for at least 25 small farmers in Brgy. San Marcelino in this rice granary town of Ilocos Norte who are now reaping the benefits of dairy carabao farming. "First, I was skeptical. Who would think that a carabao can build me a house of my own?" said Edelberto Reyes Jr., a member of the Timpuyog De San Marcelino Sustainable Livelihood Program Association Inc. and a beneficiary of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), a conditional cash transfer program...

  Barangay  11 San Fernando, San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte PB Dominic B. dela Cruz and members of the barangay council attend the regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Laoag on July 8, 2025, presided by Laoag Voce Mayor Rey Carlos Fariñas (upper photo) and Sangguniang Panlungsod of Batac presided by Laoag Vice President Albert D. Chua (bottom photo) on July 14, 2025. These are in line with the barangay's continuing pursuit towards legislative excellence and initiatives following their recognition as the champion in the Ilocos Norte Awards for “Barangay Excellence in Legislation” (INABEL) under the 1 st  to 3 rd  Class Municipalities Category as well as a special award for the "Annayas Iti Panag-abel". This is a recognition of the San Nicolas barangay's exemplary performance in the conduct of parliamentary procedures demonstrating exceptional knowledge, skill and adherence to the internal rules of procedures (IRP). (Photos by Rols Burgos)

By Noralyn Dudt FAITH and science collide, often the saying goes. But developments in biochemistry and cell biology are proving otherwise. A biochemist peers into a tiny cell and   he stands in awe by the intricacies of the molecular machines that reside there which science has been uncovering over the last decade. There are elegant machines that translate RNA into protein, others that help move the cell around and others that transmit signals from the cell surface to the nucleus, traveling along a cascading pathway of multiple components. And   It is not only   the cell that provokes a sense of astonishment -- entire organs that are made up of billions or trillions of cells are constructed in a way that can only inspire awe. Consider, for instance, the human eye, a complex camera-like organ whose anatomy and physiology continue to impress even the most sophisticated student of optics. Dr. Francis Collins, a renowned geneticist and former director of the National Ins...

Retired  educator Dra. Celeste N. Querijero now devotes her time to cultivating mushrooms and managing her farm in Misamis Oriental, which has become a model of sustainable and inclusive farming. OPOL, Misamis Oriental—After dedicating 44 years to shaping minds as an agriculture professor at the Mindanao State University (MSU), Dra. Celeste N. Querijero was offered a prestigious international consultancy post—a tempting opportunity that recognized her expertise and decades of experience. But she chose to stay closer to home to empower small farmers in the community by sharing her knowledge of sustainable farming that defined her teaching career. "Even before I retired, I already had a deep passion for agriculture,” she shared. “As MSU’s coordinator for extension services, I saw firsthand the pressing needs of our farmers. They wanted knowledge, access, and a stable livelihood. So after retirement, I volunteered myself to serve. It’s my way of giving back after all the blessi...

City of Batac —The Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC) officially opened its Adolescent Friendly Health Facility (AFHF)—a space specially designed for young people to feel seen, heard, and cared for. The inauguration was conducted by the Department of Pediatrics, headed by AFHF program manager, Dr. Raymond Jerry V. Baguio, under the leadership of medical center chief Dr. Maria Lourdes K. Otayza. In her opening remarks, Dr. Otayza stated, “𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦—𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯, 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘴”. The event was also graced by the presence of two of the most respected figures in adolescent medicine: Dr. Ma. Emma Llanto, a trailblazer in the field and current Vice President of the International Association of Adolescent Health for East A...