The Ilocos Times

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter At least 19 booths of young Ilocano artists designing personalized T-shirts and other cool designs about Ilocos Norte’s natural landscapes and various tourism landmarks were on display on April 4-6 at the La Tabacalera Ilocano Lifestyle Center beside the Museo Iloco to showcase the Ilocanos ingenuity and recognize the best talents in the province. Organized by the Ilocos Norte government in cooperation with local artists and young entrepreneurs, the Philippines first T-shirt festival launched in this city   on April 4, it aims to promote the Ilocanos artistry expressed in designing personalized shirts, unique gifts and customized products while making money out of it. Gee Foronda, acting general manager of Samtoy Bookstore, a sanctuary for local artists in this northern gateway of Luzon said the three-day event primarily aims to exhibit the rich Ilocano culture, talent and heritage in the form of artsy T-shirts made in Ilocos Norte.

At a party , a guest asked us about the well-publicized case of two Filipinos who slaughtered a dog and whom we saved from deportation. I replied: “I only saved one, I do not know about the other. He might have hired a white lawyer. Colonial mentality?” Laughter. Killing for food animals like cows, pigs, and chickens, is not a crime in most states. Hawaii is probably the only state where it is a criminal offense to kill a “pet animal” (e.g. dog) calling it “cruelty to animals.” Many believe this law targets Filipinos who have a reputation for eating dogs. Filipinos constitute the largest non-white race in Hawaii—about 275,000 souls or one-fifth of the population. People wonder how the Filipino legislators voted? Two Laoagueños working at a golf course in Hawaii saw the owner of a nice looking dog tie it to a tree. When the owner left to play, they took the dog home where they started to slaughter it. Their supervisor called them back to the golf course. Police confronted the

Insiders say many priests of the Diocese of Laoag are unhappy with a pet project of Bishop Renato Mayugba who has been in the diocese for only a year. Although the clergy, especially its senior members, are open to the idea of building a seminary in the diocese, they lament that the P90 to P120 million to be spent for the facility’s construction in Bacarra town is unnecessarily expensive. The priests fear that diocesan programs, particularly those for the poor and marginalized, will be sacrificed because of the ambitious project. “The college seminary is not a pastoral initiative; it’s a project of the bishop,” a senior priest said, thus revealing rocky relations brought about by Mayugba’s construction project. There have been suggestions to just improve the existing St. Mary’s Minor Seminary in Brgy. Mangato, Laoag City where the college seminary could be housed (high school seminaries are unnecessary anyway and are being closed down elsewhere), but sources say the bishop

What do those palms we heft this Sunday mean?  Young and old (like us) lift them up for blessing after the mass where the story of the Passion is read. Our Spanish-speaking forbears knew this as “Domingo de Ramos”. They call this “bendita sa lukay” in Visayan speaking areas. Back in 1589, Fray Juan De Plasencia, in 1589, noted Filipinos even then used palms for feasts. The palms recall the entry of Christ into Jerusalem. “Teacher, rebuke your disciples,” furious Pharisees demanded. “If they keep silent, the stones will cry out!” Jesus responded.   In the Old Testament, palm branches symbolize joy. They’re associated with Succoth or the harvest feast. Babylonians, Egyptians, Greeks and Romans used them as part of triumphant processions. Today, we need those palms as a reminder—and a challenge, writes Deacon Gerg Kundra. They remind us to celebrate as that day in Jerusalem, even when it is easier to drift and choose Barabbas (a.k.a pork barrel?)  The palms remind us w

THE most solemn days of Christians’ year start with Palm Sunday, as it ushers in the Holy Week, and with the defining moments on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. During these days, the faithful commemorate the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ—events supposedly giving them the discerning sense of life. For this year, Palm Sunday falls on April 13, marking the blessing and procession of the Palms to recollect Jesus’ humble entry to Jerusalem, with a conviction to carry out his Father’s will for him to suffer and die for the good of others. Thus, Good Friday until Easter Sunday, April 20, equally reminded us about Jesus’ death on the cross to redeem mankind from sin, so that upon his resurrection, the doors of Heaven’s Kingdom could be opened for all repentant sinners to enter. Sadly, there are Holy Week traditions that are no longer observed. There are some practices that remain but apparently have lost solemnity and significance. More la

Nakakaumay na ang paggamit sa life cycle ng paru-paro sa pagsasalarawan sa buhay. Pero sige, gamitin uli natin! Ito lang siguro ang kaibhan ngayon: Sa pamamagitan ng ikot ng buhay ng paru-paro, isasalarawan natin ang ugali ng ilang churchgoer o nagsisimba. Flashback tayo sa buhay ng paru-paro. Magsisimula ito bilang isang itlog na nakapatong sa halaman.  Pagkalipas ng ilang lingo, mapipisa ang itlog at iluluwal ang isang caterpillar —isang mabalahibong “uod” na ubod ng bagal sa pagkilos. Matapos ang ilang linggo, maghahanap ang c aterpillar ng mapwe-pwestuhan para maging pupa o chrysalis .  Sa kanyang pagiging pupa , maglalambitin at sasabak sa napakahimbing na “pagtulog”. Pagkaraan ng dalawa hanggang tatlong lingo, kakawala na ito bilang isang makulay at masayang paru-paro. Sa karaniwang obserbasyon, ganito rin ang cycle ng ilang mga nagsisimba, lalo na tuwing Linggo ng umaga. Una, sila’y tila mga itlog na walang kagana-ganang maghanda para sa mi

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter Aside from the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program benefiting at least 18, 630 beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the Department of Social Welfare is also giving financial assistance for livelihood projects to help alleviate the living conditions of these beneficiaries. In Ilocos Norte, the DSWD has approved about P2.75 million for qualified beneficiaries this year. Fely Sales, provincial coordinator of the Self Employment Assistance Program said the provincial social welfare office is now currently assessing those who may qualify for the financial assistance. Earlier, a dialogue was conducted by the DSWD and the 4Ps beneficiaries to present the mechanics of the program. The sustainable livelihood program is part of DSWD’s convergence program for poverty reduction which provides entrepreneurial capacity building for all 4Ps beneficiaries.  It offers two tracks of assistance, Micro-enterprise: