The Ilocos Times

Here are some very good news for Filipino World War II veterans’ family members who are beneficiaries of approved family-based immigrant visa petitions. On May 9, 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that beginning June 8, 2016, these beneficiaries will be given an “opportunity to receive a discretionary grant of parole on a case-by-case basis, so that they may come to the United States while waiting for their immigrant visa to become available.” When the visa become available, they may adjust their status under existing immigration laws. “Parole” allows an alien to physically enter the U.S. for a specific purpose. A person who has been “paroled” is not considered to have been “admitted” to the U.S. but remains an “applicant for admission.” DHS, as a matter of discretion, may issue an Advance Parole document authorizing an alien to appear at a port of entry to seek parole into the U.S. The document may be accepted by a transportation company in li

By Alfredo C. Garvida Jr. Contributor By the time this piece comes out of print, the national elections will be over and by then, we will know who our next leaders will be in both the local and national levels. I was invited by the party list KGB, headed by Gov. Antonio Cerilles of Zamboanga Del Sur and Atty. Felipe Favila to attend and cover the "miting de avance" of vice presidential candidate, Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos, Jr., which was held in Mandaluyong on May 5, 2016. The "miting de avance" was originally scheduled to be held at the Luneta Park but for reasons unknown, the organizers shifted the venue to Mandaluyong. I went to the venue with Atty. Favila and his group but we were late and Bongbong's speech was already past halfway to finish. Our group had to walk more than ten blocks around to get into a vantage point as the crowd was immense, scattered around in several blocks to view the center stage via a great number of giant screens.

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Except for one shooting incident reported at Brgy. Mumulaan in Paoay, Ilocos Norte a night before election day, the Ilocos Norte police said the start of election in this province is generally peaceful. “There is no untoward incident recorded so far and it is generally peaceful." This is how the police officers assigned in different towns here described the election day on May 9 in Ilocos Norte. Police Sr. Insp. Ryan Retutar, Solsona police station officer-in-charge said the conduct of election in his town is peaceful and orderly. “No violations have been reported yet, and as of this time, election here is generally peaceful,” Mr. Retutar said. Solsona is one of the eight towns here declared as election watch list areas (EWAs) by the Commission on Elections (Comelec). The other towns are Pagudpud, Bacarra, Bangui, Pasuquin, Vintar, Badoc, and Marcos. However, there were also no reports of violence in the said tow

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—Finally, the long wait is over for Ilocos Norte tobacco farmers as the province’s share in tobacco excise tax under Republic Act 7171 and RA 8240 for 2013 has been released. In an urgent appropriation ordinance certified as urgent by Ilocos Norte Governor Maria Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos, members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan unanimously approved on a total amount of Php 401,269,600 from the province’s share for various development undertakings, projects and services here. Also, another appropriation ordinance pegged at Php 1,365,526 from the province’s share in burley and native tobacco excise tax has been approved on the same day for the purchase of medicines for the effective provision of health services in the entire province. Last March, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced the release of tobacco excise tax shares of tobacco-producing provinces from the 2013 collection of taxes on locally ma

WITH THE 2016 general elections over and done with, the Filipino people should now take the time to heal the pains, applaud the candidates, and accept the results. The mudslinging and verbal barrages should stop now. The candidates who won and lost should start picking up the pieces. And the general population should return to normalcy—and start doing their share in nation building. This year’s election can easily become the most wicked in recent memory. All the words that have been said; all the actions that have been taken; and all the posts in social media have been filled with vitriol . When the heat of the election campaign starts to die down, some of us may offer apologies for words uttered and posted; but all of us must support the winners. For this is the essence of democracy—majority rules. And even if our chosen candidates were not as fortunate, our being Filipinos should behoove us to support the winners in all means possible. The 2016 elections brought out the

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter For a self-made farmer-millionaire like Romeo Ganiron, a national outstanding rice farmer from Brgy. San Mateo here, his face lights up every time he goes to the farm, feeding his native chickens, pigs, goats, African hito and tilapia while he also harvests assorted fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, tissue-cultured bananas, lettuce, tomatoes, pepper, squash and eggplant among other edible vines, flowering plants and mahogany trees that surround his 1.76-hectare farm estate. While he is also engaged in mushroom culture and vermiculture, Mr. Ganiron attests that farmers can do so much if they are open to change, follow the right mix of technology and work hard for it. His son, John Lei, 27, a professional engineer also joined him in farming as the latter is also engaged in hydroponics, a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions the father and son co-produce and experiment. The Ganiron family along with ot

Top left: A U.S. Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II, with the 51st Fighter Wing, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, takes off from Clark Air Base, Philippines, April 19, 2016. The Air Contingent will promote interoperability and provide greater and more transparent air and maritime situational awareness to ensure safety for military and civilian activities in international waters and airspace. Top right: A U.S. Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter, with the 33rd Rescue Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan, takes off from Clark Air Base, Philippines, April 19, 2016. (U.S. Air Force photos by Staff Sgt. Benjamin W. Stratton) (US Embassy photo ) Manila — Four A-10C Thunderbolt IIs and two HH-60G Pave Hawks, which comprise part of the U.S. Pacific Command’s Air Contingent deployed to the Philippine Air Force’s Clark Air Base, conducted their first flight out of Clark on April 19, 2016. The deployment of the aircraft, which have remained behind in the Philippines after participating