The Ilocos Times

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter The Marcoses has a new lawyer. This time, he is in the person of Ferdinand Richard Michael Marcos Manotoc, second son of Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos and her estranged husband champion basketball coach Tomas Manotoc. The 28-year old Manotoc is one of the law graduates from the University of the Philippines who passed the 2013 bar examinations announced by the Supreme Court on March 18. Glad for his son’s latest success, Ms. Marcos said she is happy for Michael. “Proud of my fourth generation UP law son, even if I didn’t want him to be a lawyer, I am so happy he is one now!” Marcos said in a text message. The New York University-educated grandson of the late former Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos may have taken after his mom’s love for law and acting as the young Manotoc has also taken a short term course at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London before he entered UP’s College of Law.   When asked

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter BURGOS, Ilocos Norte—More trees have to fall, to give way to the on-going construction of the largest wind farm in the Philippines, which is targeted for commissioning in the last quarter of this year. After eight months of full construction work, the Burgos wind project (BWP) of the Lopez-led Energy Development Corporation (EDC) in Ilocos Norte has started installation work and transportation of huge wind turbines in the area following grounds excavation and backfilling operations along the sprawling 600-hectare coastal and mountainous areas covering Brgys. Saoait, Poblacion and Nagsurot here.  “For any kind of development, some things have to be sacrificed,” said provincial environment and natural resources officer Juan delos Reyes in allowing the cutting of 848 trees and earth balling of 1,944 tree saplings more to make way for the 87-MW Burgos wind farm . To date, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter AS THE SPACE for new graves dwindles, the Laoag City government has set plans to expand the public cemetery at Brgy. 1. City assessor Engr. Ruben Domingo confirmed the expansion plan as he said Laoag Mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas has instructed him to look into the purchase of the lot beside the cemetery. Domingo added that the two-hectare cemetery is now already congested as he also disclosed that the alleys are now being used as graves. The assessor further related that they already found 5,000 sq. m lot beside the cemetery but the owners have migrated abroad and this is delaying the process to purchase the lot. Should the lot be acquired, Domingo said they plan to put up an “apartment-type” of tombs which would be more orderly and would accommodate more. He also mentioned that an environment-compliance certificate would no longer be needed for the plan as the lot is located just beside the cemetery. But to be sure, he sai

Local executives in the country are prioritizing measures that will reduce rice wastage as commitment in sustaining the National Year of Rice 2013, which was launched this year as the Be RICEponsible campaign. During last year’s Vice Mayors’ League of the Philippines meeting, around 130 towns and cities pledged to support policies that would  promote responsible rice consumption for the country to be rice-self-sufficient and for the Filipinos to have better health. Hazel Antonio, director of the National Year of Rice 2013 campaign, said that dialogues with the food service industry and discussions at the local legislature are now being conducted to implement the default serving and availability of half rice to prevent wastage. Already, food establishments in some provinces including La Union, were required to include half cup of rice in their menu. “The goal of default serving and availability of half-cup rice is not to limit the rice consumption of Filipinos, but rat

More regionally tailored industry roadmaps need to be put in place to strengthen the viability of local businesses and industries in light of the impending economic integration of the ASEAN economies by 2015. This was revealed at the regional workshop and consultations on the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) held at the cities of Cebu, Davao, and Butuan in 2013 and early part of 2014 with research fellows from state think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) as resource speakers. The AEC forums were organized by the National Economic and Development Authority’s Regional Offices 7, 11 and Caraga, in cooperation with the regional development councils and PIDS. The Institute’s participation in these regional forums is part of its outreach and extension program.  PIDS Fellow Dr. Rafaelita Aldaba noted that “there is a need for a specific roadmap for each region. There are lots of potentials that can be tapped.  The regional development plans may be updated and t

By Alfredo C. Garvida Jr. Contributor We are STILL 26 months away from the 2016 elections but the political spectrum this early is now pounded by varied speculations as to who will run with whom in the next presidential and vice presidential races. Sen. Allan Peter Cayetano's fresh declaration of his intention to run for president has altered the Philippine political landscape, but his declaration was not surprising though given his commendable showing in the last senatorial race—he placed third, beating even the erstwhile highly regarded Chiz Escudero—and his good public rating from what appears to be based on his oral performances in senate proceedings, especially against his mortal enemy that is Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile. The next presidential race is now shaping up as a four-cornered fight among Vice President Jejomar Binay, DILG Sec. Mar Roxas, Cayetano and Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos. If public acceptance survey ratings were the barometer to the voters' pref