The Ilocos Times

THIS is about charity, the very essence of God. And as God’s image and likeness, we are supposed to also have this essence. It’s a charity that is not simply human and natural, but rather divine and supernatural. As such, it requires the very grace of God for us to have it. But we have to understand that this charity that does not go against our human nature. It simply goes beyond it, purifying and elevating our human love to make it also divine. This truth of our Christian faith is illustrated in that gospel episode where Christ spelled out how we have to love. “You have heard that it has been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth,” he said. “But I say to you not to resist evil: but if one strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him also the other; and if a man will contend with you in judgment, and take away your coat, let go your cloak also to him.” (Mt 5,38-40) More than that, Christ also said, “And whosoever will force you one mile, go with him other two. Give t...

Using satellite technology for flood control and land use planning is certainly a good practice in science-driven governance. But let us be clear—it is not the only tool we need for these urgent problems. Sometimes, I wonder whether our government is too enamored with “new” technology when in fact there are already existing data sets available, even without satellites. I am very sure that PHIVOLCS, NAMRIA, MMDA, DENR, and the now-quiet UP Project NOAH already have valuable maps, surveys, and models in their files. Add to that, LGUs are supposed to maintain their own land use plans using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). These systems are not futuristic—they are here and should be working. So, why aren’t we making better use of them? Having said that, let me also recognize the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) for working with the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA). Their idea is to use satellites to detect land use violations that cause flooding in Me...

THAT’S because of our undeniable tendency to enclose ourselves in our own world, practically unwelcoming and even hostile to God who actually gives us the proper spirit of our humanity as his image and likeness. We have to find ways of how we can live out this basic necessity of ours. There’s certainly a need for tremendous effort. But we should not forget that the first thing we need to do is to humbly ask for God’s mercy and grace. We need to be humble, first of all, which is an effect at least of what is called as God’s actual grace, before we can successfully proceed with the effort to empty ourselves in order to be properly filled with God’s spirit. Christ himself told us that this should be the law that should rule our life. “He that shall lose his life for me, shall find it.” “Whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel, shall save it.” “He that hates his life in this world, keeps it unto life eternal.” The same idea, the same truth and ideal, is reiterated...

By Noralyn O. Dudt “Hallelujah hallelujah" chorus emanates from all quarters across the globe:   in cathedrals, churches, concert halls, shopping malls, school plays during this Christmas season. And HE shall live forever and ever… Hallelujah. Composed in 1741, The MESSIAH" by George Frideric Handel is still being played today and remains a favorite of many.   One wonders whether Handel saw the "Messiah" as his ticket to immortality. Handel wrote numerous oratorios but his most famous one was the "Messiah." The words were taken from the Bible and unless one is familiar with Scriptures, one would think this oratorio had no plot at first glance. However, the subject title is the plot—the prophecies about the Messiah: his life, death, resurrection, ascension,   and his eternal reign. An oratorio is different from an opera in two ways. It isn't acted out, with scenery and costumes, like an opera. The word "oratorio" comes from the Latin ...

ONCE again , we celebrate the very wonderful Solemnity of the Assumption of our Lady to heaven, reminding us that like her, we too are meant to be both body and soul in our definitive state of life, hopefully in heaven, at the end of time. Let’s remember that man is always a unity of body and soul. He is not just pure body nor pure spiritual soul. And as our Catechism teaches us, the body, properly animated by the spiritual soul, shares in the dignity of the “image of God.” (cfr. CCC 364) This is how the Catechism explains it: “The human body shares in the dignity of “the image of God”: it is a human body precisely because it is animated by a spiritual soul, and it is the whole human person that is intended to become in the body of Christ, a temple of the Spirit. Man, though made of body and soul, is a unity.” The Catechism further teaches that, “Through his very bodily condition he (man) sums up in himself the elements of the material world…He is obliged to regard his body as go...

By Carlos V. Cornejo A good book in managing our negative emotions is the one authored by renowned psychologist Susan David, entitled “Emotional Agility”.   In her book she gave four ways to deal with destructive emotions such as anger, sadness, boredom, self-pity or nervousness.   First, she suggested we need to be more accurate in describing our emotions.   That we should be able to distinguish sadness from boredom, anger from hatred, anxiety from loneliness, etc. in assessing our emotions.   Describing more accurately our emotions is like describing symptoms of our sickness to a doctor.   A well-defined problem will be a much easier problem to solve. Second, she advises us to accept our negative emotions.   Don’t run away from them by distracting ourselves with smartphone, use of social media or watching Netflix.   Running away from it would just make it come back with a vengeance.   I would want to inject a Christian remedy here.  ...

Laoag City —After marking her first 100 days in office, Ilocos Norte Governor Cecilia Araneta-Marcos renewed her commitment to uplift Ilokano families through stronger initiatives on employment and enterprise, underscoring that true progress is achieved when people are empowered to build better lives for themselves and their communities. Under her leadership, the provincial government of Ilocos Norte continues to strengthen programs that generate employment and support local businesses. Through initiatives such as “Mercato ni Nanay Ces” and “producer-to-consumer” trade fairs, local entrepreneurs , farmers, and artisans gain valuable opportunities to market their products, promote Ilokano craftsmanship , and grow their enterprises. According to a report released by the Philippine Statistics Authority , Ilocos Norte recorded an employment rate of 98.7% as of December 2024, reflecting the province’s robust performance in implementing programs that promote sustainable and inclusiv...