The Ilocos Times

By Carlos V. Cornejo We might think that St. Thomas Aquinas being a brilliant theologian, if not the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) among theologians much like Michael Jordan is the GOAT among NBA players, would just talk only about spiritual matters. Surprisingly, he is practical and down to earth as well. Here are his remedies to sadness from Summa Theologica that we can apply in our day and age. First remedy if you are feeling blue is to grant yourself what you like. If you like ice cream, go for it. If you need to drink a beer or a glass of wine to relax a bit, have one. If you need to unwind by playing a game either a physical game of basketball or a mental game of chess, card games or computer games then do it. Others might prefer to go to the beach or to the mountains and interact with nature, this would also do. The idea is to reward yourself with something you like and help your mind be diverted from your worries. Second remedy is weeping. Saint Thomas actual words from hi...

  Joining the Semana Ti Ar-Aria Parada Iloca-Ilocana parade of floats organized by the Ilocos Norte provincial government on October 31, 2025, the city government of Laoag headed by Mayor James Bryan Alcid (upper right photo) and wife Jojami Lei (upper left photo) in their “Briliante Ng Tubig” costume. Other local government units, government and private agencies also joined the parade in celebration of the All Saints/Souls Day 2025. (Doms dela Cruz) Laoag Mayor James Bryan Alcid and wife Jojami Lei in their “Briliante ng Tubig” attire designed by Amor Albano for the Semana Ar-Aria Parada Iloca-Ilocana parade held October 31, 2025, in celebration of the All Saints/Souls Day. (Photo courtesy of  Amor Albano)

WAREHOUSE PROJECT. The inauguration and turnover of the San Jose warehouse with solar dryer to the local government of Vintar, Ilocos Norte on Oct. 15, 2025. With the solar dryer, farmers will no longer use road shoulders of highways to dry their produce, reducing post-harvest losses. ( Photo courtesy of Vintar LGU) By Leilanie Adriano Vintar , Ilocos Norte—Some 500 garlic farmers in this town are among the first beneficiaries of a newly opened multi-purpose warehouse with solar dryer in Brgy. San Jose that is seen to improve productivity and reduce post-harvest losses. In an interview, Vintar municipal agriculturist Maricel Serrano said "full utilization" of the warehouse is expected early next year, in time for the harvest season. "Most of our farmers are now preparing their farm lots for the planting season this coming November," Serrano added. "The expected harvest is by February next year." According to the project brief, the warehouse is ex...

Laoag City — Ilocos Norte Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos pledged her administration’s commitment to strengthening Ilocos Norte’s tourism and investment sectors as she delivered her first 100 days report, outlining the province’s continuing progress toward Ilocos Norte as a " greener pasture ." “Tourism is truly Ilocos Norte’s greatest beauty, and we are committed to taking it to new heights,” Araneta-Marcos said. In her report, the governor highlighted several milestones in the tourism sector, including Ilocos Norte’s PHP 6.5 million in sales and second runner-up Best Booth recognition at the 36 th Philippine Travel Mart . She also emphasized the uncovering of “hidden gems” in the province, such as the cascades of falls in Pasuquin and the mountain ranges in Solsona, as potential destinations. Visitor services at the Laoag International Airport have been improved to offer guests a “warm and seamless welcome,” she said. The provincial government of Ilocos Norte...

Believe it or not, the Philippines is the only country in the ASEAN that has not yet set a formal carbon neutrality or net-zero target. Yes, you heard that right. Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and even Indonesia have set their own timelines. Only the Philippines stands out for its absence. What happened to us? And why has this happened? Who has been negligent? Is it the Congress? Is it the Executive Branch? Or perhaps the DOE and the Climate Change Commission? Has our mass media also overlooked this? And what about social media, with its legions of bloggers and influencers—have they been silent too? Could it be that even civil society has also overlooked this crucial matter? The absence of a net-zero goal is not a minor oversight. It reflects something deeper—that the urgency of climate action has not yet fully entered our collective consciousness. This is very important to us now, and even more so for our children in the future. Let’s ...

THAT’S what we can learn from the Gospel of St. Luke where Christ talks about death that will come to us like a thief in the night and how we can prepare for it by giving ourselves to others what God has given us. “Unto whomsoever much is give, of him much shall be required, and to whom they have committed much, of him they will demand the more.” (cfr. Lk 12,39-48) This point is reinforced in that gospel story about a rich young man who asked Christ how he can inherit eternal life (cfr. Mk 10,17-27). It is a poignant warning among the so-called good Christians who may already be doing a lot of good but still are unwilling to give all to God. It’s a story that effectively reveals what is truly inside our heart. Is our heart really for God or is it actually just for ourselves though it can be showy about being Godly? The man in the gospel readily admitted that he had been observing the commandments, as Christ articulated them again. But when he was told what he had to do to merit ...

By Carlos V. Cornejo Faith is a very rich virtue. Much like the virtue of charity it has many definitions. Faith in God means to believe, to trust and to obey Him. St. Thomas Aquinas calls faith as the door to the spiritual life. It is the door to our relationship with God. One of the definitions of faith in the Catechism of the Catholic Church states that, “Faith is first of all a personal adherence of man to God. At the same time, and inseparably, it is a free assent to the whole truth that God has revealed. As personal adherence to God and assent to his truth, Christian faith differs from our faith in any human person. It is right and just to entrust oneself wholly to God and to believe absolutely what he says. It would be futile and false to place such faith in a creature (both humans and created things).”   (CCC 150) We practice faith in our everyday life and often times we are not aware of it. We have faith in a jeepney driver that he would drive us safely to our intende...