The Ilocos Times

The Pasuquin 4H Club with Sen. Cynthia Villar (Lei Adriano) By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter Pasuquin , Ilocos Norte—A youth organization in the farming barangay of Sulbec this town continues to inspire the agricultural community in its effort to help alleviate poverty in the countryside. On July 27, 2018, the 4-H Sulbec Pasuquin youth club received another award as one of the country’s outstanding youth organizations courtesy of the Villar SIPAG Youth Poverty Reduction Challenge. SIPAG is an acronym for Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance, a non-profit organization founded by its chairman, former Sen. Manuel Villar Jr., which aims to support projects geared toward helping less fortunate Filipinos break free from poverty. Grateful for the latest award, Crisner Lagazo , president of the 4-H Club in Sulbec received a trophy and a cash award worth PHP150,000. “We are so thankful for the award which will motivate us further to contin

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Laoag City —Forty applicants from the schools division of Ilocos Norte (SDOIN) hurdled the 2017 principal’s examination held December 17, 2017 in San Fernando City, La Union. Nationally, 20,563 applicants took the exam with only 5,111 passers, with a national passing rate of 25.75%. Senior education program specialist for monitoring and evaluation Raymond Santos said the SDOIN approved 116 applicants. The division had a 34.48% passing rate. Of the 40 passers, 24 are from the elementary level and 16 from the secondary school. Mr. Santos explained that to pass the 2107 principal’s test, applicants should obtain at least 70% in each of the three cluster domains. The three clusters include: items on school leadership, personal and professional attributes and interpersonal effectiveness; instructional leadership and creating a student-centered learning climate; and human resource management and professional developme

In preparation for the wet season when pests and diseases are usually prevalent, local farmer technicians (LFTs) from Pangasinan completed a week-long specialized course at the PhilRice Central Experiment Station, June 4-8, 2018. Ev P. Angeles, training coordinator of PhilRice’s Technology Management and Services Division, said they trained LFTs to help their fellow farmers in identifying, assessing, and managing major pests and diseases in rice. She said LFTs are model farmers in farming communities who the Department of Agriculture tapped to complement local agricultural extension workers in providing technical assistance to farmers. “We chose participants from major rice-producing areas of the province who need to strengthen their pest and disease diagnostic skills or those who have not undergone other intensive field diagnostic and pest management skills training. Through practical, hands-on exercises, we hoped to enhance their competence in this critical aspect of r

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—How much does it take to localize the production of iron fortified rice? For just an additional two pesos per kilo of ordinary rice, one can blend its own iron-fortified kernel which is essential for proper growth and development of the human body often lacking in diet especially among infants, children, and women at reproductive age. In a techno forum held at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan here on June 25, 2018, the Provincial Science and Technology Center (PSTC) in Ilocos Norte in cooperation with Nutridense Food Manufacturing Corporation urged local government units and other stakeholders here to locally produce iron-fortified rice and help eradicate cases of malnutrition in the province. Racky Doctor, Nutridense Manufacturing Corporation president said the company is looking for partners here to spread the production and consumption of iron-fortified rice. Nutridense Manufacturing Corp. base is in Sta. B

By Dominic B. dela Cruz Staff reporter Laoag City —After Brgy. 1’s (San Lorenzo) induction into the Hall of Fame of the national Lupong Tagapamayapa Incentives Awards (LTIA), this city’s Brgy. 3 (Nuestra Sra. Del Rosario) is following its path as it won the 2017 regional LTIA. Laoag’s Brgy. 1 won three consecutive awards from 2014 to 2016. Dept. of Interior and Local Government regional director James F. Fadrilan personally handed over the Certificate of Recognition and a check worth PHP50,000 to Brgy. 3 punong barangay Suzanne Bueno at the City Hall auditorium on June 27, 2018 in the presence of Laoag mayor Chevylle V. Fariñas and the city DILG employees. Mr. Fadrilan congratulated Brgy. 3 and Ms. Bueno for their “commitment in the steadfast resolution of conflicts” in their barangay that made them the regional winner in the LTIA for CY 2017. He added that Brgy. 3 will represent Region I in the national level. Katarungang Pambarangay, or the Barangay Justi

Expected to open next year in Laoag City, particularly in Brgy. Vira—a hilly village where large Fariñas estates are located—is the Rodolfo CG. Fariñas, Jr. National Science High School.  President Rodrigo in December signed Republic Act No. 10965, the law mandating its creation.   People had mixed feelings about this news. While the creation of a new, modern, well-funded science high school in Ilocos Norte is a welcome development, the name baffles not just a few.   The most vocal critic is board member Vicentito Lazo who repeatedly pointed out in the sessions of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan that “a street, plaza, or government building could be named after a person only after 10 years after his death except when that person had attained highly exceptional achievements or when the cause of death is due to patriotism or in the service of men.” The new science high school is named after Congressman and Majority Floor Leader Rudy Fariñas’ son JR who perished in a vehicular a

By Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporter LAOAG CITY—The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority conducted free skill assessments in at least nine accredited centers in the province on June 26-27, 2018. Open to all industry workers, career shifters, unemployed adults, technical-vocation education training (TVET) graduates, including teachers and trainers, Tesda provincial director Charito Santos said the competency assessment aims to boost the employment rate of Ilocanos here. The Ilocos Norte-based assessment centers are among the 1,753 TESDA-accredited assessment centers nationwide which are participating in the simultaneous national assessment. The nine assessment centers in Ilocos Norte are the Bangui Institute of Technology, Data Center College of the Philippines, Divine Word College of Laoag, IGAMA Colleges Foundation Inc., Ilocos Norte College of Arts and Trades, Overseas Technical Institute, Inc., Primacare Training and Development Center, Saint Ga