The Ilocos Times

Dear Mr . President: There are at least eight government agencies that should be involved in using technology for agriculture, but as of now, they are seemingly not coordinating with each other. These agencies are DICT, DA, DAR, DENR, CHED, TESDA, NAMRIA and PhilSpace. The roles of DICT and DA are obvious, because they are the two major players in the challenge of using information technology for agriculture. The role of DAR comes into play, because agriculture development is the next step after agrarian reform and land distribution. DENR should also be involved, because there are overlaps in planting trees and other crops in mountains and other public lands. CHED should also be involved, because there are many SUCs that have developed new information technologies that have yet to be commercialized. And lastly, TESDA should be involved, because they should already be teaching information and communications technology (ICT) skills to vocational and technical students. NAMRIA is in p...

WHY? Because , first of all, Christ told us so. “You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world,” he clearly told his disciples and eventually all of us. (cfr. Mt 5,13-14) But more than just being told by Christ, the basis of such divine command is because as persons we are meant to care for one another, to love one another. We would be contradicting our personhood if we fail to care and love one another. And the basic expression of such personal care and love for others is precisely to be such salt and light as Christ wants us to be so that we can lead everyone to our ultimate good and goal, which is to be with God, to be like God who wants us to be like him. Let’s remember that as persons we are meant to enter into a necessary relation with God and with others. That is why we have been endowed with intelligence and will so that we can know and love God and everybody else. Besides, we have been given the grace from God so that our knowing and loving does not get st...

Our electric power system may not be perfect, but at least we know how it works: there's production (like power plants), transmission (via the national grid), and distribution (done by Meralco or the electric coops). That structure—clear and layered—helps us manage power more efficiently. Now, can we do something similar for the internet? Today, the internet is arguably as essential as electricity. Yet it remains expensive, slow, and—ironically for the digital age—inequitable. The urban rich get fiber connections, while many in the provinces struggle with unreliable or nonexistent service. But the problem isn't just about infrastructure; it's also about structure.   Who owns the internet highway? Let’s use the power sector as a metaphor. If we think of telcos like Globe, PLDT, and Converge as the National Power Corporation of the internet world, they are doing more than just transmitting. They’re also controlling the last mile, the way Meralco controls your neig...

Plastic pollution is one of the most visible and persistent environmental problems in the Philippines today. From clogged esteros in Metro Manila to remote coastal towns where plastic waste washes ashore daily, the signs are everywhere. And yet, for all the laws, ordinances, and cleanup drives we've seen, the volume of unmanaged plastic waste keeps growing. But what if we could turn this environmental nightmare into a clean energy opportunity?   The game-changer we’ve been ignoring The conversion of waste plastic into hydrogen fuel is no longer science fiction. It is a scientific breakthrough with real-world applications. Researchers in Japan, South Korea, the UK, and the US have already proven that technologies such as pyrolysis, gasification, and photocatalysis can extract hydrogen from plastics—a clean-burning fuel that produces only water when used. Kyushu University in Japan, for instance, recently developed a photocatalyst that breaks down plastics and releases hy...

By Carlos V. Cornejo “ One of the deceptions of an unproductive life is that today is not important.” (John Mason) One of the reasons why many people waste their time is the lack of goals in life.   If we don’t have specific goals or dreams of finishing college for example or working abroad or starting a business, etc. chances are we will just be letting the days go by with no sense of direction.   The only sense of direction it will have would be wherever the wind blows.   We would then be at the mercy of what comes up during the day.   If a friend calls up inviting us to a drinking session, of course we can’t say no because we have no plans for that day anyway.   If you open the TV and there seem to be an interesting show you can’t say no it because there’s nothing else to do.   You seem to have all the time in the world, but it also has no sense of purpose.   No wonder your life is dull and boring. Time is like seed money that God gives to us. ...

THAT gospel parable about the rich man and the poor man, Lazarus, reminds us of the danger of the so-called “good life” where due to our status, privileges and other endowments, we tend to live in our own world and can become indifferent and insensitive to the needs of the others. (cfr. Lk 16,19-31) Let’s be reminded that the privileges, favors and blessings we enjoy in life are meant for us to strengthen our desire to serve and not to be served. But as it is, we should try to avoid them, since they tend only to spoil and corrupt us. We have to be most wary when we happen to enjoy some privileged positions or status in life because we tend to think that we deserve more entitlements. And not only would we expect them. We may even demand them for us. This, sad to say, seems to be a common phenomenon these days. It can affect everyone, of course, but it especially affects the young ones who appear to be more privileged than those in the previous generations because of the many new ...

ON the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, celebrated on September 29, we are reminded of this mostly overlooked world of spirits, mainly composed of angels and demons. What is even more disturbing is the personal impression that more people seem to be more aware and concerned about demons than about angels. We need to strengthen our belief and awareness of the great help angels can offer us. They actually are powerful and very benevolent beings who play a very significant role in our life, providing us with protection, guidance and even communication with the divine. They make themselves effective intermediaries or messengers who carry out the divine will for our own good, offering us support in our earthly sojourn. Angels are always attentive to our needs, even when we are unaware of them. They help us to face challenges, trials and difficulties in our life. They can inspire acts of love, compassion and forgiveness, especially in those moments when we find it h...

When Norway made headlines by committing to a zero-deforestation policy, I couldn’t help but ask: When will we, in the Philippines, take forest protection this seriously? The Norwegian government has now pledged that no product entering its public procurement system should be linked to deforestation. That’s not just a statement of intent—it’s a policy shift backed by political will. According to the UN-backed Climate Action, this move is part of Norway’s long-standing leadership in rainforest protection. Back in 2008, they even put their money where their mouth is, giving Brazil a whopping US$1 billion to help preserve the Amazon. It worked—Brazil cut deforestation by 75% and spared over 33,000 square miles of forest. This latest move is not just symbolic. Norway’s decision sends a message across the globe: governments must lead by example, not just rely on voluntary pledges from the private sector. Nils Hermann Ranum of Rainforest Foundation Norway said it best: “This is an impor...

By Carlos V. Cornejo Here’s another virtue that we can appreciate better if we talk first about its opposing vice. The virtue we are referring to can have many names. It can be called solidarity with others or being united with them in their cause or in their joys as much as we are united with them in their sorrows. It can also be named as admiring others for their good qualities or good deeds and thus we don’t only admire them but also aspire to follow their good example. On the other hand, the opposing vice can only have one name. It is the capital sin of envy. St. Thomas Aquinas defines envy as “sorrow at another’s good.”   Envy is seeing something good in others either spiritual in nature (virtues, holiness, etc.), physical (good looks, talent, etc.) or material (money, items, etc.) that we think we should have too. And since we don’t have it, we feel that sorrow. Envy is the only vice that gives no pleasure at all to the person experiencing it. Not even temporary pleasu...

They have lived by the sea for generations, casting nets and lines in the same waters their fathers and grandfathers fished in. But now, these small-scale, artisanal fisherfolks—once guardians of our coastal heritage—are being driven out of their traditional fishing grounds by the very laws that claim to protect the sea. It’s a cruel paradox. On one hand, we hail the establishment of marine sanctuaries as a landmark achievement in environmental conservation. Rightly so. The Philippines, with its rich biodiversity and fragile marine ecosystems, must protect what remains of its coral reefs, seagrass beds, and spawning grounds. From Apo Reef to Tubbataha, our sanctuaries are global treasures. But on the other hand, what becomes of the humble fisherfolk who now find themselves forbidden to fish where they once freely did? Are we witnessing a case of one government foot not knowing what the other is doing? The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) champions marine biod...

By Carlos V. Cornejo Sigmund Freud, famous Austrian founder of psychoanalysis got it wrong when he said the purpose of man’s life is pleasure.   Alfred Adler another world-renowned Austrian psychotherapist is likewise wrong when he said man’s purpose is to seek power.   It took another Austrian psychiatrist and a Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl, to get it right when he said the meaning of man’s life lies in seeking for a purpose.   He calls it the logotherapy.   He discovered his school of thought from co-prisoners in the Nazi concentration camp who were determined to survive amidst the most horrible conditions man could experience.   The ones who endured the Holocaust were those who still had a purpose to live for, such as hoping to see their family after the war.   Those who did not have something to look forward to, gave up hope and stopped following the rules of the concentration camp and were shot.     What is the point and purpose...

WE should not be surprised by this reality. No matter how much we try to keep ourselves clean—physically, mentally, spiritually, etc.—we always manage to get dirty in one way or another, sooner or later. That’s part of our limited and wounded condition here in this world where we are expected to go supernatural from natural, spiritual from the merely material, etc. We should just learn how to deal properly with this condition, never losing hope since God, our Father, will always understand us and is eager to offer us mercy and whatever else we need to gain our eternal destiny. We are somehow reminded of this fact of life in that gospel parable where Christ talked about a dishonest steward who, trying to save his employment, had to do some cheating and yet was praised by the master for having the wisdom of the children of the world which is greater than that of the children of light. (cfr. Lk 16,11-13) Obviously, that parable would give rise to the question of whether God, who mu...

In a world grappling with the twin crises of climate change and rapid urbanization, some of the best solutions are taking root in the most unexpected places—literally above our heads. In Singapore, rooftop gardens are quietly transforming the urban landscape, proving that sustainability and city life don’t have to be at odds. These elevated green spaces are doing more than just softening the skyline. As reported in various sustainability studies and showcased in articles from Singapore’s National Parks Board, rooftop gardens are now being used as rainwater collection systems. When it rains, instead of letting precious water runoff into drains and disappear, these gardens absorb it. The collected rainwater is then filtered and reused to irrigate public parks, community gardens, and landscaped areas. In doing so, the gardens help reduce the strain on the city’s water supply—a crucial consideration for a nation that imports a significant portion of its water. But it doesn’t stop ther...