The Ilocos Times

Granting financial aid to poor but deserving students to enroll in college is not enough.   Government must help ensure these grantees finish their education through a proper selection process.   These were the recommendations presented by the latest study released by state think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS).   Authored by PIDS consultant Denise Valerie Silfverberg, the study   “How should income-based grantees in tertiary education be chosen?”   is a preliminary review of the Students Grants-In-Aid Program for Poverty Alleviation (SGP-PA) of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).   As a “form of affirmative action”, SGP-PA provides financially constrained but deserving students the opportunity to obtain college degrees and “break the cycle of poverty”.   A related PIDS study published in 2013 found that the higher a person ’ s educational attainment, the better are his chances

Saringit iti Tapao Daniw ni Amado I. Yoro Ket naitukitkan iti Barukong ti langit Agrusing ken agbiagka Iti naanus nga ima Kalatkatem ti rangpaya Dagiti rumusing a gin-awa Ti busel dummakel Ti bukel a nasippukel Adtoy ti sabong Adtoy ti sayamusom Adtoy ti bin-i Sikogna ti saringit Ti rangpaya Ti rang-ay Ti dur-as Agtaytayyek latta ti rueda Ti panagsurat ken isip Wen, naitukit ti bukel A tawid ti baro a kaputotan.

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Batac City —Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta announced that the city’s 8 th Batac Festival is now all set with the help of the city council, the fiesta committee and the people behind the organization of the fiesta. The festival was kicked-off by colorful and bright 25 big floats from the different clustered barangays, national government and private agencies, and schools and business establishments during the electric and lights parade held December 8 which was attended by thousands of local and foreign tourists and with Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos as special guest. Ms. Marcos congratulated and saluted Batac’s officials for staging this rare parade in the country and the first for the province. The governor also teased that she will borrow the floats for display as they feature the different Christmas celebrations in the world. For his part, Mr. Nalupta was elated with the success of the lights parad

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Dingras , Ilocos Norte—Officials and residents of this town are mourning the sudden death of a Sangguniang Bayan member. Dingras mayor Erdio Valenzuela has expressed the local government’s condolences to the family of Dingras councilor Samuel Demandante, who died after figuring in a motorcycle accident. The mayor described the late councilor as “one of the most active Sangguniang Bayan members” and who has a “word of honor” especially in fulfilling his promises as a legislator. Mr. Valenzuela explained that the late councilor always does whatever he promises. Dingras council records show that Mr. Demandante, chair of the committee on finance and appropriations, lead the way in passing the 2015 Dingras budget as well as the supplemental budget for the extra cash gifts of municipal employees and elected officials of Dingras. The mayor disclosed that in one of his last conversations with Mr. Demandante, the late councilor a

By Jennifer T. Pambid PGIN-CMO Drawing more than 50,000 local and   balikbayan   spectators, the biggest gathering in the north dubbed “Tan-ok ni Ilocano Festival of Festivals” has successfully raised almost half million pesos for the small and medium enterprises (SME’s) in the province. Held on November 29, 2014 at the Ferdinand E. Marcos Stadium, this grand celebration of Ilocano greatness (“Tan-ok” in Iluko) is now on its fourth annual  installment. Provincial tourism officer Ianree Raquel said Ilocos Norte Governor Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos want to support SMEs by giving them financial assistance in order to better promote local products which have been the source of great pride to Ilocanos. “The SMEs of the province are chosen as the beneficiaries for the event because after our appearance in Manila FAME [Furnishings and Apparel Manufacturers' Exchange] International where Ilocos Norte was recognized due to their works being displayed in our booth, we rea