The Ilocos Times

The Philippines is projected to become an aging society by 2030, but inadequate support systems, such as weak healthcare, limited pensions, and low digital literacy, risk leaving millions of older Filipinos vulnerable. Aging experts at the 11th Annual Public Policy Conference (APPC), organized by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) as part of the 23rd Development Policy Research Month (DPRM), urged the government to act now: strengthen institutions, embrace technology responsibly, and ensure no elderly Filipino is left behind. “The Philippines is aging before it becomes economically affluent,” warned Dr. Grace Cruz of the UP Population Institute. Findings from the “Longitudinal Study of Aging and Health in the Philippines (LSAHP)” reveal that older Filipinos have fragile and informal sources of support: six in ten rely on their children, 54% on pensions, only one in four earn from work due to low employment rates, and 18% receive remittances from abroad. ...

Former  Laoag Mayor Michael Keon and incumbent Laoag Mayor Bryan Alcid. By Dominic B. dela Cruz, Staff reporter Laoag City —The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Second Division has “dismissed with finality” the election protest filed by former Laoag Mayor Michael Marcos Keon against elected Laoag Mayor James Bryan Alcid. Alcid was happy that the Comelec dismissed the protest filed by the former mayor. “Maragsakan tayo tapnu metla maka traaho tayon iti husto ked ere-deretso with no hindrances ,” the mayor said. City government administrator Atty. Ed Von Cid, in an earlier interview, confirmed the dismissal of the case filed by Keon against Alcid. Cid said he received via email the certificate of finality and entry of judgment regarding the election protest. According to Cid, the mayor has no plan to “counter” the former mayor rather the mayor said it is time to move on since the final result has been declared, and politicking should be over now. He added that since th...

By Dominic B. dela Cruz,  Staff reporter Laoag City —Guided by this administration’s tagline, “Alisto, Asenso, Progreso,” Laoag mayor James Bryan Q. Alcid presented his 1 st 100 days accomplishment for the city of Laoag.   Charity Begins At Home The mayor’s first half day of work became a signal for change that everyone should start to work and deliver the beginning of fulfilling promises which he immediately signed Executive Order No. JBA 001-2025 institutionalizing the tagline “Alisto, Asenso Progreso” as the general approach to local governance for his administration and to be adapted by all departments aligning their programs, projects, and services. The mayor likewise issued Memorandum JBA 2025 No. 001 for the City Assessor’s Office and City Treasurer’s Office for the implementation of Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act that resulted to a collection of PHP4 million and saved around PHP8,000 for the fines and penalties those who were unable to...

  Ilocos  Norte leads the way toward cervical cancer elimination, nearing 90% HPV vaccination coverage among young girls, a milestone that brings the Philippines closer to a cervical cancer-free future. Laoag City — Ilocos Norte is on its way to becoming the first province in the Philippines to achieve 90-percent vaccination coverage among young girls in public schools against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) which is the cause of cervical cancer.   The province’s goal is aligned with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) target to fully vaccinated 90% of girls against HPV by age 15, to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030. Ilocos Norte’s ambition was highlighted during the Department of Health’s (DOH) national launch of the Bakuna Eskwela Campaign in Balatong Integrated School in Laoag City on September 30, 2025. This comes after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed in his recent State of the Nation Address , that cancer prevention through HPV vaccination, is one o...

Iti labes iti sagrado ti balikas: I do [Para ken ni Cielo Alma a kasimpungalan] Ni Amado I. Yoro AGYAMANTA: Umay ti agsapa kas met iti yaay ti malem Ti malem yegna ti sardam iti salinong ti rabii Sagut, wen, sagut   ti Naindaklan Unay Namarsua Ta impagtengna manen a kas Maysa a kari, iti karit ken pannubok Duata laeng nga agdaliasat iti dana Iti pannakigasanggasat iti sang-atan Ken Salogan ti derraas a dadduma umay ti pannakatnag Iti kinalupoy Subaenta dagiti dalluyon duprakenna a kinatao Iti atab-linak ti dumaldalinesnes a taaw Iti sirok ti langit, agur-uray ti kaibatoganta.   AGKIBINTA: Iti hardin ni ayat agpayakpak latta ti kulibangbang sabong arbis agek arakup lua arbis ulep tangatang sonata tedted ti tudo awan man trahe de boda ngem iti nawatiwat a panagkuyog sika pay la ti ayatko daydi ayat nga insagutko iti umuna a panagdaton, no baliwan ti agbiag, sika pay laeng daydi a kari a kaduaka kadagiti pagnaak a dalan ti...

Dear Mr . President: There are at least eight government agencies that should be involved in using technology for agriculture, but as of now, they are seemingly not coordinating with each other. These agencies are DICT, DA, DAR, DENR, CHED, TESDA, NAMRIA and PhilSpace. The roles of DICT and DA are obvious, because they are the two major players in the challenge of using information technology for agriculture. The role of DAR comes into play, because agriculture development is the next step after agrarian reform and land distribution. DENR should also be involved, because there are overlaps in planting trees and other crops in mountains and other public lands. CHED should also be involved, because there are many SUCs that have developed new information technologies that have yet to be commercialized. And lastly, TESDA should be involved, because they should already be teaching information and communications technology (ICT) skills to vocational and technical students. NAMRIA is in p...

WHY? Because , first of all, Christ told us so. “You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world,” he clearly told his disciples and eventually all of us. (cfr. Mt 5,13-14) But more than just being told by Christ, the basis of such divine command is because as persons we are meant to care for one another, to love one another. We would be contradicting our personhood if we fail to care and love one another. And the basic expression of such personal care and love for others is precisely to be such salt and light as Christ wants us to be so that we can lead everyone to our ultimate good and goal, which is to be with God, to be like God who wants us to be like him. Let’s remember that as persons we are meant to enter into a necessary relation with God and with others. That is why we have been endowed with intelligence and will so that we can know and love God and everybody else. Besides, we have been given the grace from God so that our knowing and loving does not get st...