The Ilocos Times

By Reynaldo E. Andres Contributor               Batac CITY—A fourth year BS Agriculture student of the Mariano Marcos State University – College of Agriculture, Food and Sustainable Development (MMSU-CAFSD) delivered a lecture in line with the current innovative agriculture system in the Philippines at the Gwanak Campus of the Seoul National University (SNU) in South Korea, June 22 to July 5, 2014. Mitch Glydelle S. Cacatian, one of the top performing CAFSD students, discussed the current varietal improvement in rice, contour planting in corn, cloning and embryo transfer in buffalos, solar water pump, and the current trends in Philippine organic agriculture. Her audience was composed of 29 other students from India, China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, USA and Philippines, including some professors at the SNU. The lecture was the highlight of her study tour, which was sponsored by the Asian Association of Agricultural Colleges and Universities (AAACU) based in SNU. AAA

It didn’t make waves as the 1986 Catholic Bishop’s Conference pastoral letter did by denouncing the 1986 snap election vote count   by the Marcos dictatorship. That helped trigger People Power One.     CBCP new pastoral letter, issued this month, confirms the early January 2015 visit by Pope Francis. Skip the ceremonies. The pontiff instead   urgently   seeks to meet with     typhoon and earthquake victims in the Visayas.    Titled “A Nation of Mercy and Compassion”, the CBCP letter comes from   a local   church whose emerging leaders are breaking away from brimstone excommunication threats over issues like the reproductive   health . The new generation is seen in people like   Cardinals Luis Antonio   Tagle and Orlando Quevedo. They focus on securing justice for slum dwellers to cooperation with Muslims and marginalized minorities. They also live austerely. “Are we a church that really calls and welcomes sinners with open arms,” Francis asked earlier. “Or we are ch

ON JULY 27, 2014, the Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ) celebrates its centennial anniversary. The only indigenous Philippine church, the Iglesia ni Cristo now boasts of millions of members of 110 races in six continents and more than 100 countries. From its humble beginnings in July 27, 1914 at Punta, Sta. Ana in Manila, the INC’s founder Bro. Felix Y. Manalo strove hard to lay down the foundation. A foundation which his son and successor Bro. Eraño G. Manalo built on to increase the church’s membership by establishing congregations in various parts of the country then the world. And it is in this global setting that new INC Executive Minister Eduardo V. Manalo has led the church in its 100 th year. Though notoriously known for its bloc-voting during elections, the Iglesia ni Cristo is more than just a simple religious organization and as such should also be acknowledged in its other more productive undertakings. It has a regular outreach program in all parts of the c

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter Piddig , Ilocos Norte—A town famous for being the site of the famous “Basi Revolt” during the Spanish era has started developing a coffee plantation. The switch from sugarcane, prime ingredient of basi (sugarcane wine), to coffee involves the development of an initial 10-hectare plantation of Arabica coffee in the mountain ranges of this town. The mountain area is the coldest place here and the coffee plantation will be in be intercropped with pine trees. “The initial phase of the coffee project is almost complete,” said Piddig Mayor Eduardo Guillen following the field visit of Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources regional executive director Samuel Peñafiel in Piddig. Earlier, the DENR granted the Piddig government P52 million worth of financial assistance for the establishment of a coffee nursery to produce 2 million coffee seedlings in three years’ time, or until 2016. As part of the National Greening Program (NGP

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter Laoag City —Before unscrupulous rice traders attempt to deceive consumers, the National Food Authority based in this city has created a “palengke watch team” to monitor rice prices and to ensure sufficient supply here.    So far, Ilocos Norte maintains an adequate supply of NFA rice with available stocks of 30,000 bags, enough to sustain the province local consumption covering the lean months of June to September, said NFA provincial manager Beverlyn Peralta. Based on initial report of the NFA price monitoring team, Ms. Peralta said NFA-accredited outlets are selling commercial stocks from P27 toP32 and well-milled rice pegged from P40-42 per kilogram. Compared to other provinces in Luzon, Ms. Peralta said there had been no monitored rice price hike except for premium stocks or special rice which is more expensive by at least P4 per kilogram. Ms. Peralta said it is but natural for traders to increase prices because the buyi

By Jund Rian A. Doringo FNRI-DOST S&T Media Service Did you know that no single food can provide all the nutrients the body needs? Nutrients provides cells and organs the necessary food to maintain the body’s functions that support life. Eating a variety of foods every day from all the food groups provides the needed nutrients by the body, with consideration on the amount and balance. It can also help in having an attentive mind. These food groups comprise of energy giving foods such as rice, bread, and root crops, foods that promote growth development such as meat, milk, and legumes, and foods that maintain body processes such as vegetables and fruits. The first recommendation of the 2012 Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos (NGF) is to eat a variety of foods every day to get the nutrients needed by the body. Eat a variety of foods to guarantee a healthy body free of macro- and micronutrient deficiency diseases and health-threatening conditions. Fo

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff Reporter Marcos , Ilocos Norte—Police authorities in this town was dumbfounded when a woman detainee escaped from the municipal jail early July 14. Acting provincial police director P/Sr. Supt. Antonio Mendoza Jr. reported that jail guards of the Marcos police noticed that Josephine Isip was no longer in her cell at around 5 am, July 14. Police said she may have climbed up a broken ceiling using folded steel bar and escaped from there.  Ms. Isip, a native of Pampanga province but now residing at Barangay Lydia here in Marcos was arrested in a drug buy-bust operation in the same barangay earlier. The Marcos police was supposed to file a case against her at the Marcos Hall of Justice on July 18. Marcos police chief Arnel Tabaog admitted they committed some lapses so the prisoner managed to escaped. Ms. Isip was later re-apprehended by the police.