The Ilocos Times

RA Form No. 10.1 (LCRO) Republic of the Philippines Local Civil Registry Office Province of Ilocos Norte Municipality of Badoc NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION             In compliance with Section 5 of R.A. Act No. 9048, a notice is hereby served to the public that LEONORA EDNILAO ESCARDA has filed with this Office a petition for change of first name from “LEONORA EULALIA” to “LEONORA” in the birth certificate of LEONORA EULALIA CALAYCAY EDNILAO who was born on February 12, 1958 at Badoc, Ilocos Norte and whose parents are Leon P. Ednilao and Juliana Calaycay.             Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this office not later than January 26, 2015. (SGD) PABLO M. REYES Municipal Civil Registrar Jan. 12-18, 19-25, 2015*IT _____________________________________________ Republic of the Philippines Local Civil Registry Office Province of Ilocos Norte Municipality of Paoay NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION            

ILOCOS FISHERFOLKS LEARN VALUE OF SHARKS IN ECOSYSTEM. Though some of them wanted to butcher the butanding, a wiser majority opted and decided to release the whale shark back to the open seas as they now know its value in maintaining the ecosystem in their area. By Leilanie G. Adriano January 13, 2015 Laoag City —A whale shark [ Rhincodon typhus ] locally known as “butanding” was released by fishermen on Monday, Jan. 12  after it was trapped in a fish net along the coastal Barangay Navotas B in this city. Provincial Fishery regulatory officer Arthur Valente confirmed this after fisher folk reported that a butanding was stranded in the area. According to Mr. Valente, although some of them attempted to butcher the friendly shark most of them opted to release it, knowing its vital role in the ecosystem. Sightings of the slow-moving and gentle whale sharks are frequent in Ilocos Norte waters especially during anchovy season. “I am delighted that our efforts on m

Pope Francis must have been the most radical and outspoken Vicar of Christ in the last 100 years.  He has been, as one international journalist put it, messing up the protocols of the church and rarely hesitated to speak his mind on important social issues of the day. His sweeping and controversial statements on various issues like the state of the church, the nature of God, homosexuality, proselytism, sexual abuse, freedom of religion and spirituality could reinvent or redefine Catholicism and the Catholic faith as we know it.   But if I would choose one lesson from the learnings that I got from his sermons and the Papal visit, it would be his constant determined effort to root out corruption and cronyism in the minds of man, the Catholic Church and governments.  The pontiff might have been briefed of the extent of corruption in the Philippines that he would challenge our top political officials to discard thievery at all levels of society.  In Pope Francis words “I hope that th

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Laoag City —As Pope Francis waved his hand to Filipinos eagerly awaiting for his Popemobile along major thoroughfares in Metro Manila, several Ilocano households regardless of faith or religious affiliation were glued to their television sets watching the pope’s arrival in awe and excitement. “Thank you, dear God, for allowing our family to see your Vicar on earth today. Pope Francis, we love you,” said the Viernes family of Brgy. Sta. Angela here as they shared meals with their two children while watching the live coverage of Pope Francis’ motorcade on TV.    “ Welcome to the Philippines, Pope Francis! Please pray for us, ” Nelda Aguete-Quinay said in silent prayer upon hearing the ringing of church bells at the St. William Cathedral to welcome the arrival of the Holy Father. Catholics and non-Catholics in this northern Luzon province watched the Pope as they listen attentively to his soft words. “How lucky is the littl

IT ’ S truly a blessing, and therefore very heartwarming, to see the earnest, simple manifestation of faith among our countrymen these past days with the pastoral visit of our Holy Father, Pope Francis. Thanks be to God, it’s happily and healthily contagious. Some intellectuals and those who consider themselves as educated, knowledgeable about things, and armchair analysts in their ivory towers may wonder whether this is true faith and piety or mere superstition and mass delusion. I was amused when a CNN report, for example, presented the event more as a joke than anything else, since according to them the Philippines is 80% Catholic. What can you expect? And so, they took the spin of the Philippine Church facing the danger of getting increasingly irrelevant if it would not allow same-sex marriage, contraception and abortion. Well, that’s CNN, not worth getting mad at. Just to be prayed for. The media will always have some spin, depending on their political or ide

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Laoag City —As Pope Francis arrived on Jan. 15, 2015 in Metro Manila, at least 300 police officers from the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office (INPPO) will join the massive security detail for the Papal visit. The Ilocos Norte police officers left for Metro Manila on Jan. 12, 2015 to join an estimated 40,000 other security personnel that would be deployed in all areas where the Pope will visit. Prior to their deployment, INPPO officer-in-charge P/Sr. Supt. Sterling Raymund Blanco reiterated that “service to God above all” must always be their guiding light as they prepare for their mission to provide augmentation force and ensure security of the pontiff. After the final briefing and orientation, Rev. Fr. Joey Ranjo of the Diocese of Laoag led a prayer and blessing of the Ilocos Norte contingent on the evening before their deployment to Metro Manila. Mr. Blanco also assured that the police have enough personnel to ensure pe