The Ilocos Times

THIS is what we can expect with the celebration of Easter. We are made new! We have a new life. We are actually made a new creature. The old man in us is buried. A new man is formed in each one of us! This is because Christ has risen. With his resurrection, he has conquered sin and death. He died for us, so we can rise with him. The sting of our death has been taken away, and is replaced with the saving resurrection of Christ who shares it with us. That’s the marvelous exchange we sing about in the Easter hymn of the Exsultet. Thus, if we unite ourselves with him and die with him—a dying that can take many forms before it takes on the ultimate form—we will also rise with him. Everything, in the reality presented to us by our Christian faith, will be new. It’s a beautiful truth that should be engraved deep in our mind and heart “I make all things new,” (Rev 21,5). Let’s be reassured of this very consoling truth of our faith. The same truth is reiterated by St. Paul: “If a

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter With proper training on control and management of pests and diseases, mango growers here are presently undergoing training on the latest innovation on controlling cecid fly, locally known as “kurikong”, infesting several mango farms in Ilocos Norte’s southern municipalities. Following a two-day cross-farm visitation to mango farms in Ilocos Norte three weeks ago, provincial agriculturist Norma Lagmay said mango farmers here were taught how to apply fruit bagging method as an effective way to contain the infestation. Earlier this year, mango growers in nearby Pangasinan province complained that up to 40 percent of the province’s 460-hectare mango plantations in 21 towns were attacked by the flies. The same infestation may have crossed into the southern towns of Ilocos Norte, such as Badoc, Pinili and Currimao, and Batac City which mango stakeholders here are now trying to contain. With the cecid fly infestation in some ar

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter The Sangguniang Panlalawigan has summoned the local chief executive of Bangui, Ilocos Norte to answer within 15 days, starting April 14, an administrative charge filed against him recently. The administrative charge against Bangui Mayor Diosdado Garvida was filed by Kremlin Alupay, a native of Barangay Masikil on April 2 for grave abuse of authority and oppression. A report obtained from the police blotter of the Bangui police noted by P/Insp. Allan Abuan on April 2 has accused Garvida of firing his gun on the ground twice for no apparent reason and pointed his gun of unknown type to the driver of a pay loader identified as Emeterio Sison, 61, resident of Barangay San Nicolas, Gapan City, Nueva Ecija on March 31 at 2:15 pm. In view of this, the provincial board’s secretariat has forwarded the summons to Garvida on April 11. On April 14, Garvida was seen at the Provincial Capitol apparently to meet with Ilocos Norte Governor

Pastor Aribuabo By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter THE DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) superintendents in Ilocos Norte and Laoag City have traded places again. In effect, it placed both to their former places five years ago. Ms. Araceli Pastor and Dr. Cecilia P. Aribuabo have returned to their old posts—Pastor at the Ilocos Norte division and Aribuabo at the Laoag City division—as the five-year reshuffling process for division superintendents took effect. Aribuabo has served for eight years at the Laoag division, bridging the terms of former Laoag Mayors Roger C. Fariñas and Michael V. Fariñas. A reshuffle five years ago brought her to the Ilocos Norte division as Pastor took her place. In a staff meeting last month, Pastor expressed her gratitude to Laoag City government for giving the opportunity to work with them in what was an emotional farewell for the education superintendent. She disclosed that her stay in Laoag was like a homecom

SUICIDE AT THE BRIDGE. Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) check on suicide victim Gerald Jose Antonio, 38, single of Brgy. 3, San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte. The victim was believed to have jumped of the Gilbert Bridge on April 8. The fall and his subsequent drowning are believed to be the cause of his death. The victim was identified by his mother Eden Centeno. (Doms dela Cruz)

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) in Laoag City has warned local residents in Ilocos Norte to protect themselves from possible heat stroke as actual temperatures that have been registered are very hot and the body may even feel hotter than the ambient temperatures. Engineer Cynthia Iglesias of the Laoag weather bureau advised Ilocos Norte residents on April 15 that even though peak temperatures in Laoag City is predicted to remain from a 37.4-38.0 degree Celsius range in the next five days, the “heat index” or the measure of human discomfort caused by heat in the body could be even hotter. According to PAG-ASA, full exposure to the sun can increase the heat index by 90 degree Celsius. “If possible, we should avoid going outside from 1 pm to 3 pm,” Iglesias said adding people should drink lots of water, at least eight glasses a day. In previous years, most tricycle driv

Two weeks ago I got invited by Think City, a subsidiary of Khazanah Nasional Berhad the Government of Malaysia Strategic Investment Fund and the World Futures Studies Federation to give a keynote speech on UNESCO Foresight Global Anticipatory Thinking project and help facilitate the city futures for city leaders futures course held in George Town, Penang, Malaysia. Think City was created to spearhead community based urban regeneration in Penang and transform the state into an “engine of future growth” in line with the tenth Malaysia plan. Established in 2009, Think City has led innovative initiatives that resulted to the enhancement of Penang’s assets, tangible and intangible, to arrest urban decay and sustainable urban regeneration. Around 35 city leaders and CEOs from various national government agencies of Malaysia, graduate students from Taiwan, Singapore-based research think tanks, architects, and directors of regional and national public service departments under the