The Ilocos Times

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter DINGRAS, Ilocos Norte—Around 200 beneficiaries of the government’s “cash-for-work” (CFW) program lauded the provincial government for its continuing effort to provide employment to the less fortunate who is in need of additional source of income. Pegged at P190 per day, Danilo Agustin, a resident of the flood-prone Brgy. Baresbes here, said the program has helped him provide for the needs of his growing family. For at least 10 days, qualified beneficiaries helped in the clean and green program of their barangay; planting tree saplings while paving some typhoon-damaged roads. Funded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) office, Ilocos Norte received at least P5 million for the cash-for-work program to generate local employment covering 76 barangays in the province which were hit hard by typhoon in previous years. “We hope the government will continue this program which is very helpful to us,” said the bene

R.A. Form No. 10.1 (LCRO) Republic of the Philippines Local Civil Registry Office Province of Ilocos Norte Municipality of Sarrat NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION           In compliance with Section 5 of R.A. Act No. 9048, a notice is hereby served to the public that CLARINA CALARO MANIBOG has filed with this Office a petition for change of first name from CORINA to CLARINA in the birth certificate of CORINA GARCIA CALARO who was born on 13 January 1959 at Sarrat, Ilocos Norte and whose parents are ALFREDO CALANTOC CALARO and MARIA CALANTOC GARCIA.           Any person adversely affected by said petition may file his written opposition with this Office not later than June 20, 2016. (SGD) JOAN A. DUQUE Municipal Civil Registrar June 6-12, 13-19, 2016*IT _______________________________________________ R.A. Form No. 10.1 (LCRO) Republic of the Philippines Local Civil Registry Office Province: ILOCOS NORTE Municipality: VINTAR NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION       

Despite the significant gains in primary education participation rates, learning gaps remain high among primary and secondary level students. Increased government spending in education, as well as the implementation of the K to 12 program are important education sector reforms that set the stage for improved access and better education outcomes for the Filipino youth. However, while these reforms are significant, much is still needed to be done in improving learning outcomes for primary and secondary learners in the Philippines.   On May 24, 2016, the Department of Education (DepEd), Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), and Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) Philippines hosted a policy forum on "Evidence in the Education Sector" at the PIDS Conference Room in Centris, Quezon City, to disseminate among key decision-makers how impact evaluation and evidence can be useful in achieving improved learning outcomes.   Around 60 participants attended the f

PresidenT - elect Rodrigo R. Duterte just declared open season on journalists. Or did he? Just a short while after he said “Just because you're a journalist you are not exempted from assassination, if you're a son of a bitch…. Freedom of expression cannot help you if you have done something wrong”; his political allies and appointed officials immediately went on explanation spree. They mostly said he was misquoted and the issue was blown out of proportion by, well, the national and international media. Mr. Duterte’s comment was in response to a question on how he would protect press freedom after another Filipino journalist was gunned down in Manila on May 27. Whether he really was misquoted as insisted by his mouthpieces or it was more than a veiled threat against the fourth estate; it simply comes down to his only solution to all and any problem—kill. When he made a Davao journalist an example of why he deserved to be gunned down, it did not even make him re

WE are already familiar with the problem of secularization. That’s when God is set aside not only in society—as in business and politics—but also in one’s personal life. This is the anomaly besetting many developed Western countries that are entering what is known as post-Christian or post-religion era.   That means religion is already considered as passé and obsolete. Any mention of God is likely met with a laugh, a derision if not an open hostility. In these places, men are convinced there’s no other source of light, wisdom and guidance than their own selves, their own ideas and devices. Under this category, we can cite isms like atheism, agnosticism, relativism, skepticism, deism, etc. But another anomaly can also be found in the other end, precisely happening in places known for religious zeal. Our country falls largely under this classification. Here, religion tends to be abused and exploited. In the end, religion is used to deform, emasculate and even kill religion

Bangkok —The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) strongly condemns Philippine President-elect Rodrigo Duterte's comments during a press conference justifying the killing of journalists. Mr. Duterte made the remarks in response to a reporter's question on May 31 about how his government would handle cases of media murders, according to   news reports. "Just because you're a journalist you are not exempted from assassination if you're a son of a bitch," Mr. Duterte said, according to an Agence France-Presse   report.   He claimed that many killed journalists were either corrupt or had "done something" that warranted their murders, according to press accounts. He also warned that journalists who defamed others in their news reporting would not necessarily be protected under the law from violent reprisals. "The only way to address impunity in the woefully high number of unresolved murders of journalists in the Philippines is through the