The Ilocos Times

Lola Esperita Tomas of Barangay Anao, Piddig, Ilocos Norte is now more than 90 years old. But she has to take care of her son, Tata Felipe, 63 years old. The father of Tata Felipe left them when he was still in the womb. So, Lola Esperita alone reared and took care of his son who is living with her up to now. Being a single mother rubbed salt to the wounds caused by hard life, but Lola Esperita did her best to raise a good child. Though poverty hovered over them, they never let go of their faith and integrity. Lola Esperita Tomas of Barangay Anao, Piddig, Ilocos Norte. A loving mother who badly needs our help and love. (Photo Courtesy of Argie Lorenzo) Tata Felipe is a former soldier, unmarried and childless. He now works as a farmer to meet their daily needs. He poured all his efforts to give back the love and care that his mother enveloped her since the day he was born. But just recently, Tata Felipe suffered a stroke which made him unable to work—weake

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff Reporter Batac City —City Vice Mayor Ronald Allan M. Nalupta revealed that his office, along with those of other Sangguniang Panlungsod members, received two separate letters from a certain Patricio Tagatac reminding them of the payment of lots that are now being occupied by the city government. The letters were received prior to the start of a regular session of the council. Nalupta said the first letter reminded them about the payment of three parcels of land occupied by the city government particularly the Government Center located at Barangay 16 Quiling Sur in this city. The other letter is also a reminder for the payment of a lot occupied by the city government’s old BJMP building situated at Barangay 35 Billoca. The letter identified Tagatac as the administrator and the legal heir of spouses Maximo and Felipa Tagatac, owners of the lots mentioned. In reaction to this, Nalupta said these are obligations of the city governmen

Binuksan na ang taunang Bright Leaf Awards (BLA) para sa kumpetisyon ng mga mamahayag sa radio, telebisyon at dyario. Ang ika-walong Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards ay layung  kilalanin  ang  magagaling na mamahayag  at himukin silang abutin ang “excellence” sa pagpapaliwanag at pagbibigay ng impormasyon sa  pagtatanim ng tabako at industriya ng agrikultura. Bibigyan din ng award  ang mga photographers na may pinakamagandang kuha sa sitwasyon  ng agrikultura sa bansa. Ayon kay Didet Danguilan, Bright Leaf Awards project head, mga Pilipinong mamamahayag lang ang maaring sumali sa kumpetisyon. Ang mga kategorya ay Agriculture Story of the Year, Agriculture Photo of the Year, Tobacco Story of the Year, Tobacco Photo of the Year, Best Television Program or Segment, Best Radio Program or Segment, Best National News Story, Best Regional News Story, Best National Feature Story, Best Regional Feature News Story and Oriental Leaf Award. Ang Oriental Leaf Award ay

THE Ilocos Norte provincial government launches the “Saguip Nars” on March 28 in Laoag City. The program aims to employ registered nurses in the province by deploying them to different barangays. The nurses in turn will get a chance to accrue the minimum two years clinical experience required of them when seeking for employment abroad. (Alaric Yanos) By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter The Provincial government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) will be hiring at least 100 registered nurses to be deployed in the province’s district hospitals and rural villages for six months. With hundreds of thousands of unemployed licensed nurses desperate for work, the Ilocos Norte government launched its “Sagip Nars” program to help them gain temporary employment while seeking better job opportunities here and abroad. On March 27, about a hundred young registered nurses attended an orientation meeting   at the Provincial Capitol for the said program. An initial screening and inter

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter NUEVA ERA, Ilocos Norte—At least 30 Tingguians in this town’s newest eco-tourism destination graduated as full-pledged tour guides with the seminar the Department of Tourism in cooperation with the Nueva Era government conducted on March 18-20 for free. Ma. Milagros Gonzales, DOT Laoag sub-office provincial director said all the accredited participants are “first timers” in terms of ushering foreign and local tourists visiting the government-run eco-cultural park and tribal village here since its launch last January. The three-day training-workshop featured a series of lectures and actual demonstration on basic tourist reception and tour-guiding techniques, participated by selected staff of the local government unit of Nueva Era and some interested local residents here dominated by the Tingguians. Specifically, participants were taught how to usher a tourist within the eco-cultural park including ample knowledge about the dif

Congratulations to 3 rd Prince Marc Crisbert Tumamao and 3 rd Princess Marysol D. Batangan, who are crowned during the 48 th foundation anniversary of San Nicolas National High School held March 13-15. Others in photo are the stylists of the 3 rd princess and her parents Mr. and Mrs. Rosendo Batangan. (Doms dela Cruz)

Maria Cristina White, baro a president ti  Santiaguienians Association of Hawaii. Baro a rupa ken baro a timek a timmipon laeng itay nabiit kadagiti regular a miting ti Ilocos Surian Association of Hawaii, ti nangipeksa iti nabatad ken mapangnamnamaan a makitinnulong kadagiti aktibidad ken proyekto ti ISAH: “our organization is in "support for the ISAH Medical Mission, and other activities of ISAH” Kadua ni Maria a nabotosan a mangreyenda ti gungloda dagiti sumaganad:  Heidi Agbulos, bise presidente; Mineva Garcia, sekretaria; Divina Sabado, katulongan a sekretaria; Vangie Ragma, tesorera; Cecilia Elefante, katulongan a tesorera; Thomas Quintos ken Baltazar Echalas, auditor; Gecela Aquino ken Rose Frando, parairakurak; Rudy Etrata ken Ray Ragma, manarawidwid; Robert Elefante, Peter Abad ken Roger Escalona, Alex Vergara, Bert Bongolan, Casimiro Pasion, Maximo Pasion, Jr., Oscar Gaborno, sarhento de armas;  Mamagbaga da Emerita Etrata ken Maria Etrata. Dagiti mangibagi i