The Ilocos Times

By Noralyn Dudt A small pocket of the vast Roman Empire in the little town of Nazareth is a place where no one would have ever expected someone to turn the world upside-down. It was an undistinguished,   obscure place. Although Yeshua (Jesus, Joshua) was a Nazarene, he was born in another town where his parents were traveling to the city of David in Bethlehem. There was a decree by Caesar Augustus that all citizens of the Roman world should be registered (census) at the place where their ancestors were born. Mary and Joseph who both descended from the line of David were on this trek when Mary was about to give birth. As there was no room for them at the inn,   they retreated to a stable where the animals were kept for the night. The baby Yeshua came into our world there, and placed on a manger which was a place where the animals ate. He was raised by a mother who "treasured up all these things and pondered them   in her heart" when right after the birth, shepherds from...

Magsisimula na sa Pebrero 24, 2023 ang “Onlayn Dap-áyan” sa mga “Babasahín sa Saliksik at Kulturang Pilipino” ng Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) tampok ang mga salawikain. Ang proyektong ito ay serye ng mga pagbása at talakayan sa iba’t ibang panitikang-bayan ng bansa kabilang ang salawikain, bugtong, alamat, awiting-bayan, at epiko. Kumukuha ito ng inspirasyon sa dap-áyan ng mga taga-Kordilyera na may kinalaman sa mga ritwal at paraan upang malutas ang mga isyu ng komunidad. Sa bawat sesyon, magbibigay ang KWF ng babasahín at gabay sa pagbása ng mga panitikang-bayan para sa isasagawang talakayan sa onlayn na platform. Bukás na ang pagpapatalâ para sa unang sesyon tampok ang salawikain sa Pebrero 24, 2023. May hiwalay na pagpapatalâ para sa iba pang sesyon: Abril 28, 2023 (bugtong), Hunyo 28, 2023 (alamat), Agosto 31, 2023 (awiting-bayan), at   Oktubre , 2023 (epiko). Libre at bukás ito sa sinumang interesado. Kinakailangan lámang magpatalâ sa link na ito: https://form...

By Noralyn Dudt "My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior. For He has looked with favor on His lowly servant." Around 2,024 years ago in the   little town of Nazareth, a young maiden received a visit from someone from afar.   An angel of the Lord appeared and   made the announcement that has now become a prayer of adoration by many in the Catholic faith,   "blessed are you the most favored of all women."   Blessed ?   Favored?   Indeed, Mary must have felt blessed and favored. One wonders why she, of all people, and not the magistrate's daughter was chosen. It would be an eye ( or mind?) opener to take a close look at Mary's song of praise, "The Magnificat"   in the book of Luke 1:46-55 and see what kind of a soul this young maiden was. "He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid; for behold,   henceforth all generations shall call me blessed; because He who is mighty has done great things for me, and Hol...

By Liwliwa B. Suguitan Technology has the potential to significantly change how people learn. It may strengthen and deepen connections between teachers and students, help us reimagine how we learn and collaborate, close long-standing equity and accessibility gaps, and modify the learning process to accommodate the needs of all students. Thus, student engagement may be raised, lesson planning can be improved, and tailored learning can be facilitated in the classroom with the wise use of digital learning resources. Furthermore, it assists pupils in developing crucial 21 st century abilities. However, the question is: are all educators equipped with the information, abilities, and skills required for teaching with technology? Teaching online poses challenges for teachers trained primarily to work face to face. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck all over the world teachers were forced to move online to ensure students continue their education. This is not an easy transition and succes...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Laoag City —In time for the Laoag City Pamulinawen Festival 2023, the city government here has reopened the operation of the Laoag City Sports Complex, otherwise known as the Laoag City Cockpit Arena, situated at Brgy. 1 this city on Jan. 27, 2023. On the Jan. 4, 2023 regular session, Laoag councilor Atty. Jason Bader Perera sponsored an urgent measure coming from Laoag Mayor Michael M. Keon asking for an authority to issue a special permit to Engr. Jofrey B. Felipe for the conduct of cockfighting derby at the LC Sports Complex on Jan. 27 and Feb. 1, 2023. The council gave the requested authority, and on Jan. 26, 2023, Keon and Laoag Vice Mayor Rey Carlos Fariñas led the blessing and the re-opening of the Laoag City Sports Complex (LCSC), a day before the formal opening which was attended by new management headed by Felipe, several members of the city council and business establishment owners that will be operating during the cockfigh...

By Noralyn Dudt A leader comes and unknowingly may   turn the world around—forward, leftward, rightward or backward and even upside down—depending on what the leader does and how he does it. Wherever we are today in our own little corner of the world, we are here or there because a leader decided to conquer a place, a leader decided to push for reforms   or a leader had the humility and grace to admit that a mistake has been made and decided to rectify it. Leaders come in an array of forms, shapes and   colors but   one distinguishing   hallmark   of a good leader is the ability to   turn his orbit around and   leaves the world a better place than when he had found it. Abraham Lincoln, the 16 th president of the United States treated those whom he encountered with honesty, humility, courage, justice   and grace. He came to power when the nation was in peril—a civil war was brewing—and he had the intelligence, the self-confidence and...

By Noralyn Dudt About three weeks ago on Dec. 15 th , 2022, I lost my bragging rights on board the Viking Jupiter along the coast of Puerto Montt in Chile. That was my 15 th day on the cruise and I tested positive for the coronavirus, finally.   I was asymptomatic (no symptoms) so, of course it came as a surprise. I would have never known had it not for   the Viking protocol to conduct PCR tests on   all 900 passengers and 400 crew members every morning. For two years I have been sort of bragging with "humility"   that the corona would never be able to get past my immune system. I have been healthy, didn't have underlying conditions and best of all I have had the two doses of the mRNA   vaccines plus the three boosters for the variants. Additionally, I have been wearing a mask in crowded and closed-in places. I was very sure that I was forever shielded from the virus and why shouldn't I have been entitled to some bragging rights? Those bragging   rights...