The Ilocos Times

BBM RICE. Residents buy rice for only PHP29 per kilo at the NIA compound in San Nicolas town, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. The activity was under a nationwide pilot program of the government to sell quality and affordable rice initially to the vulnerable sectors. (Lei Adriano) San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte —Senior citizens, persons with disability, and solo parents availed of cheap rice sold at PHP29 per kilogram during the grand launching of the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) Rice held at the National Irrigation Administration compound in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. “ Maraming salamat Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa inyong pagmamahal sa Region 1 lalong-lalo na sa bayan namin sa San Nicolas,” said Violeta Pasion, a resident Brgy.   18 Bingao in this town. The low-priced grains were sourced from the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) contract farming with irrigators' association members in the province. Along with Pasion, Epi

USAID mission director Ryan Washburn (5 th from left) and Cagayan provincial administrator Atty. Maria Rosario Mamba-Villaflor (4 th from left) with provincial government staff stand in front of a mobile storage unit handed over by USAID and the World Food Programme. Tuguegarao , Cagayan —On Sept. 9 and 10, 2024, the United States government, through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), handed over a mobile storage unit and mobile energy systems worth more than PHP11.6 million (US$208,000) to boost Cagayan province’s disaster risk reduction capacity. USAID mission director Ryan Washburn handed over a mobile storage unit that can store 50,000 food packs to Cagayan Provincial Administrator Atty. Maria Rosario Mamba-Villaflor.   The mobile storage unit will allow the provincial government to store food and non-food items so they can rapidly deliver life-saving assistance in the immediate aftermath of disasters. “For many years, USAID has dispatched teams to Cagayan

Laoag City —“Now, more than ever, my father continues to live in the heart of every Ilokano and every Filipino,” Senator Imee R. Marcos remarked during the wreath-laying ceremony for the 107 th birthday celebration of the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr. in the City of Batac on Sept. 11, 2024. The province of Ilocos Norte commemorates every year the birth of President Marcos Sr. through a week-long celebration with various activities that aim to honor his legacy in nation-building. In Marcos’ speech, she emphasized that her father's legacy remains alive in the hearts of Filipinos, particularly Ilokanos, whose lives were significantly shaped by his leadership. She underscored how the late President's contributions have transcended generations and continue to affect the various sectors at present. "My father lives in the heart of every youth studying at public high schools, state universities and colleges, and the Mariano Marcos State University, which he fou

I have been managing local area networks (LANs) since my days as a director of Management Information Systems (MIS) at the Dept. of Foreign Affairs (DFA), as part of my duties as a Foreign Service Officer (FSO). Although LANs was just a new and emerging technology at that time, the division that I managed was able to build a LAN that covered the entire building using twisted pair cables, somewhat an amazing feat at that time. Since we had no budget for a true server at that time, we were able to configure a relatively high-powered personal computer (PC) to function as a “server”, at least good enough to function as a file server and an email server. Also, because we did not have a budget for a true server, I was able to get a subscription to ATT Mail, and that is how the DFA was able to send and receive worldwide for the first time at that time. When I became the director-general of the National Computer Center (NCC), true servers were already commonplace, and LANs were already more a

SINCE we are patterned after Christ, we should also have the same heart as that of Christ which is full of compassion. This was shown, for example, in that episode where a big crowd followed him in a desert place and was moved with compassion and healed their sick when he saw them. (cfr. Mt 14,13-21) We actually have a thirst for loving, though we must also realize that that thirst can only be completely quenched by the infinite love of God as shown to us by Christ. That is why in the Book of Proverbs we read these words from God: “Give me, my child, your heart, and let your eyes guard my ways.” (Prov 23,26). When we struggle to give our heart to the Lord, we would actually be expanding our capacity to love others, because our loving would go beyond its purely human and natural ways and would enter into the spiritual and supernatural ways of God. It’s a love that is given gratuitously, without measure, and continues to be given despite being rejected. For this supernatural kind

By Noralyn O. Dudt NO MASKS REQUIREMENTS   in public schools   was legislated and executed   by Republican officials   in Iowa, Arkansas,   Arizona, Utah, Texas, Montana,   Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina during the thick of the COVID-19 epidemic.   It was a shocking declaration that   prevented   local governments and school districts from mandating the wearing of masks. It was an executive action that no one expected   as thousands were already dying from the virus   by the   day   and many of the dead   awaiting burials were kept in refrigerated trucks. Indeed a legislation that seemed incomprehensible until we pause to think and ask ourselves, was this one of the   features of "individual liberty" that Republicans espoused? Other issues like gun violence in public schools and other public places want us to scream , "enough is enough,"   let us enact stricter gun laws. But these are cries that have been muted by "you cannot take away my gun; it's

INTERNET CONNECTIVITY. Personnel of the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the  Ilocos Norte provincial government on Aug, 29, 2024 discuss the implementation of GovNet in the cities of Laoag and Batac. GovNet aims to provide a transparent, efficient, and effective governance through the use of online connectivity among government agencies. (Photo courtesy of Ilocos Norte province) By Leilanie G. Adriano LAOAG CITY—The provincial government of Ilocos Norte is currently upgrading its internet connectivity through the PHP21 million funding from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to implement the Government Network (GovNet) to 85 government agencies here. DICT is implementing GovNet to help address the basic needs of the government for transparency, efficiency, and effective governance through ICT. Under the program, DICT is responsible for providing the actual Fiber Optic Cores and the other peripherals that are necessary for e