The Ilocos Times

BORACAY ISLAND—Research plays a crucial role in raising awareness and facilitating discussions of important Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)-related issues and processes to help support the vision and goals of APEC. In his keynote address at the opening of the 2015 APEC Study Centers Consortium (ASCC) Conference in Boracay Island on May 12, Deputy Director-General Rolando G. Tungpalan of the National Economic and Development Authority noted that the APEC study centers have been instrumental in fostering regional cooperation among tertiary and research institutes in the APEC region through the promotion of increased academic collaboration on key regional economic challenges. According to Mr. Tungapalan, the analytical work that the APEC study centers put in will be valuable in sharpening policymakers’ tools for addressing cross-cutting issues especially on services, trade and investments, supply chain connectivity, and enhancing regional economic integration through the

Dried up. Hectares of farmland and fish farms in Vintar and Batac are drying up, causing millions of damages for farming and fishing communities in this northern part of Luzon. ( Lei Adriano) By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Vintar , Ilocos Norte—Ilocano farmers in this town raised the alarm as they may no longer hit production target this year as prolonged drought continue to pester vast tracks of agricultural lands here. Vintar is the province’s top rice producer. Over the years, officers and members of Zanjera Taguipuro, an organized rural farmers’ organization here have observed the lack of water supply to sustain the growth of their plants while rivers and underground water sources have already reached critical level. At Brgy. Salsamagui, withering plants and dried up farm lots are creating discomfort for farmers. Compared to previous years of the same period this year, Manny Agbayani said they could no longer plant for a third cropping due to l

POLITICS, of course, is an unavoidable concern for us. As social beings, we cannot help but get into politics. That’s simply because we have to organize ourselves as a people. And it’s a need that will always be an on-going affair. We need laws to govern the way we live, we need peace and order, we need a working economy. We need leaders on whom we invest some authority. These and a lot more is what politics is all about. In all of these, we have to find ways of how to meet them. That’s why we have elections, among many other others. Of course, the conduct of our elections is also subject to some agreed rules. Now, with the elections coming up, the political fever is upon us, and the big challenge now is how to maintain our human and Christian consistency—some say, sanity—in politics. What we are seeing now, even while quite early yet in the game, is a gathering storm of political attacks. There’s a lot of mudslinging, faultfinding and muckraking, reckless branding and

Laoag Mayor Chevylle Farinas receives a check from DOLE regional director Grace Ursua worth P450,000, which will be used for Nego Kart and capital training materials for 30 beneficiaries in the city. Each beneficiary will receive P12,000 worth of Nego Kart and P3,000 capital. The city government also provided P106,000 as counterpart finding for the said project. (Doms dela Cruz)

Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee R. Marcos (file photo) By Reynaldo E. Andres Contributor BATAC CITY—While developed countries in the world owe much of their progress and development to engineering innovations and scientific breakthroughs that created new industries, the Philippines is still in the opposite situation and is now left miles behind for lack of these. This alleged trend of engineering research in the country was revealed by Ilocos Norte Gov. Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos in her message that was read by Ilocos Norte provincial government administrator Wendell Chua before the more than 30 participants to the 2015 national engineering research symposium held at the MMSU Hostel last May 26-28. The symposium was hosted and organized by MMSU aimed at uplifting the level of engineering research in the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the country that might translate into world class products that will generate local employment and opportunities. Reacting to

“ The measure of love is how much you are willing to give up for it. What would you give up for my love?” Pandora asked the Flying Dutchman who was doomed to sail the seven seas for eternity unless he found a woman who loved him enough to die for him. “ My salvation ,” replied the Flying Dutchman.   “ When it comes to immigration, the measure of one’s love is what one is willing to spend for it .”—Emmanuel Samonte Tipon Who of the following would be willing to spend for you if you were placed in removal proceedings? (1) brother or sister, (2) son or daughter, (3) father or mother, (5) friend, (6) all of the above, (7) none of the above, (8) yourself. When a Bay Area Filipino lawful permanent resident (LPR) asked his neighbor to return the tires he had loaned him, the neighbor struck the Filipino on the head with a pipe. The Filipino ran to his garage where he found his revolver and shot and killed the pursuing neighbor. His Caucasian lawyer (one of those “ abogado de pl

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