The Ilocos Times

Ilocos Norte candidates for the May elections sign the covenant at the St. William Cathedral. (Lei Adriano) By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—A day before the official start of national elections campaign, local candidates with or without challengers showed up early Monday, February 8 at the St. William Cathedral to attend mass and sign the covenant for peace and cooperation in the coming May elections. Officiated by Laoag Bishop Renato Mayugba, the bishop thanked all candidates for attending the mass and covenant signing initiated jointly by the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office, Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting and the Commission on Elections. “Your presence signifies your support. All of us dreams and aspires for peaceful elections. There shall be no room for selfish motive. Let us allow our people to exercise their right to vote freely and usher new and committed service to benefit the people we serve,” Mr. Mayugba told candidate

By Alfredo C. Garvida, Jr. Contributor   Education , so they say, "is the most conventional way to get out of poverty." The Philippine State thus recognizes   this maxim as our Constitution provides on Section 13 of Art. II, otherwise known as the Declaration of Principles and State Policies, that “The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual and social well-being." Supplemental to this policy is Section 17 of the same Article, which provides that "The State shall give priority to education, science and technology, arts, culture and sports to foster patriotism and nationalism, accelerate social progress, and promote human liberation and development.” This writer came across an incident last month involving, yes, education, that led me to seek further answer regarding the role and involvement of local government units relevant to these mandates imposed on

"The end of the fossil fuel age." The enthusiasm came from a delegate after 195 nations agreed at the climate change summit in Paris to limit the rise of global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius and maybe down to 1.5C. After two weeks of negotiations, the pact is the first to commit all countries to cut carbon emissions. It is partly legally binding as in, for example, submitting an emissions reduction goal. A $100-billion funding for poor countries by 2020, however, is not legally binding. Scientists who have analyzed the agreement say it will cut emissions by about half of what is needed to prevent an increase in atmospheric temperatures of 2 degrees Celsius. As a result, all language on the reduction of carbon emissions is essentially voluntary. The deal assigns no concrete reduction targets to any country. Instead, each government has crafted a plan to lower emissions at home based on the country’s domestic politics and economy. The accord u

An escalation of fighting will trigger further massive displacement and deepen humanitarian crisis Gaziantep, Turkey — As heavy fighting in Azaz district, northern Syria, displaces tens of thousands more people, the already devastated health system is close to collapse, and any escalation of fighting will further deepen the humanitarian crisis in the area, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said on February 11. As people flee in search of safety towards the border areas with Turkey, the latest estimates are of 30,000 new arrivals. The majority are living outside of the existing displaced people’s camps, which are housing tens of thousands of people previously displaced by the bitter conflict. Meanwhile, the fighting continues to put extreme pressure on the already devastated healthcare system. This includes several hospitals and smaller health facilities in Azaz and the rural areas around Aleppo city, having been hit by airstrikes in the last two weeks, including at least th

AS THE CITY celebrates the 20 th Pamulinawen Festival, we can’t help but agree with its theme for this year: Blessed. Indeed, Laoag City has been blessed in the past few years. Progress and development came in full force and with full intensity. Big supermarkets opened one after the other; not only giving local consumers more to choose from but more so, providing the boost in revenue and employment. Other businesses have since also entered the fray; and the once sleepy most agriculture city has slowly awakened into a robust and vibrant economic center. Indeed, Laoag City continue to be blessed. Tourist arrivals have reached unprecedented heights. New edifices—both public and private—keep on rising around the city. And Laoag residents continue to reap all the benefits of the economic progress brought about by the local government. The progress and development however come with a price. Traffic around the city’s business district has tightened. There are now times when

Sen. Bongbong Marcos is mobbed by supporters in front of the Provincial Capitol in Laoag City. BATAC CITY—A show of force “on the road to Malacañang” have awakened in this northern gateway of Luzon on February 9 as the official launching of Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago(MDS) and her running mate Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. (BBM) was held in Ilocos Norte. John Marvin Galat, 19, president of the Debate Society of the top performing Mariano Marcos State University in Batac said a ‘great wall’ of support is being prepared by the Miriam-Bongbong Youth Movement (MBYM) in Ilocos to solidify their victory. “As we continue to integrate into the knowledge economy, we need leaders who can harness young people’s potentials to help make the Philippines competitive vis-à-vis other countries. We believe that Senators Miriam Defensor Santiago and Bongbong Marcos are best fit to lead our country to progress and to redeem us from the evils of corruption, crime, and inefficien

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT FIRST JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 17, BATAC CITY, ILOCOS NORTE JORDAN A. BUMANGLAG, Petitioner, -versus- SHANTAL GONZALES-BUMANGLAG, Respondent. CIVIL CASE NO. 5443-17 x- - - - - - - -x SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION           Whereas, on March 25, 2014, a Petition was filed before this Court, which read as follows 1.        Petitioner is of legal age, Filipino, and a resident of Brgy. 8, San Antonio, Sarrat, Ilocos Norte while respondent is also of legal age, Filipino and is presently residing at Brgy. Quiling Sur, Batac City, Ilocos Norte, Philippines where they may be served with summons and other processes of this Court; 2.      Petitioner is presently employed at Sarrat National High School in Sta. Rosa, Sarrat, Ilocos Norte as a teacher while respondent is a caregiver in Canada; 3.       Their friendship started in the university where they both finished their studies. Coming from the same class, they became