The Ilocos Times

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Batac City —Farmers here has expressed commitment to support the Rural Transformation Movement (RTM), a continuing advocacy program of the Philippine Rice Research Institute to help farmers hit their target and achieve P1 million gross income per hectare per year. Showing farmers this goal is very possible, farmers at Brgy. Nagbacalan, this city reorganized themselves into a strong group as PhilRice representatives visited seven sitios here to conduct briefings about the RTM. Using new rice farming technologies while teaching farmers how to come up with value-adding agricultural products to increase their income, local farmers here welcomed this new development saying they keep an open mind to learn new things. With the support of PhilRice and the different line agencies of the national government, a 5-day  training dubbed as “Growing Agri-prenuer” was recently attended by Nagbacalan farmers at the PhilRice Central Experiment Sta

By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporters BATAC CITY—If there is one thing Batac is truly proud of, it would be its famous empanada-making business that has nurtured its people over the years. Embracing a century-old culture and culinary tradition, Batac’s empanada claims to be the best and tastiest in the country with its distinctive Ilokano taste courtesy of its local ingredients: fresh grated papaya, mongo, chopped longganisa, and egg. The crispy orange wrapper and is made of rice flour that is deep-fried. The celebration of this city’s famous traditional fast food attracting locals and tourists elsewhere comes with the City Charter Day of Batac every 23 rd  of June. Every year, the City Government of Batac led by Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta commemorate the city’s charter day celebration to further promote its famous One-Town, One Product, the Batac empanada. Empanada City The Batac empanada festival has already become an annua

A recent study identified promising breeding lines that are heat-tolerant and high-yielding after a series of field and laboratory heat stress screening. Titled “Screening of rice-induced mutants for heat and drought tolerance,” the study was among the posters presented under the Plant Breeding and Genetics category during the 23rd Federation of Crop Science Societies of the Philippines, Inc. Scientific Conference in Clark Zone, Pampanga, 11-16 May. Thelma Padolina, lead researcher, said that screening promising lines that exhibit tolerance to drought and heat stress will pave way to the development of new varieties that addresses climate change in the country’s major rice-growing areas. According to Ms. Padolina, although rice normally grows at temperatures between 20 and 35°C, it is at its most sensitive during the booting and flowering stages. Hence, even short-duration chronic dry spells occurring during these stages will result in substantial yield loss. Ms. Pad

RA Form No. 10.1 (LCRO) Republic of the Philippines Local Civil Registry Office Province of Ilocos Norte Municipality of Bangui NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION             In compliance with Section 5 of RA No. 9048, a notice is hereby served to the public that OFELIA B. CLARIN has filed with this Office a Petition for Change of First Name from “ABELINA” to “OFELIA” in the birth certificate of ABELINA BARADI who was born on March 2, 1954 at Bangui, Ilocos Norte and whose parents are Pedro Baradi and Monica Baloaloa.             Any person adversely affected by said petition  may file his/her written opposition with this Office not later than July 13, 2015. (SGD) GLORIA B. AMUDO Municipal Civil Registrar June 29-July 5, July 6-12, 2015*IT ___________________________________________________________ Publication Notice RA 10172 NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC CCE-0030-2015          RA 10172                                                                                    

Newly designated Laoag City Jail officer-in-charge J/Sr. Insp. Antonio R. Sapaden Jr. pay courtesy call to Laoag City Mayor. Chevylle V. Fariñas. Mr. Sapaden replaced J/Insp. Jerry Palalay who was transferred to the BJMP regional office. (Doms dela Cruz)

The shared service facility on meat processing was formally turned over to the San Nicolas Hog Raisers’ Association on June 17, 2015 by the Department of Trade and Industry Ilocos Norte Provincial Office. The shared service facility worth P832,000 comprises of meat processing equipment like meat mixer, slicer, grinder, band saw, chest freezer, electronic weighing scale, impulse sealer, preparation table and frying vat. Present during the turn-over program were DTI regional director Florante O. Leal, DTI-Ilocos Norte provincial director Engr. Benjamin M. Garcia, Jr., DTI Region I chief administrative officer Atty. Rolando A. Lay-at, Ms. Elizabeth V. Castro, DTI-Ilocos Norte division chief, San Nicolas Vice Mayor Dr.  Alfredo P, Valdez, San Nicolas councilors Alladin Santos, Alfredo Badua, municipal coordinator, Norma S. Calamayan, association president Noel S. Bolo and members of the association and other DTI-Ilocos Norte staff members. In his message, Mr. Leal expre

Senator Lorna Regina “Loren” B. Legarda renewed her call for the strict implementation of Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management (ESWM) Law, stressing that local government units (LGUs) should aim for zero waste. In her keynote speech for the opening of the First National Integrated Waste Management Exhibition, Ms. Legarda, principal author of RA 9003, urged the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC) to strengthen its efforts in ensuring compliance with the ESWM law. “Encourage LGUs that compliance is doable. Good policies are important but it is in the implementation that we can make a real difference.” Under RA 9003, the NSWMC should promote research on ecological solid waste management and resource conservation and coordinate the operation of local solid waste management boards in LGUs. The Senator noted the observation of Pope Francis in his recently released encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si’ . The Pope said the earth is beg