The Ilocos Times

WE need to see the unity between heaven and earth, and try our best, with God’s grace, to conform to such reality. Obviously, this unity between heaven and earth will always be a tentative one while we are still here on earth, but we need to work on it. That’s the reason why in the Lord’s Prayer, we are asked to constantly pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is heaven.” Many other passages in the gospel can attest to this. St. Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians said: “As we have borne the image of the earthly, let us bear also the image of the heavenly.” (15,49) In his Letter to the Philippians, the same sentiment is made—that our conversation be in heaven even if we are still here on earth. (3,20) Let’s hope that we take this truth of our faith seriously, avoiding anything that can trivialize it. For us who are the image and likeness of God, adopted children of his, meant to participate in the very life of God, we have to understand that our earthly life is a

The Senate approved on third and final reading a measure which seeks to strengthen the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) by, among other things, barring family and relatives of elected officials from seeking SK elections, adjusting the age of SK officials, and providing trainings to professionalize and make the elected SK members aware of their responsibilities. Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr., sponsor of Senate Bill No. 2401, also known as the proposed Youth Development and Empowerment Act of 2014, said that a provision in the bill prohibits family and relatives of any public official, from national, provincial, city, municipality, and barangay levels, including appointed ones, up to the second degree of affinity and consanguinity, from seeking any SK position. Originally, only family members and relatives of provincial, city/municipal and barangay officials are prohibited from running for any SK position.  “The anti-dynasty provision prevents elected officials from exe

By Victor J. Alfonso Jr. FNRI-DOST S & T Media Service Achieving a healthy lifestyle does not only involve eating right and exercising regularly but also entails stopping a bad habit like cigarette smoking  and avoiding excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages. Cigarette Smoking Why do we have to stop smoking? Smoking has been associated with different kinds of cancer such as cancer of the mouth, tongue, throat and lungs, as well as chronic bronchitis, emphysema, ischemic heart diseases, hypertension and other diseases. The heavier the smoking, the greater is the risk to these diseases. Even those who do not smoke but are exposed to cigarette smoke can also have the same diseases. Aside from the diseases that smoking may cause, it also has a direct effect on nutrition. Smoking may also cause malnutrition because of decreased appetite. Moreover, because of the many diseases and infections brought about by smoking, vitamin C requirement increases, causing the body

The Philippines will be the first developing country to submit its international commitments on what it will do to ease climate change. It is committed to submit an Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) to the 2015 United Nations Climate Conference by June—the first pledge by a developing country. With no significant deposits of fossil fuels, the Philippines has few competitive advantages in clean and renewable energy such as geothermal, hydro, wind and solar.   Tapping these alternative energy sources will lessen its continued reliance on imported fuel that has made Philippine electricity rates among the highest in Asia.   About 70 percent of Philippine electricity is currently generated from fossil-fuels; 90 percent of coal and oil are imported. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-Philippines believes that increasing support for renewable energy will lower Philippine electricity prices. The Department of Energy (DOE) has recently supported an

Bumangon iti narabrabuy nga isem  ta saan a tubeng  dagiti pannakaitublak,  isuda dagiti ibabangon isuda met ti balligi  a balangat dagiti arapaap ta agluomen dagiti namsek  a dawa  tapno iti panagani adu met  dagiti binettek ti biag  a maidulin iti sarusar  a kinabaknang ti nakem  ta agur-uray ti sabali a  panawen  ti panagtalon nalapsat dagiti bukel  kadagiti kinelleng  napasempaset a kalsada  ti biag  agkankanta a kanayon ti kapanagan  magnaak  iti sibibiag a daga  kadagiti namsek a bin-i  tapno maitaklinda manen iti barukong ti daga iti anus-andur  regta  dagiti matangkenanen a panunot kadagiti sabali a mugging  daytoy a dakulap ti panawen. (I) Amado I. Yoro Ewa, Hawaii USA

LAOAG AND VALENZUELA NOW SISTER CITIES. Laoag City Mayor Chevylle V. Farinas (seated, left) and Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian Valenzuela, 1st District (seated, center) sign the sisterhood documents between the two cities on February 3, 2015 at the Laoag City Auditorium. Laoag Vice Mayor Michael V. Farinas (seated, right) and the members of the city council witness the signing. The signing is part of the Pamulinawen Festival 2015. (Doms dela Cruz) LAOAG AND VALENZUELA NOW SISTER CITIES. Laoag City Mayor Chevylle V. Farinas and Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian (Valenzuela, 1st District) exchange symbolic keys after they signed the sisterhood agreement between the two cities on February 3, 2015 at the Laoag City Auditorium. The signing is part of the Pamulinawen Festival 2015. (Doms dela Cruz)

( First of a series ) Hulio 23, Biernes, panagbiahe—destination: Kahului Airport. Sangabunggoykami nga aggapu iti Honolulu. Eddie Agas, Aurea Agas, Philip Alcain ti kinaluganko iti nangisit a Mercedes Benz. Iti pagcheck-inan ti Hawaiian Airlines, dagiti agassawa a Louie ken Lucy Funtanilla. Ben Cabreros. Iti gate 49, nadanonmin da Lucy Pascual ken ti barona ni Michael. Madamdama pay, agsangpeten dagiti dadduma a kaduami a delegado Maria ken Renato Etrata, Ruben ken Lynne Gutierrez, Bernadette Fajardo   Nagsangpet met dagiti grupo ti Kauai nga ipanguluan da Abe Iloreta ken Liza Trinidad. Apagbiit ti panagtayab ti eroplano. Binirokmi dagiti bagahemi iti Baggage claim area. Malemen idi sumangpet da Herman Andaya ken Bong Suerte, agkasinsin agpada a taga Bacarra. 6:15 ti malem idi agluas ti Van ni Bong Suerte. Linabsanmin ti Hawaii Commercial & Sugar Mill iti Puunene. Natangkarang ti simburio. Iti talon, naberde ti kaunasan. Mailasin a nabiit pay a naimula dagiti dadduma