The Ilocos Times

Laoag City —The Public Employment Service Office (PESO) of the provincial government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) sustained its position as the Regional's Best PESO for 2023 during the Dept. of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Year-End Performance Assessment and Planning Exercise cum 2024 Congress in Alaminos City, Pangasinan, on March 13, 2024. PGIN-PESO also received the same recognition in 2017, 2019, and 2022. It   was also recognized for achieving the “Highest Number of Individuals Reached through Labor Market Information”, the “Highest Number of Hires on the Spot during Job Fairs”, the “Highest Number of Applicants Placed”, being the “Best Implementer of the TUPAD Program”, having the “Highest Number of Registered Employers”, winning the “Kabuhayan Awards 2023 for Implementing Livelihood Programs”, being the “Top Performing PESO in Career Development Support Programs”, receiving “Special Citations for Implementing Job Start Philippines”, and for “Timely and Complete Submission of St

By Ike V. Señeres Recycling , composting and gardening are all parts of the same value chain that all communities should “operationalize” everywhere, all the time, and all over the country. I should say wherever there is there is waste and wherever there is hunger, but these two are actually everywhere too, and are present all the time too! I should also say that it sounds like it is easier said than done, but that is not true either, because it is not too difficult to do, and it could be one everywhere, from Mavulis island in Batanes, to Saluag island in Sulo, from Forbes Park in Makati City to Payatas Dumpsite in Quezon City. Recycling starts with the segregation of biodegradables and non-biodegradables. For the most part, the latter has commercial values when sold as paper, plastic and metals. The biodegradables generally do not have commercial value except when these are converted into fertilizers. And that is where composting comes in. Composting could be done with or without eart

LAOAG CITY—The Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) in Ilocos Norte has reached its PHP3.2 billion collection target for 2023 due partly to compliance among taxpayers. In a media interview, revenue district officer Aldrin Camba said he is thankful for the taxpayers for making the Ilocos Norte bureau one of the country’s top performing revenue districts. “(This transpired because of) the cooperation of Ilocano taxpayers and through the intensified tax enforcement operations, which paved the way in hitting the annual target,” he said. For this year, the local BIR chief vowed to duplicate or even surpass last year’s success through intensified enforcement activities such as the imposition of stiff fines and filing of tax evasion charges against tax cheats, if any. In support of the implementation of the Ease of Paying Taxes Act, he said, "the district has started accelerating its digitalization initiatives to deliver prompt, efficient, and excellent taxpayer service, ensuring tha

By Noralyn O. Dudt It was almost in the middle of the day. Jesus and the twelve (his disciples)  were plodding  through the noonday heat not too far away from Jerusalem, in a place called Samaria. They were all hungry and thirsty.  They were Jews in a place they were not fond of, and to be precise, a place and a people they loathe. Why were they even there? Why didn't they bypass  this "despicable" place like all the other Jews in that period  would do? Why didn't they cross the Jordan River rather than travel through Samaria? Samaria, located on a hill northwest of Nablus in the West Bank territory came  under the Israeli administration in 1967. It is bounded by Galilee on the north and by Judea on the south; on the west is the Mediterranean Sea and on the east, the River Jordan. It was at  the crossroads and served as the  political center of the region. Excavations in 1908-1910; 1931-33; 1935 revealed that the site had been occupied occasionally during the l

FROM  left:. Bb Marcos 2 nd  runner up Charlene Miguel Bayudan (Brgy. Elizabeth), Miss ABC Stephanie Malilay (Pacifico), Miss Marcos 2024 Ma. Ninotcha Ericka Jenee Diza (Mabuti), Miss Tourism Lyca Mae Dumaoal (Valdez) and 3 rd  runner-up Sharies Mae Argell (Daquioag) By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Marcos , Ilocos Norte – Thousands of Marcoseños has successfully joined and participated in this year’s 7 th Mannalon Festival, held March 9-14, 2024, with the theme “Rambak iti Panagsalukag’’. Marcos Mayor Antonio Mariano expressed his “heartfelt thanks” to all the people behind the success of this year’s festival especially to the participants in all the activities. MARCOS  Mayor Antonio Mariano announces the success celebration of the 7th Mannalon Festival in Marcos in an interview with the members of the media. (Doms dela Cruz) The festival kicked-off with a motor show on March 9 followed by the launching of “Tiangge ni Tatang Hub”, “TESDA Day” and “Thanksgiving Night” o

By Noralyn O. Dudt THE WHOLE  WORLD is in HIS HANDS HE's got the whole world in His hands (4×) He's got the wind and rain in His hands (4×) He's got the tiny little baby in His hands  (4×) He's got you brother and me in His hands  (4x) He's got you sister and me in His hands. (4×) He's got the whole world in His hands. (4×) While those lines may look too simple and  "unimpressive" to some, they do come alive when sung—the tune so lively that singers—faces beaming and eyes gleaming—can’t help but clap their hands and dance. This  beloved Christian hymn that arose from traditional African-American spiritual first published in 1927 became an international pop hit in 1957-58 in a recording by English singer Laurie London. The variations in both text and tune praise the dominion of God over all things, comforting our anxieties from things that are out of our control. It is especially popular with families and Sunday School classes to teach

Laoag City —The provincial government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) officially established a sisterhood partnership with the City Government of Danao through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on March 7, 2024. Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph M. Manotoc and Danao Mayor Thomas Mark “Mix” Durano led the MOA signing at the Provincial Capitol Auditorium along with government officials from Ilocos Norte and City of Danao. “This is more than a sisterhood agreement. It is a friendship and a strong everlasting bond between families and now one that has culminated in this official MOA signing. This is an earnest and hopeful invitation for you to come back anytime because Danaoanos will always be most welcome in Ilocos Norte. May both the Province of Ilocos Norte and the City of Danao prosper,” Manotoc stated. This relationship between Ilocos Norte and the City of Danao signifies a commitment to solidarity, friendship, and shared progress, as both government units strive to trans