The Ilocos Times

From a city with small, homegrown groceries and department stores that close at 6:00 p.m., Laoag City in the past couple of years has built a reputation as a retail mecca, with big stores sprouting faster than you can say “cheese”... or “Sy.” In December 2009, Robinsons Ilocos Norte (San Nicolas technically but is geographically almost Laoag) was the first national retail chain to open in the Ilocos Region. It was followed by three others, all located in Laoag: SM SaveMore in December 2011, SM HyperMart in October 2012, and PureGold in November 2012. Another SaveMore branch will open in San Nicolas before the end of this year. Of the five, however, only Robinsons is a full-service mall with a department store, supermarket, cinemas, a food court, an array of shops, and an activity area. To many (including myself whose fond memories of SM began during our high school field trips in Manila), the Ilocos mall scene will never be complete without a full, honest-to-goodness SM. Ev

(Delivered by Ilocos Norte Gov. Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos on  August 26, 2014 at the Plaza del Norte) Apo bise gobernador, kakadwami nga miyembros iti junta probinsiyal, appo a mamayor ken sanggunian bayan, punong barangay ken kadagiti padak nga agserserbi iti ili, the honorable consul of the People’s Republic of China, Zhiao Quiaoliang; o ur good investors and businessmen, partners in progress and development; patpatgek a kailiak, naimbag a malemyo amin a sangapada. Bimmangonen ti ilocos Norte, makitan dagiti adu a nagdur-asan ni Ilocano. Ta babaen ti alibtak tayo ket agtultuluyen ti panagbaliw ti aglawlaw. Ti panagdur-as ken pannakabigbig ti Ilocos Norte ket gapu iti gaget tayo amin, saan a gapu iti maymaysa laeng a sector wenno maymaysa nga ili, no dikket ti panagkaykaysa tayo: Ilocos Norte is great again! Sama-sama tayo noong unang SOPA 2011 at paulit-ulit akong “Awan ti imposible”?  Tapos nung 2012 “One Great Ilocos Norte” naman—parang walang naniniwala noon, pati a

Despite differences, Filipinos see Pope Francis visit to   next door South Korea, now winding down, as a dress rehearsal for the pontiff’s trip to the Philippines Korean Catholicism has a   history of surviving persecution set in an Asia that has the greatest potential for growth of Catholicism, notes New York Times.     Francis was to   beatify Saturday Paul Yun Ji-Chung, an 18th-century layman (Saints       Lorenzo Ruiz of Tondo and Pedro Calungsod of Visayas were   laymen.)     Some 16,000 Catholics   were   martyred under the 18 th century Joseon Dynasty Francis plane landed in a   Seoul awash with   books on the pope, in Korean. Banners fluttered   while coins and postage stamps to celebrate the   visit were issued. President Park Geun-hye was baptized as “Juliana” at a Catholic church. Her government   officially says she has no religion. Catholics in South Korea grew from 1.86 million in 1985 to 5.14 million, nearly 11 percent of the total population, After yea

Batac CITY —Some 3.5 hectares in Mariano Marcos State University main campus are now being prepared for the planting of foundation rice seeds for the eventual production of certified seeds to be distributed to Ilocos Norte farmers who may want to avail of the university’s rice seed dispersal project (RSDP) in the next few years. The university, through the Extension Directorate, has bought 20 kilos each of PSB Rc82, NSIC Rc160, and NSICF Rc242; and 10 kilos of PSB Rc18 from PhilRice and these will be planted in strategic sites of the university’s production farms starting this month. Foundation seeds will produce registered seeds, which will be again planted to produce certified seeds. Certified rice seeds are seeds being distributed to farmer-beneficiaries through the RSDP, which is one of MMSU Extension Directorate’s flagship programs. According to Mercy Gaño of the extension directorate, the RSDP initiates widespread adoption of newly-developed and seedboard-released

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Batac City —The government-run Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMH&MC) joined the nation in celebrating hospital week celebration, offering various health services for free. An “amazing race” participated in by the public was conducted in Batac City to advocate health and wellness including the various services offered at the hospital, said Alma Invencion, MMMH&MC head nurse and information officer. Ms. Invencion said the weeklong celebration kicked off on August 4 with free ECG, cholesterol screening and a lecture on diabetes. Every year, the national hospital week is being observed by health care providers on the first week of August. The celebration is pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 181 that seeks to promote greater awareness of health programs of hospitals as centers of wellness in the country. In observance of National Hospital Week, the Department of Health, in partnership with

Maipaayan amin a Day Care children ditoy Ilocos iti libre a toothpaste ken toothbrush. Dagitoy a maibunbunong ket ginatang met laeng ti probinsia babaen ken ni Ilocos Norte Gob. Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos ken maited kadagiti ubbing nga agad-adal iti Day Care. Kuna ni Dr. Eva Candelario, Dentist iti Gov. Roque Ablan Senior Memorial Hospital and Medical Center a maigid-giddan a maited dagitoy iti Capitol Express tapno masigurado a maikkan amin nga ubbing. Dagitoy ket awaten a mismo ti teacher ti Day Care ken isunton ti mangibunong kadagiti adalanna. Gagem ti gobernador a maikkan dagitoy iti libre a toothbrush ken toothpaste tapno ammoda a dalusan dagiti bukodda a ngipen ken saanda a malipatan ti ag-brush tunggal malpas a mangan. Ti pannakatagiben iti ngipen ket maysa pay kadagiti maipagpaganetget kadagiti agad-adal tapno saan nga agdadael ti ngipen kabayatan ti inda panagdakkel. Tunggal ili wenno lugar a pagturturongan ti Capitol Express ket adu dagiti agpabun

THE Barangay 15 Senior Citizens Association of Laoag City, Inc. was established and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), on September 28, 2004, and with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), on September 30, 2004, for the purpose to assist and help fellow-senior citizens to achieve its noble mission of providing excellent self-help, self-propelled, and sustainable physical program through individual undertakings within the home, group activities, and to help the community become a better place to live in. Besides, the association submits its annual reports to the office of the SEC at Baguio Extension Office, financial statements of operation, balance sheet and cash flow for the last two years stamped by BIR, and the annual General Information Sheet (GIS). Also, it pays community tax, and annual registration to the BIR. One of the program of activities in support of the city government project, is the “Clean and Green” to mitigate climate change. But the p