The Ilocos Times

DICT Secretary Henry Rhoel R. Aguda (left) and LANDBANK President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz (center) lead the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance AI-powered solutions that will enhance MSME credit assessment , business development, and access to financing. They are joined LANDBANK Executive Vice President Charlotte I. Conde (right).   Micro, small , and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can soon benefit from faster and more accessible financing as LANDBANK and the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) partner to leverage artificial intelligence (AI) in streamlining credit assessment and strengthening business support. LANDBANK President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz and DICT Secretary Henry Rhoel R. Aguda formalized the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 20 July 2026 at the LANDBANK Plaza in Manila. They were joined by DICT Undersecretary Christina Faye M. Condez-De Sagon, LANDBANK Executive Vice President Charlotte...

Nearly one in four Filipino adolescents falls behind in school by age 18, according to findings from one of the country’s most extensive studies tracking child and adolescent development.  Researchers behind the Longitudinal Cohort Study on the Filipino Child (LCSFC) found that disadvantages experienced early in life—including poor nutrition, poverty, mental health challenges , and exposure to work—continue to shape educational outcomes and future opportunities years later. Among the cohort studied, 30.6% were already stunted at age 10, while 15.8% had experienced work. Over the following years, school progression steadily declined, with the proportion of adolescents remaining academically on track dropping from 90% at age 10 to 82% at age 15, and further to about 75% by age 18. Dr. Judith Borja , lead investigator of the study and former director of the University of San Carlos–Office of Population Studies Foundation (USC-OPS Foundation), said childhood experiences contin...

By Carlos V. Cornejo There is this best-selling book of Carol Dweck entitled “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” that classifies people into two groups, those that have a fixed mindset and those that have a growth mindset .   The fixed mindset group would think that they have a talent in some areas but zero in others.   I am good in English but bad in Math.   Or I can dance but not sing.   I can play basketball but not soccer.   Carol Dweck said that the problem with this thinking is that it limits our persistence in overcoming obstacles.   If you have held that long belief that you are not good in math for example you wouldn’t care studying harder in math because you’ve already given up even before the fight.   You would then end up contented getting a barely passing grade when there was that untapped potential of being good in math within you.   You just needed a more persevering effort to bring it out.   The growth minded peopl...

WHEN Christ sent his apostles to proclaim the Gospel , he did not simply give them a mission. He gave them a way of life. "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received; freely give." Then came the startling instruction: "Take no gold or silver or copper in your belts; no bag for the journey, no extra tunic, no sandals or staff." ( Mt. 10:8-10 ) Those words were radical then, and they remain radical today. Jesus was teaching his followers to let go of self-sufficiency and place their confidence entirely in God. Their mission was not to be driven by comfort, possessions, or financial security, but by faith , generosity, and an unwavering commitment to bringing God's kingdom to others. That challenge was not meant only for the Twelve Apostles. It extends to every Christian who sincerely wants to follow Christ. While not everyone is called to abandon material possessions literally, all are called to cultivate the same...

Cancer is not just a disease—it is a systemic failure. In the Philippines today, we see this reality drawn in stark numbers: over 180,000 new cancer cases reported yearly, and 466,000 Filipinos living with cancer within the last five years. Every day, we lose more than 300 Filipinos to cancer, according to recent cancer-summit data. These are not just statistics—these are lives undone, families saddened, and dreams stunted. What’s worse, these may be conservative figures: many cancer cases among the poor go unreported, uncounted. Yet, for all this burden, we lack a national cancer institution at par with the Philippine Heart Center for heart disease or the Lung Center of the Philippines for respiratory illness. Instead, cancer care is fragmented. Yes, we have several cancer treatment centers—but none fully symbolizes the unity, capacity, and recognition of a national “cancer hospital.” At the heart of the nation’s public cancer fight is the PGH Cancer Institute , part of the Uni...

  OPERATIONAL REFORM. Linemen of Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) replace old electric posts in Laoag City in this undated photo. INEC on Friday (July 31, 2026) welcomed the call of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to revisit the Electric Power Industry Reform Act . (Contributed Photo) By Leilanie Adriano LAOAG CITY—The Ilocos Norte Electric Cooperative (INEC) has intensified its efforts to reduce system loss by strengthening power distribution management, curbing electricity theft, and upgrading its electrical infrastructure to improve service efficiency and reliability. In a letter addressed to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. following his fifth State of the Nation Address , INEC general manager Cipriano Martinez III shared the ongoing operational reforms being undertaken over the past three years by the lone electric distribution utility here to reduce system losses. “We at INEC, hear you, Mr. President. As the electric cooperative of your home province, no...

ALS GRADUATES. Some of the 464 learners graduate from the Alternative Learning System (ALS) in Dingras, Ilocos Norte on July 30, 2026. This is part of the province's efforts to provide second-chance education for out-of-school youth and adults . (Livestream screengrab) By Leilanie Adriano DINGRAS, Ilocos Norte —A total of 464 learners graduated from the Alternative Learning System (ALS) in Ilocos Norte on Thursday, marking another milestone in the province's efforts to provide second-chance education for out-of-school youth and adults. The graduates completed either the elementary or secondary level through the Department of Education's ALS program , which offers flexible learning opportunities for individuals who were unable to finish formal basic education due to financial constraints, work, family responsibilities or other circumstances. During the graduation rites hosted by the municipal government of Dingras, Ilocos Norte, Schools Division Superintendent Donato...