The Ilocos Times

IN this life we cannot help but be versatile. St. Paul himself expressed it so well when he said that we have to be “all things to all men.” “To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews,” he said. “To those under the law I became as one under the law—though not being myself under the law—that I might win those under the law. “To those outside the law I became as one outside the law—not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ—that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak.” (1 Cor 9,20-22) Of course, we have to remind ourselves also, as St. Paul himself had also reminded us, that though “all things are lawful…not all things are helpful.” (1 Cor 8,12) There’s always a need for discernment and prudence. This is a doctrine worth keeping in mind, its relevant attitude and skill properly and consistently cultivated and developed. That’s because nowadays we cannot help but contend with a growing variety

SMOOTH BIZ PERMIT RENEWAL. As the yearly tradition, the Laoag City government has set-up a one-stop-shop for business owners to facilitate their renewal of business permits. The one-stop-shop houses all offices needed by business owners so they no longer need to shuttle back-and forth to different locations. The business permit renewal ends on January 20, 2014. (Doms dela Cruz)

Pormalen a nalukatan ti Bonsai School iti Mariano Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) a nagpagsursuruan dagiti estudiante a mayat nga  agpatanor iti mula a bonsai. Ti pannakalukat iti Bonsai School ket naigiddan iti maika-36 a Foundation Anniversary ti MMSU a nangablaawan metten ni Gobernador Imee Marcos kadagiti mangimatmaton iti nasao nga unibersidad. Dimmar-ay iti nasao nga okasion ni Professor Amy Liang, Presidente ti Asia-Pacific Bonsai Friendship Federation ken dagiti kakaduana  manipud idiay Taiwan. Dinayaw ken immunan a nagyamanan ni Gobernador Imee Marcos dagiti Taiwanese masters nga umuna a mangiyadal kadagiti maseknan a mangisursuro iti MMSU no kasano ti napintas ken epektibo pay a panagpadakkel iti bonsai ditoy Pilipinas. Mamati ti gobernador a dakkel ti maitulong dagitoy gapu ta nayon pay a pamastrekan dagiti umili gapu ta nangina dagiti mula a bonsai no mailako iti local a mercado ken uray idiay ballasiw taaw. Kabayatanna, namnamaen met  ni Dr.

A British Broadcasting Corporation reporter and a business executive from England have written, nine years apart, witty features on unique Filipino names that we take for granted but stun foreigners. “On my first day in Manila, I…was served by a smiling coffee shop girl who wore a name badge:  BumBum,” Kate McGeown of BBC recalls. “I did a double-take. But if it’s is a joke the whole country seems to be in.” Matthew Sutherland agreed in an Observer feature “The secretary I inherited on arrival had an unusual name: Leck-Leck.” Filipinos, he discovered, were fond of “repeating names.” They include: Lenlen or Ning-ning. “Names are refined by using the ‘squared’ symbol as in Len 2 or Mai 2 ,” Sutherland wrote. “How boring to come from the UK, full of people named John Smith. How wonderful to come to a country where imagination rules.” The head of the Catholic Church here then was named Jaime Cardinal Sin. “Welcome to the house of Sin,” he’d greet guests. “Where else in

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter Batac City —Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta announced that the farm-to-market road projects he began in 2013 will continue in the new year. He stressed that the city government will continue to prioritize barangay projects as he said he does not want the city’s rural barangays to be left behind in terms of development and improvement. Nalupta said he considers his farm-to-market road projects as one of his major accomplishments last year and as such he wants to continue it this year. He also mentioned that he wants both urban and rural barangays to be developed in all aspects. To achieve this, he said the best strategy is to hasten development in the rural barangays. To make sure that their primary roads are paved but he pointed out that he is not in favor or re-gravelling as this is just a waste of money. Since 2007, Nalupta has already told barangays that the city’s vision is to improve farm-to-market roads of all rural ba