The Ilocos Times

ON the Feast of the Archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, celebrated on September 29, we are reminded of this mostly overlooked world of spirits, mainly composed of angels and demons. What is even more disturbing is the personal impression that more people seem to be more aware and concerned about demons than about angels. We need to strengthen our belief and awareness of the great help angels can offer us. They actually are powerful and very benevolent beings who play a very significant role in our life, providing us with protection, guidance and even communication with the divine. They make themselves effective intermediaries or messengers who carry out the divine will for our own good, offering us support in our earthly sojourn. Angels are always attentive to our needs, even when we are unaware of them. They help us to face challenges, trials and difficulties in our life. They can inspire acts of love, compassion and forgiveness, especially in those moments when we find it h...

When Norway made headlines by committing to a zero-deforestation policy, I couldn’t help but ask: When will we, in the Philippines, take forest protection this seriously? The Norwegian government has now pledged that no product entering its public procurement system should be linked to deforestation. That’s not just a statement of intent—it’s a policy shift backed by political will. According to the UN-backed Climate Action, this move is part of Norway’s long-standing leadership in rainforest protection. Back in 2008, they even put their money where their mouth is, giving Brazil a whopping US$1 billion to help preserve the Amazon. It worked—Brazil cut deforestation by 75% and spared over 33,000 square miles of forest. This latest move is not just symbolic. Norway’s decision sends a message across the globe: governments must lead by example, not just rely on voluntary pledges from the private sector. Nils Hermann Ranum of Rainforest Foundation Norway said it best: “This is an impor...

By Carlos V. Cornejo Here’s another virtue that we can appreciate better if we talk first about its opposing vice. The virtue we are referring to can have many names. It can be called solidarity with others or being united with them in their cause or in their joys as much as we are united with them in their sorrows. It can also be named as admiring others for their good qualities or good deeds and thus we don’t only admire them but also aspire to follow their good example. On the other hand, the opposing vice can only have one name. It is the capital sin of envy. St. Thomas Aquinas defines envy as “sorrow at another’s good.”   Envy is seeing something good in others either spiritual in nature (virtues, holiness, etc.), physical (good looks, talent, etc.) or material (money, items, etc.) that we think we should have too. And since we don’t have it, we feel that sorrow. Envy is the only vice that gives no pleasure at all to the person experiencing it. Not even temporary pleasu...

The  AutoBoat Tractor. Agri-engineers from DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Nueva Ecija have developed an AutoBoat Tractor—a tractor that uses hand levers for steering and can be operated with minimal physical effort, ideal for older farmers, women, and youth. The machine was engineered based on the common boat-style tractors used by Southeast Asian countries. It aims to make land preparation faster and more affordable for farmers. In terms of cost, a single four-wheel tractor is equivalent to three to four AutoBoat units, allowing farmers to save up to 75% on machinery investment—making it a more practical choice for smallholders. “We kept thinking about ways to make land preparation easier for farmers who don’t want to deal with heavy mud or pricey tractors. That’s when I thought about using a left-right power transmission. Everything followed after that,” said supervising science research specialist Dr. Jasper G. Tallada. The prototype machine, built us...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz, Staff reporter Laoag City —In a flavorful and festive showcase of Ilocano culinary pride, SM City Laoag successfully served 1,150 pieces of Ilocos empanada in what is now hailed as the largest empanada serving in Laoag City. The record-breaking event was one of the highlights of the SM City Laoag's Food Fest 2025, drawing in hundreds of mallgoers and food enthusiasts. The event transformed the SM City Laoag Event Center into a vibrant hub of aroma, culture, and live performances, as empanadas were freshly served on a sun-shaped platform symbolizing the “Sunshine City’” To create this feast, organizers used a staggering 1,150 eggs and approximately 40 kilograms of Ilocos longganisa, staying true to the authentic Ilocos empanada recipe that generations of Ilocanos have come to love.   A community effort The historic feat was made possible through the joint efforts of the following key partners: Department of Science and Technology (DOST); Departm...

  Laoag  councilor Justine Chua presents his measure urging all barangays in the city to establish a registry of animal raisers, which was later unanimously approved by all members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod present during the said session. (Doms dela Cruz) By Dominic B. dela Cruz, Staff reporter Laoag City —For more effective supervision and control of animal population, the city government of Laoag has urged all barangays in the city to establish their respective registration of animal raisers. Laoag councilor Justine Clarence Chua said the measure aims to conduct an annual animal inventory of all pets, livestock, and poultry production to the Office of City Veterinarian. Chua, who sponsored the measure, said this is in connection with Section 17 of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, which mandates all Local Government Unit (LGUs) to provide agricultural extension and veterinary services, which include livestock and poultry ...

On  September 27,2025, Office of the Civil Defense Regional Director Laurence E Mina with his team visited the municipality of Pagudpud to conduct post assessment of the impacts of supertyphoon “Nando” wherein this municipality was one of the most affected in Ilocos Norte. Pagudpud Mayor Rafael Ralph Benemerito joined the team for the post assessment. (LGU Pagudpud photo) By Dominic Dela Cruz ,  Staff reporter Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte—For the first time in the history of this town, a widespread flooding was experienced affecting 1,343 houses, which was almost the entire municipality, went under water as supertyphoon “Nando” lashed the province from September 22 to 23, 2025. Pagudpud Mayor Rafael Ralph Benemerito said “Nando” brought violent winds and torrential rains that marked the beginning of its devastation of the entire municipality. Reports showed that strong winds uprooted trees, toppled electric posts that caused widespread power outages. Torrential rains likewis...