The Ilocos Times

Champion  pole vaulter EJ Obiena guides a young athlete during the opening of the pole-vaulting facility at the FEM Memorial Stadium. Laoag City —Olympic pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” U. Obiena and Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc opened Ilocos Norte’s first pole vaulting facility at the Ferdinand E. Marcos (FEM) Memorial Stadium, on No. 22, 2024, a step forward in transforming the Philippines into a global force in pole vaulting. Obiena, a world-class Filipino pole vaulter is currently ranked third in the 2024 World Athletics Rankings for the men’s pole vault category. He finished fourth place in the same sport at the 2024 Olympic games in Paris, France, barely missing a medal. He is also the first Asian athlete to conquer the six-meter mark at the Bergen Jump Challenge in Norway in 2023. Aside from this, Obiena is also a three-time Southeast Asian Games champion. He also bagged the gold medal in the 2023 Asian Games, becoming the first Filipino gold medalist ...

Surgical setup at the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center. The surgeon is performing total hip replacement and is assisted by a surgical resident and a scrub nurse. The hospital can cater up to 5 cases per day, a testament to its mission of being a premiere center of excellence in healthcare in Ilocos region. By Michael Sylvestre A. Saturnino City of Batac —The Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC) in Ilocos Norte is a beacon of hope for patients suffering from the effects of severe knee osteoarthritis and hip osteoarthritis or fractures. Through the invaluable leadership of Dr. Maria Lourdes K. Otayza, medical center chief, and Dr. Jose B. Orosa III, chief of medical professional staff and the financial support from the office of Ilocos Norte first district Congressman Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos, the hospital conducted a life-changing hip and knee replacement mission, providing essential surgical care to those who otherwise may no...

  CLARK AIR BASE built in 1903, was a US military base in Central Luzon. It was known as Fort Stotsenburg when it  was first established as a US military camp for the 5th Cavalry after the Spanish-American War ( 1898). After the Second World War, it was renamed Clark Air Field after Major Harold M. Clark, a World War 1 pilot who was born in Minnesota and raised in Manila. The area covered an area of 12 square miles (30 square km).  The Clark family had a strong military tradition dating back to the Revolutionary War (late 1770s). His father fought Spanish forces in the Philippines while assigned to Company E, 13th Minnesota volunteer infantry during the Spanish-American War of 1898. The end of the Spanish-American War brought a period of growth and interest in the Philippines. In 1904, the Clarks moved to Manila, where they enjoyed considerable wealth and prestige due to the family's business ventures. After graduating from the American High School in Manila in 1910, Haro...

  Philippine  Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) staff share their disaster risk reduction and early warning systems to training participants. Manila —The United States Peace Corps, with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), recently launched the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Toolkit, a comprehensive training guide designed to help Peace Corps volunteers and their partner communities build resilience by enhancing their disaster preparedness capability. The DRR Toolkit contains resources on developing disaster preparedness strategies, conducting risk assessments, managing community resources, and strengthening early warning systems.   As an inclusive training guide, the DRR Toolkit promotes the active participation of all community members in pre-disaster planning. From Oct. 14 to 18, 2024, the Peace Corps gathered 28 of its volunteers, staff, and work partners from the Philippine government and non-...

By Noralyn Onto Dudt If you think dieting will make you lose weight, think again. You need to consider what metabolism is and how it works. Metabolism is the process through which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy. This complex process powers everything you do, from breathing, to growing, to providing your brain with the energy to think. Whether your body is active or at rest, it's constantly burning calories (a measure of energy) non-stop. Even when you're resting or sleeping, your body needs energy to keep vital functions going, like breathing, circulating blood, and repairing cells. This energy use is called basal metabolic rate (BMR)). Daily activities such as walking,   talking, and doing everyday tasks also burn calories.   Physical activities like running, swimming, or lifting weights increase the number of calories your body uses. Metabolism is largely influenced by genetics. However, there are some lifestyle modifications you can make ...

Batac councilor Markee Chua leads the distribution of relief packs in the City of Batac (File photo) The following is a sit down interview with Batac councilor Mark Christian "Markee" Chua who has filed his candidacy to run for the city’s mayoralty post. Outgoing Batac mayor Engr. Albert D. Chua will be his running mate. The incumbent mayor has completed three straight terms and has slid down to run for the vice mayoralty post. The Chuas will face off with former Batac mayor Jeffrey Nalupta and Batac councilor Bismark Quidang, respectively.   The Ilocos Times (IT): What made you decide to run? Mark Christian Chua (MCC): To be honest, Mayor Albert has done a lot for the city, and if we are to really quantify those, I think there is little more to be accomplished in terms of governance as well as in looking after the welfare of the people of Batac. But this is not to say, that there is nothing more to be done. In time, all things need to evolve so they can keep up with ...

USAID mission director Ryan Washburn (5 th from left) and Cagayan provincial administrator Atty. Maria Rosario Mamba-Villaflor (4 th from left) with provincial government staff stand in front of a mobile storage unit handed over by USAID and the World Food Programme. Tuguegarao , Cagayan —On Sept. 9 and 10, 2024, the United States government, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), handed over a mobile storage unit and mobile energy systems worth more than PHP11.6 million (US$208,000) to boost Cagayan province’s disaster risk reduction capacity. USAID mission director Ryan Washburn handed over a mobile storage unit that can store 50,000 food packs to Cagayan Provincial Administrator Atty. Maria Rosario Mamba-Villaflor.   The mobile storage unit will allow the provincial government to store food and non-food items so they can rapidly deliver life-saving assistance in the immediate aftermath of disasters. “For many years, USAID has dispatched teams to Cag...

Laoag City —“Now, more than ever, my father continues to live in the heart of every Ilokano and every Filipino,” Senator Imee R. Marcos remarked during the wreath-laying ceremony for the 107 th birthday celebration of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr. in the City of Batac on Sept. 11, 2024. The province of Ilocos Norte commemorates every year the birth of President Marcos Sr. through a week-long celebration with various activities that aim to honor his legacy in nation-building. In Marcos’ speech, she emphasized that her father's legacy remains alive in the hearts of Filipinos, particularly Ilokanos, whose lives were significantly shaped by his leadership. She underscored how the late President's contributions have transcended generations and continue to affect the various sectors at present. "My father lives in the heart of every youth studying at public high schools, state universities and colleges, and the Mariano Marcos State University, which he fou...

National policy changes, coupled with training, advocacy, and incentives, can empower women-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (WMSMEs) in Metro Manila to adopt circular economy principles. This shift can unlock significant economic opportunities, driving sustainable growth and environmental progress. These were highlighted at a webinar conducted by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) in support of the celebration of National Women’s Month. The webinar featured the study “Assessing the Adoption of Circular Economy among Women-Led MSMEs in Metro Manila: A Pilot Study” by Foreign Service Institute of the Philippines-Center for International Relations and Strategic Studies former chief research officer Jovito Jose P. Katigbak and senior foreign affairs research specialist Jemimah Joanne C. Villaruel. Despite the increasing prominence of circular economy or CE as a strategy for achieving sustainable development, the study reveals a concerning knowledge gap am...

From left: DOT Dir. Paulo Benito S. Tugbang, Department of Tourism; DICT Dir. Emmy Lou Delfin, DepEd Dir. Marilyn B. Siao; DICT Usec. Jocelle Batapa-Sigue; DTI Asec. Dominic Tolentino; Congressman Christopher De Venecia; DTI Acting Sec. Ma. Cristina Aldeguer-Roque; Anti Red Tape Authority Director General Ernesto V. Perez; IPOPHL Director- General Rowel S. Barba; NEDA Usec. Rosemarie G. Edillon; Mr. Pablo Gabriel Malvar, PCIDC Private Sector Representative; DTI Usec. Rafaelita M. Aldaba; DTI Asec. Leonila T. Baluyut; DTI Dir. Lilian G. Salonga. Manila —Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) acting Secretary Ma. Christina A. Roque built anticipation for the nationwide Philippine Creative Industries Month (PCIM) celebration in September 2024. The trade chief made the announcement during a press conference, August 23. Themed “#WeAreACreativeNation,” this year’s PCIM highlights the essential role of creativity and innovation in shaping the Philippines’ socio-cultural and economic landsca...

By Noralyn O. Dudt AMERICA's electoral system has long baffled the world. A relic of another time, the Electoral College distorts results of the presidential election and thwarts the will of the people. Hillary   Clinton received almost three million votes more than Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election but still lost. During the 2000 presidential election, George W. Bush had fewer popular votes than Al Gore, but the electoral votes in Florida made Bush the winner.   There were three other occasions between 1960 and 1996—all because of an “antiquated” electoral process called the Electoral College.   Some experts have defended it, saying the process gives voice to less populated states. So, what is the Electoral College? The Electoral College is a process, not a place. It was created by the framers of the US Constitution as an alternative to electing the president by popular vote or by Congress. How to elect their president was among the thorny questions d...

The nation has been under water stress since 2007, with current water availability ranging between 1,000 to 1,700 cubic meters per capita, according to the National Water Resource Board (NWRB). At a recent Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) forum hosted on the Socioeconomic Research Portal of the Philippines (SERP-P), one of the presenters highlighted this critical issue and urged immediate reforms to the country’s water laws. NWRB Water Rights Division Litigation and Adjudication head Atty. Rebyanne Giselle Diaz emphasized the need to reexamine how water is allocated. She believes that the current legal frameworks of the Philippines and water allocation systems may not be sufficient to cope with the increasing scarcity of water and the changing patterns of water use. “If the trajectory we want is to be able to do more with less, the law should support that effort and not directly oppose it,” Diaz said. She emphasized that the law needs to be more adaptable to mee...