Vol. 59 No. 12
January 4-10, 2016
P8.00
PGIN’s Sirib scholarships
triple for 2015
ILOCOS Norte Governor Imee R. Marcos together with her son, Matthew M. Manotoc distribute the stipend of the 700 college scholars on December 7, 2015
at Ilocos Norte Centennial Arena.
ALARIC YANOS
BY MIZPAH GRACE G. CASTRO
PGIN-CMO
ATTUNED to its objective of enhancing quality education by providing more scholarship opportunities, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN) in the year 2015 provided a total of 1,919
scholarships for the Ilocano youth.
In academic year 2014-2015, there were 459 recipi- tributed throughout the different cities and municipalients of the Sirib Academic Scholarship, according to ties.
‘For collective development and long-term goals’
the Provincial Education Office.
Making education more inclusive is line with the
In the following school year, this number more than
tripled with a total of 1,460 students benefiting from the province’s aim to alleviate poverty and eliminate unemSirib Academic Scholarship or the Sirib Community ployment, translating into a higher human development
index and sustainable livelihoods for all Ilocanos.
Leaders Scholarship.
These endeavors also drive PGIN forward in atScholarship programs pave the way for training youth
leaders, particularly through involvement in the Sirib taining the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), a
Ilokano Kabataan Association (SIKA) which promotes United Nations initiative established in the year 2000.
“We have done what we set out to do, exceeding
volunteerism among youth to work together for the depoverty, employment, education, maternal health, and
velopment of their respective communities.
Aside from free tuition and stipends, students who reforestation. From the alarming increase in poverty in
possess a Sirib discount card can enjoy discounts from 2010, poverty has now fallen to a record of 8.4%,” said
Ms. Marcos in her 2015 State of the Province Address.
Baker’s Percent Bakeshop and City Cup Café.
The eight-fold MDG concern not only universal priSince 2010, the PGIN has shouldered over 39,000
elementary, 16,000 high school, and 3,000 college schol- mary education and extreme poverty, but also gender
equality, mortality, maternal health, HIV/AIDS and other
arships.
Widening opportunities for learning has been an aim diseases, environmental sustainability, and global partof Ilocos Norte Governor Maria Imelda “Imee” R. nerships for development.
A culture of nurturing human capital and asMarcos, reflected in her vision for Ilocos Norte as a
learning hub and learning community, hence the estab- sisting those in need was strongly reflected in Ms.
lishment of the “Heroes Walk” on Ablan Avenue to edu- Marcos’ words: “Timpuyog or community is how
our Ilocano world really works… That great
cate passersby on Ilocano heroes’ heritage.
Access to information technology is also a vital part wealth of every Ilocano... everywhere throughof this goal, and in the past year alone, 38 i-Hubs have out the country and the world, ready to help and
been established and 650 computer units have been dis- build together.”
‘50 taong paglilingkod…
hawak-kamay ng
bagong henerasyon’
BOMBO RADYO Philippines prepares for the
formal celebration of its 50
years of dedicated service
to the country to be highlighted during the traditional week-long Top
Level Management Conference 2016 with the
theme “50 TAONG
PAGLILINGKOD…HAWAK Margaret Ruth C. Florete,
KAMAY NG BAGONG
President and CEO
HENERASYON”. Lead by
the network’s president,
Ms. Margaret Ruth C. Florete, the conference will gather
top network officers, area managers and station managers of Bombo Radyo and Star FM stations all over the
country in Iloilo City from January 3 to 9, 2016.
As the country faces a crucial test of its democratic
process the upcoming May 2016 Presidential and local
elections, Bombo Radyo Philippines will once again lay
the blueprint of its crucial role it will play in information
dissemination. In the same conference, the Network’s
much lauded corporate social responsibility will be discussed as well as bigger promos and better programming for 2016 will be mapped out.
It is in perusing and enhancing the Network’s Best
Practices that have kept it firmly enshrined as the
country’s Number One Radio Network for the past fifty
years. While it is mindful of the march of time, continuously making itself relevant for the new generation of
listeners that are gadgets driven, that Bombo Radyo
Philippines adapts to the changing times.
The crucial test of the Network’s continued relevance in this century is clearly seen in the transition
now firmly in place in the Network and its structure. The
day to day operations for the network is led by the current President and CEO Margaret Ruth C. Florete ably
Turn to page 2
2 THE ILOCOS TIMES
NE
EW
WS
S
N
January 4-10, 2016
DOST 1 conducts 1st furniture weaving training
BY ANIELYN A. PAI
DOST
THE LA UNION Science and Technology Center (PSTCLU) conducted a three-day training on furniture weaving
cum mixed media oresentation on December 2-4, 2015 to
13 participants from 10 wood manufacturing enterprises at
the PSTC-LU, Government Center, City of San Fernando,
La Union.
The objectives of the said participants weaved a lounge
training, which was presented by chair as their output.
The trainers acknowledged
Engr. Anielyn A. Pai, are: to update the participating enterprises the effort of Department of Sciof the furniture designs; and to ence and Technology 1 (DOST1)
train them on furniture weaving for the success of the training.
using standard furniture sub- Mr. Jocson said that only DOST1
strates in combination with syn- is conducting trainings to support
their wood manufacturing coopthetic fiber (rattan).
Rolando S. Jocson, the direc- erators. Mr. Pineda and Mr.
tor of Weaveline Export Corpo- Tonga said that it is only through
ration, Cebu, gave a lecture on the training that they come to
furniture trends and designs. He know that there are government
emphasized that mixed media is projects supporting micro, small
not only pertaining on combina- and medium enterprises
tion of different raw materials (MSMEs).
Engr. Ismael D. Gurtiza,
but it is also about product design. He also encouraged the Provincial Science and Techparticipants to but to come up nology Director, expressed his
with new product designs that gratitude to the participants as
are not common in the market. he award their certificates for
Renato M. Pineda and their willingness to increase
Emilio N. Tonga of H & R their knowledge through atFurinure, Pampanga, demon- tending the said training
strated the basics on furniture eventhough they are busy in
weaving using synthetic rattan on their respective businesses.
the first day of the training. The The participants are also grateparticipants had their actual ful to DOST1 for their unwaweaving workshop on different vering support to help uprgrade
weaving patterns on the second their skills through technology
and third day of the training. For trainings, seminar and workthe purpose of the training, the shops.
Ilocos Norte hosts int’l
cross harbor swim race
BY LEILANIE G. ADRIANO
STAFF REPORTER
CURRIMAO, Ilocos Norte—Over a hundred Chinese swimmers were in
the province on December 10 to participate in the most celebrated International Cross Harbor Race, which attracts hundreds of participants and
thousands of spectators.
Hosted by the province of Ilocos Norte particularly in the coastal
waters of Currimao for the first leg on December 9 and the white sand
beaches of Pagudpud the next day, December 10, for the second leg,
Xavier Ruiz of the Provincial Tourism Office said almost 150 swimmers
from Guangzhou touched down at the Laoag International Airport via
chartered China Eastern Airlines.
“For two days, they are billeted at the Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel in
Laoag City as the race started in Currimao at 7:00a.m. today and in Pagudpud
tomorrow at 8:00am,” said Mr. Ruiz.
As a premier sports destination of the north, Ilocos Norte keeps on
attracting athletes all over the world to have their competitions held here.
With Ilocos Norte’s favorable sunny weather and proximity to China,
organizers have chosen the province as a venue for the swim race event.
First held in 1906, the Cross Harbor Race is a physically demanding
sports event that requires both a tactical and technical approach to achieve
the best outcome. Every year, Chinese athletes look forward to the race as
a way of promoting swimming as a sport amongst people of all ages.
‘50 taong paglilingkod…
hawak-kamay ng bagong
henerasyon’
From page 1
supported by Executive Vice-President Rogelio C. Florete Jr. and other
Bombo Radyo executives. The combined expertise and long years of experience of these media players assure the listeners of continued excellent
programming and enhanced people-oriented services that impact the lives
of the Filipinos wherever they may be.
Fifty years of Bombo Radyo Philippines translates to a mature institution yet to be able to read the signs of the times with the innate drive to be
of service. As Bombo Radyo Philippines continues to assert its presence
to the present generation, Top Level Management Conference 2016 is a
clear indication that the future generations’ lives will continue to be impacted by this network. Indeed, Bombo will remain to be their voice to beat
in their hearts, the stomp of the drum directing its cadence, reflective in
sync to the hopes and aspirations of the Filipino … BASTA
RADYO…BOMBO!
A trainer teaches the intricacies of furniture weaving.
DOST
Employment opportunities in Ilocos
Norte rose to 35% in past years
JENNIFER T. PAMBID
PGIN-CMO
WITH THE provincial government’s
efforts to bring quality jobs to
Ilocanos, employment opportunities in Ilocos Norte increased to 35%
from a mere three percent in 2010,
according to the latest report from
the Provincial Public Employment
Services Office (PESO).
Ilocos Norte Governor Maria
Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos said that
this milestone is a positive indication of the province’s growing
economy.
In 2012, Ms. Marcos launched
the ‘Task Force Trabaho’ Campaign
which aimed to boost the employment rate and generate more job
opportunities within the province.
It has been essential in decreasing the unemployment rate from
37% in 2010 to 3.2% in 2014.
According to Provincial PESO
officer-in-charge Lizette Bitancor,
the conduct of various job fairs,
tech-voc trainings, livelihood and
self-employment assistance and
cash-for-work programs have contributed to its increase.
PESO, in cooperation with the
Department of Labor and Employment, also hires students and outof-school youth through the Special Program for Employment of Students and Out-of-School Youth
during summer and Christmas holidays.
More than 3,700 youth were already hired since the launching of
the Task Force Trabaho.
Series of career counseling
were also conducted to more than
4,000 students around the province
to assist them in their future careers.
Over 2,000 professionals were
also served during the conduct of
Professional Regulation Commission Mobile Outreach Service in
2014 to 2015 alone. The program is
part of Ms. Marcos’ commitment to
securing and developing highlycompetitive professionals in Ilocos
Norte by making such services more
accessible to Ilocanos.
Ms. Marcos’ efforts to promote
Ilocos Norte as an investment hub
have attracted both local and multinational companies to put up business in the province. Hundreds of
professionals have already been
hired in the Business Process
Outsourcing sector alone.
While employment opportunities in the urban areas continue to
increase, Ms. Marcos also focuses
on job creation in the rural areas.
Recently, the Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte (PGIN)
launched the “Paspas Dur-as Biag
ti Away” [rapid development in the
rural areas], its flagship agricultural
program which aims to generate
opportunities and providing support to rural folks.
“We want more and better jobs
to provide adequately for our families, both in our cities and in the far
flung rural areas. Every Ilocano has
the choice of working overseas or
one day working here at home,” Ms.
Marcos said.
She added that PGIN will continue sustaining the province’s high
economic growth by intensifying
the ‘Task Force Trabaho’ Campaign
in the coming years.
“For only jobs guarantee a permanent pathway out of poverty- and
our challenge today is to create
stable, wage-paying quality jobs
that will finally end poverty in the
entire province,” Gov. Marcos said
during her 2013 State of the Province Address.
NEWS
January 4-10, 2016
THE ILOCOS TIMES
3
BBM bats for free
irrigation for
farmers, NIA to
condone P12B debt
OFFICIALS of the Butil Party List led by Butil Party List Rep. Agapito Guanlao, Dr. Cecilia Leonila Chavez, first
nominee Butil Party List and Mr. Isidro Santos second nominee take a selfie with Senator Bongbong Marcos
before the start of their Christmas Party celebration where the senator recommended the condoning of
some P12 Billion worth of farmer’s irrigation debt.
Ilocos Norte’s 2015 tourist
arrivals reach 1.6 million
JOHN MICHAEL MUGAS
PGIN-CMO
AS IT CONTINUES to strengthen
its “Paoay Kumakaway!” tourism
campaign, Ilocos Norte has welcomed an estimated of 1.6 million
local and foreign tourists this 2015,
the latest report from the Ilocos
Norte Tourism Office (INTO) revealed.
Based on the data revealed by
INTO, the summer season, from
April to May, this year has delivered the highest number of arrivals
at 878,258.
Last year’s tourist arrivals have
been pegged at more than 1.2 million, up by 22.15% this 2015.
During Ilocos Norte Governor
Maria Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos’
State of the Province Address last
August, she noted that “tourism has
grown to a stunning 380.64% in the
past two years with more than 1.3
million day visitors from January to
July 2015 only.”
An overwhelming number of
tourists also visited the province
last month during the long weekend scheduled in Metro Manila due
to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting
which caused an unexpected shortage in accommodation and food
supplies in key tourists’ areas.
“We often run out of bagnet
and inabel (loom-woven fabrics)
now because demand outstrips
supply. Visitors want to buy
pasalubong for their friends and
family, and souvenirs for themselves,” said Ms. Marcos during an
interview with the Philippine Daily
Inquirer.
Through
the
‘Paoay
Kumakaway’ launched in 2012, the
efforts of the provincial government
translated to more jobs for the locals, especially those in the service
sector, as the campaign has attracted national as well as global
attention.
Ms. Marcos said that the tourism industry has been a “real job
starter” which has resulted to an
“inclusive growth” in the province.
Last month, the province also
opened three museums namely, the
Burgos Lighthouse Museum, the
Balay Dingras and the Taoid Museum to offer new attractions and
sites to tourists, noting that over
60% has been identified as repeat
visitors.
Ms. Marcos also highlighted
that the case of the returning visitors is a “happy problem” as it entails that the strategies are working.
The upsurge in the tourism arrivals in the province was also followed by the development of more
tourism infrastructure and facilities
with the growth of capacity of hotel
rooms and inns from 1,700 in 2012
to a close of 3,000 this year.
Major roads in Burgos,
Pagudpud to Mt. Sicapao in Nueva
Era have also been upgraded with
the influx of tourists.
In addition, public transportation greatly improved with the
launching of the Metro Ilocos
Norte Council-Night Express last
March to address the demands of
tourists for night trips especially in
the route going to Pagudpud.
Aside from the new tourist sites,
Ilocos Norte’s major events like the
Himala sa Buhangin! Arts and Music Festival, Semana ti Ar-aria,
Paskua Mi Ditoy and Tan-ok ni
Ilocano Festival of Festivals have
also enticed tourists with the latter
gathering more than 60,000 spectators.
“Nag-level up na tayo… hindi
lamang pami-pamilya kundi
korporasyon,
sosyal,
ang
dumadating, tulad ng APEC-Renewable Energy Group nung Abril
at Philippine Chamber of Commerce
and Industry nu’ng Hulyo,” Ms.
Marcos pointed out.
The province has also hosted
the third Paoay Lake International
Regatta last October which was attended by rowers from the Philippines and international participants
from Asia, Australia and United
Kingdom.
“Karamihan ng mga turista na
pumupunta sa Ilocos ay
pumupunta rito dahil sa isang
bagay lamang—sa kakaibang
kultura ng mga tauhan, mga tribo,
mga barangay dito sa (Ilocos)
Norte,” explained Ms. Marcos.
She further revealed that more
sites in the province will be developed in the coming year, especially
the undiscovered Ilocano Cordillera
in the municipalities of Sarrat,
Piddig, Carasi, Solsona, Dingras,
Marcos, Banna and Nueva Era.
“There is still so much to learn,
see and experience here in Ilocos
Norte,” Ms. Marcos added.
make it a
habit to read
“T
he longest running news“The
paper in the north”
AMID THE recent series of typhoons and floods that devastated farm lands and the continuing threat of drought next
year due to El Nino, Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R.
Marcos, Jr. urged the government to provide free irrigation
service to our farmers to revive our agriculture sector.
Speaking at the Christmas P12 billion.
“I advised them to forget
party of BUTIL party list in
Nueva Ecija on December 21, about it. Where do they expect
Mr. Marcos added that the Na- the farmers to get that amount
tional Irrigation Administration of money?” Mr. Marcos dis(NIA) should condone over P12 closed.
The senator said NIA should
billion in outstanding debt of irrigators and farmers’ associations. find alternative ways to provide
Mr. Marcos, Chairman of the funding for the construction and
Senate Committee on Public improvement of the country’s irWorks recalled that he broached rigation system.
“I challenged NIA officials
the proposal to NIA officials during one of the hearings of his to visit the farmers to find out
committee on his bill meant to how they manage to earn living
improve the country’s irrigation from their farms and tell me if
they really have the capacity to
system.
“I told them, why are you pay those irrigation fees,” Mr.
charging fees for the use of the Marcos said.
He noted that around 70 perirrigation system? You should not
do this because this is supposed cent of the country’s poor beto be a service that our govern- long to the agricultural sector.
Mr. Marcos, who is a candiment should provide our farmers to help them,” Mr. Marcos date for Vice President in the
2016 polls, has pushed for insaid.
NIA officials insisted they creased government support to
need the fund from irrigation the agriculture sector, which has
fees for the construction of been in continuous decline in the
new irrigation systems and the past few years.
He believes a healthy agrirehabilitation of existing ones.
They told the committee that culture sector is an essential
the outstanding irrigation fee foundation of the country’s ecodebt has amounted to around nomic growth.
PH’s oldest distillery
plant launches Ilocosinspired wine products
BY LEILANIE G. ADRIANO
STAFF REPORTER
FOR OVER 160 years, Destileria Limtuaco and Co. Inc., a world-class producer of distilled spirits and alcoholic beverages in the country has been
inspired to come up with another “baby”, this time, setting its sight towards Ilocos Norte’s garlic and dragon fruit as raw ingredients.
Known for its excellent brand of distilled spirits, whiskies, brandies,
gins, rums, vodkas, tequilas, cocktails, herbal and sweet wines, and the
original medicinal wines, the company launched early this month its latest
edition of dragon fire wine and “Imeldifique” cooking wine. The source of
raw materials such as garlic and dragon fruit came from this province.
“This is a significant project because the products [Dragon fire wine
and Imeldifique wine] are produced by Destileria Limtuaco & Co., Inc., the
oldest distillery in the country,” said Provincial Tourism Officer Ianree
Raquel citing that this is a remarkable event for the province of Ilocos
Norte that enables a big company to produce products inspired from the
province.
While eyeing the international market to promote these new products,
the Ilocos Norte government hopes these products will boost local production and encourage more investments in this northern gateway of
Luzon.
Meanwhile, small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs) also continue to
innovate export-ready and quality products in the region.
Last month, the three-day Ilocos Norte Food Expo (INFOTEX) culminated with the ultimate culinary showdown among students from different
schools here.
The contested activities also include table setting, cake decorating,
fruit and vegetable carving, local cuisine cook-off and dessert bake-off.
“INFOTEX has been greatly supported by Governor [Maria Imelda
“Imee” R.] Marcos. We would like to thank her for continuously being part
of the activities of BRAIN (Bakers and Restaurant Association of Ilocos
Norte)—for giving us the venue and for all the things that we need to
make this (event) work,” said Pamela Aragoza, a well-known restaurateur
and INFOTEX organizer.
Now on its third year, the INFOTEX continues to inspire SMEs in the
province and showcased best of Ilocos Norte’s food products.
Believing that SMEs have an important role in the economic growth of
the province, Governor Maria Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos has actively supported them by providing them financial assistance as well as opportunities to promote their products and services.
4 THE ILOCOS TIMES
OPINION
January 4-10, 2016
New Year, new life?
(The following is an article written by Fr. Roy Cimagala)
TELL that to the Marines! Unless we do something concrete and drastic, such aspiration would just remain as empty words, a gust of hot air,
a joke, a sheer piece of nonsense.
For the new year to be truly a new life for us, we need to identify an
area in our spiritual life where we can do some spiritual warfare. 0nly
then can we expect some improvement, some progress, development
and newness in our life.
Only then can we be brought closer to our human and Christian
fulfillment, maturity and perfection as defined by St; Paul in his Letter to the Ephesians: “mature manhood, to the
measure of the stature of the fullness of
Christ.” (4,13)
A mature person knows himself objectively. He knows how to distinguish between
what is possible and what is doable, what he wants and what is truly
good for him. He knows how to act serenely and react to events properly.
We should realize the indispensability of this spiritual struggle.
Nothing grows and develops, nothing is improved and renewed, unless
this spiritual struggle is undertaken. We have to see to it that we
understand this truth well and get to conform ourselves to it.
We cannot underestimate the enemies of our soul. We all have our
weaknesses, our personal miseries, our feet of clay. We all have our
mistakes, falls, sins and their consequences. We should not ignore
them, though we should remain hopeful and optimistic. God is always
around. His providence never fails unless we want it to fail.
To top it all, St. Paul told us that we are actually ranged against
formidable spiritual nemeses that have to be tackled with spiritual and
supernatural means, like prayer, sacrifices, hard work, recourse to the
sacraments, skills with dealing with weaknesses, temptations and the
consequences of our sins.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,” St. Paul says,
“but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of
this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” (Eph 6,12)
But in all of this, we have to remain calm and confident, because as
long as we have faith, we know that God will always be with us. He will
never abandon us, and he will do everything so we can properly deal
with any predicament we can be in. “In this world you will have trouble,”
Christ says, “but take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16,33)
Very reassuring words, indeed!
Besides, we can always count on the powerful help of our guardian
angels and saints, and especially of our Mother Mary who one time
reassured the doubting Juan Diego of the Lady of Guadalupe episode:
“Are you not in the folds of my mantle? Is there anything else that you
need?”
Mary will always be a mother to us. She will move heaven and
earth to help us. There’s no need to be overly worried and fearful. In
fact, we should have a kind of a winner’s attitude, because victory is
assured as long as we stick with Christ. We should be able to echo St.
Paul’s words: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I
have kept the faith.” (1 Tim 4,7)
It’s important that in this concern of our life, we maintain a supernatural outlook, otherwise there will be no other way but to be dominated by fear, sadness, pessimism. The challenges and the many bad
experiences that we will be going through in this life would be tremendous and overwhelming.
Faith and the supernatural outlook would give us the assurance
that everything will always work out for the good. Even our mistakes
and difficulties can be made use of to advance our spiritual life. The
temptations, sins and falls can be great occasions to be more intimate
with God. They can be stronger magnets for God’s grace to come to us.
They can occasion deeper conversions, strengthening of virtues, etc.
But we also have to do our part. Let’s make realistic plans and
strategies. Let’s monitor the growth and the different developments of
our spiritual life and come out with realistic ways to tackle them.
“What king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will
not first sit down and consider whether he is strong with 10 thousand
men to encounter the one coming against him with 20 thousand?”
Christ asks.
We have to realize that we are already given everything for us to
win the war and every battle. Only when we wage this warfare can we
Editorial
expect the new year to give us new life!
THE
ilocos times is the longest running community newspaper in Laoag City
and Ilocos Norte, founded in 1920. Its regular weekly publication started in
October 1957.
Edited and published in Laoag City, the paper contains 80% English and 20%
Iluko, with a primary circulation covering the Ilocos Region and subscribers in Metro
Manila and other provinces, and Ilocanos abroad.
Entered as a second class mail matter on Jan.5, 1958
Re-entered as a second class mail matter on April 19, 1959
at the Laoag City Postal Office
Publisher
Associate Publisher
ILOCOS PUBLISHING CORP. (IPC)
PRIMO JAY S. RAMOS
Editor-in-Chief
EFREN S. RAMOS, JR.
Managing Editor
MICHAEL T. ESMINO
Staff Reporters
DOMINIC B. DE LA CRUZ
LEILANIE G. ADRIANO
Published weekly by ILOCOS PUBLISHING CORPORATION
President
Managing Director
Legal Consultant
Founding Chairman
PRIMO JAY S. RAMOS
EFREN S. RAMOS, JR.
JACQUELINE RAMOS-RAMIREZ
EFREN O. RAMOS, SR.
(1957 - 2004)
Editorial Office: M.H. del Pilar cor. P. Paterno Sts., Brgy. 23, Laoag City
Telephone Nos. (077)772-0976 •
MEMBER
E-mail:
ilocostimes@yahoo.com
PHILIPPINE
publisher@ilocostimes.com
PRESS
www.ilocostimes.com
Website:
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/theilocostimes INSTITUTE
Saving Grace Poe without really trying
Legal
Guide
“WHEN THE law is
against you pound
on the facts. When
the facts are against
you pound on the
law. When the law
and the facts are
against you, pound
MMANUEL
IPON
on the judge”—
Atty. Tipon’s version of an old adage
on legal strategy.
Mary Grace Natividad Sonora banc thus denied the motion for rePoe Llamanzares and her lawyers consideration filed by Ms. Poe from
have apparently used our version the decisions of the Comelec’s First
of the old adage on legal strategy.
and Second Divisions which had
The law is against Ms. Poe. Ar- previously disqualified her on Deticle VII, Section 2 of the 1987 Phil- cember 11 and December 1, respecippine Constitution provides: “No tively.
person may be elected President
For a discussion of what conunless he is a natural-born citizen stitutes “material misrepresentaof the Philippines, a registered voter, tion,” read our book: Tipon and
able to read and write, at least forty Tipon, “Winning by Knowing Your
years of age on the day of the elec- Election Laws.”
tion, and a resident of the PhilipSo what did Ms. Poe and her
pines for at least ten years immedi- lawyers do? Pound on the judges—
ately preceding such election.” the Comelec Commissioners. On
(http://www.lawphil.net/consti/ December 28, 2015, Poe petitioned
cons1987.html )
the Supreme Court to reverse the
The facts are likewise against Comelec’s decision, saying through
Ms. Poe. Ms. Poe admitted that she her lawyer that “Through arbitrary,
is a foundling who does not know capricious, and seemingly orches(cono) her natural (biological) par- trated, acts over the past two
ents. Thus, she cannot prove that months, the Commission on Elecshe is a “natural-born” citizen of the tions has single-handedly imperiled
Philippines. Ms. Poe also admitted the sovereign right of the Filipino
that she is not “a resident of the people to elect the 16th President of
Philippines for at least 10 years im- the Republic of the Philippines.”
mediately preceding such election” Ms. Poe herself was quoted as sayon May 9, 2016. In Ms. Poe’s Cer- ing: “The Comelec denied our
tificate of Candidacy for Senator, she people their choices in an open elecstated “6 years and 6 months” in tion but I am confident that the Suthe space provided for the preme Court will uphold the truth
candidate’s period of residence in and the spirit of the Constitution.”
the Philippines on Election Day on (http://thestandard.com.ph/news/
May 13, 2013. Counting backward, headlines/195505/court-stops-poeMs. Poe’s Philippine residency be- disqualification.html)
gan on November 13, 2006. ConseWhat will Ms. Poe say if the
quently, if Ms. Poe’s Philippine resi- Supreme Court denies her petition
dency commenced on November 13, to reverse the Comelec decision
2006, Poe will be a resident of the cancelling her certificate of candiPhilippines for 9 years and 6 months dacy? Pound on the Supreme Court
on Election Day on May 9, 2016.
justices as well?
On December 22, 2015, the
On December 28, 2015, the Chief
Comelec en banc disqualified Ms. Justice issued a temporary restrainPoe from becoming a candidate for ing order (TRO) against the
the Presidency on May 9, 2016 for Comelec from enforcing its decision
making material misrepresentations en banc and from cancelling Ms.
in her Certificate of Candidacy for Poe’s Certificate of Candidacy for
President by claiming (1) she was a the May 9, 2016 election. The TRO
natural-born citizen of the Philip- is subject to confirmation by the
pines and (2) she would be a resi- Court en banc when it resumes its
dent of the Philippines for at least session on January 12, 2016.
10 years before the May 9, 2016 elecAll these would not have come
tion. The Comelec en banc found to pass if Poe, instead of wasting
that Ms. Poe (1) is not a natural- time undergoing DNA tests with
born citizen of the Philippines, and suspected relatives in Guimaras and
(2) did not meet the 10-year period Iloilo which were negative, had
of residency in the Philippines be- agreed to a DNA test with the chilfore the election. The Comelec en dren of the “usual suspect” who is
E
S. T
said to be her father—President
Ferdinand
E.
Marcos. This is not
merely an “urban
legend”. There are
people who seem
convinced
that
President Marcos
and
Rosemarie
Sonora had a romantic relationship, and
that the fruit of that relationship is
Mary Grace Natividad Sonora Poe
Llamanzares. To hide the shame, it
is surmised that Rosemarie delivered the baby in Iloilo and then the
baby was brought to a church in
Jaro, Iloilo where the baby would
surely be safe and would definitely
be found. Why did Rosemarie go to
Iloilo? Because she reportedly had
relatives there—Cecilia Sayson, the
wife of Agustin Locsin, is from
Molo, Iloilo. Sayson is said to be a
forebear of Rosemarie. (https://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Susan_Roces)
If this is not true, why did
Rosemarie’s sister Jesusa
Purificacion Sonora (screen name
Susan Roces) wife of the late
Fernando Poe, Jr., who was living in
Metro Manila at the time of Grace’s
birth go to Iloilo to adopt her? Why
go to faraway Iloilo when there were
hundreds of babies to adopt in
Metro Manila? How did Susan know
about Grace and that she was for
adoption?
Grace Poe has denied that she
is the daughter of President Marcos.
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/
2014/08/20/1359740/daughtermarcos-tag-amuses-grace-poe
Bongbong Marcos has likewise
denied that Grace Poe is his sister.
h t t p s : / / w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m /
watch?v=ilIhmBfxNi0
But how are they to know?
If Grace really wants to save her
candidacy, it is not too late for her
to have a DNA test with Bongbong.
Bongbong has not voiced any objection to it. He is said to have joked
that if Grace is his father’s daughter, “welcome to the family.” The
testing could be done secretly, using aliases. The DNA samples
should be sent to the U.S. If the test
is negative, that kills the rumor. If
the test is positive—that she is a
blood relative of President
Marcos—that solves the citizenship question. Grace can then ask
for a judicially supervised DNA testing with Bongbong, and with the
positive result, move for the reopening and reconsideration of the
Turn to page 7
OPINION
January 4-10, 2016
The Epiphany challenge
WITH THE celebration
of the Solemnity of the
Epiphany of Christ, we
are actually left with an
invitation that can very
well be a big challenge
for us who profess to
R
believe in Christ. This is
none other than the duty
to show or reveal Christ,
as he is, to others.
This is no mean responsibility
to be carried out by us who are his
disciples. The ideal to aim at is to
have those words of Christ to his
disciples said of us as well: “He who
hears you hears me, and he who rejects you rejects me. He who rejects
me rejects him who sent me.” (Lk
10,16)
Epiphany means to manifest or
to reveal. It’s Christ revealing himself as he is in all his Christological
and soteriological nature to the
whole world. Making use of the visit
of the three kings to the child Jesus,
Epiphany is the feast that reminds
us that Christ is not only for the
Jews but also for everyone, not only
for a few but also for all.
It’s a feast that reminds us that
Christ is the Son of God, the second person of the Blessed Trinity
who became man for our salvation.
He is actually everything to us. He
is the way, the truth and the very
life for us. He is the very pattern of
our humanity. How we ought to be
is defined for us by him.
So, this is the big challenge.
How can we present Christ to others as he is with our presence, words
and deeds? A tall order, indeed!
I remember that back in 2000,
the Vatican issued a document,
“Dominus Iesus” (The Lord Jesus)
that talked about the “unicity and
the salvific universality of Jesus
Christ and the Church.” It was
Analysis
F . ROY CIMAGALA
penned by then Cardinal Ratzinger,
later to become Pope Benedict XVI,
with the approval of St. John Paul
II.
The purpose of the document
was to show Christ as the lone mediator between God and man, and
“the real possibility of salvation in
Christ for all mankind and the necessity of the Church of this salvation.” The aim was to show that the
belief of the Catholic Church in
Jesus Christ is based on Christ as
having the fullness of truth and revelation.
Judging on the reactions and
reviews of it, especially by the secular press, the document did not
make waves, indicating the difficulty
this effort of showing Christ to the
world met.
I was not surprised by that development since even in the story
of the three kings, difficulties and
dangers abounded their effort to
find Christ. Herod even attempted
to trick the three kings. And when
he was frustrated by them, he went
into a rampage of killing the holy
innocents.
This business of showing
Christ to the world and finding him
is not going to be an easy task. We
have to expect difficulties, but remain calm and hopeful, since God
does not abandon us. Yes, there are
a lot of skeptics, and worse, people
who are hostile to the idea of the
spiritual and supernatural life, but God knows
what to do with them.
But the truth about
Christ as the lone mediator between God and us,
and our duty to show
him to the whole world,
are not and should not
be undermined by these
difficulties and dangers.
This task simply has to be done
the way Christ himself did it—quietly but consistently, with words
and deeds, unafraid of sacrifices and
even death on the cross, all done in
the spirit of love.
Everything has to start with
showing love and affection to everyone, including those who may
not love us, because that is how we
can be known to be truly Christian.
Christ himself said: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (Jn
13,35)
This is the secret of tackling the
Epiphany challenge. We just have
to show love and affection to everyone, doing it with consistency
and starting with little details of
understanding and compassion.
And from there and making it a foundation of the other things we need
to do, let us undertake the bigger
demands of love.
We have to do a lot catechesis
and evangelization, reaching out to
more and more people. We have to
humanize and Christianize the different structures of society—political, economic, cultural. Let us undertake personal apostolate, starting with the family and radiating to
ever wider circles of society. We
have to sanctify whatever work we
do.
This way, we can manage to
show Christ to all.
Simple tool to rescue vanishing reefs
A SIMPLE nail, wire and glue tool
may yet fix and save the country’s
fast disappearing coral reefs.
Coral fragments are tied with
plastic cable wires to a four-inch
concrete nail embedded on reefs
and put in place with epoxy. There
they grow and rehab dying corals.
“It’s a very
simple technology,” says Prof.
Concepcion Portugal
of
the
Mindanao State
University (MSU)
General Santos
City, the Program
Leader of an ambitious project to
transplant 185,000
coral fragments in 10 sites nationwide.
The 30,000 target in Sarangani
and Bohol is about to be completed;
70 percent of the target for Camiguin
and Zamboanga is completed; half
is done in Subic; and on-going in
Pagudpud and Batac, Ilocos Norte,
Alaminos in Pangasinan and Puerto
Princesa in Palawan.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources estimates that only 1 percent of coral
reefs are in “excellent” condition,
meaning they still have 75 percent
to 100 percent of live, hard coral
cover. That’s dismal against the
27,000 square kilometers of reefs left
in the country.
To reverse the tide, the National
Program on Coral Restoration collects broken or dislodged fragments
that fall when the branching
Acropora coral species are damaged.
“We can rehab coral reefs if
coastal local governments declare
and properly manage at least 15 percent of municipal waters as protected, no-fishing zones,” says Vina
Salac of the Philippine Council for
Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural
Resources Research and Develop-
Bohol Island State University
(BISU) whose project in Anda,
Bohol, transplanted 30,000 fragments.
“That’s faster than other species of corals,” says Portugal.
So far, 122 villagers (about three
of 10 are women)
have been certified
as licensed divers.
They were taught
transplanting techniques, without
which they could
do more damage to
reefs. While not
tending to the fragments (a volunteer
work), they can
freelance as dive
and ecotourism
guides.
It costs P4 million to rehabilitate each one-hectare site, including site identification, public consultations and training. It’s a small
bill to bring back fisheries—and livelihoods.
Fisherfolk are allowed to fish
outside of restoration sites that are
all inside protected areas, marine
parks, sanctuaries or reserves where
no fishing and human activities are
allowed except for ecotourism and
research. Reefs harbor high-value
fishes like groupers or lapu-lapu.
The fisherfolks get their livelihood
as fishes migrate from the marine
sanctuaries.
Recruits (or fish that visit coral
reefs) are seen after just two months,
says Dr. Facundo Asia, a marine biologist at the Mariano Marcos State
University in Batac, Ilocos Norte
whose project in Pagudpud targets
transplanting 10,000 coral fragments. (SciencePhilippines)
“We can rehab coral reefs if
coastal local governments declare
and properly manage at least 15
percent of municipal waters as protected, no-fishing zones,”
ment (PCAARRD) which funded the
program.
The fragments collected from
the sea floor must measure at least
four inches; longer ones are transplanted directly. The 4-inch “Corals
of Opportunities” or COPs are transplanted in coral nurseries and allowed to recover for two-months.
They are later harvested and transplanted to coral substrates using the
nail-wire-epoxy tool.
To ensure that COPS remain
erect, plastic cable ties the fragment
securely to the nail; an epoxy putty
applied to the fragment base ensures that it remains in place.
This is where the harder work
comes: only trained and licensed
divers are allowed to do the job, and
that means training villagers, some
of them women. They are also
taught basic coral biology.
A previous study shows that
the fragments grow 0.8 centimeter a
month, says Dr. Samuel Gulayan of
THE ILOCOS TIMES 5
Improve
government
programs through
impact evaluation
THE CONDUCT of impact evaluation is the key to solving many of the
country’s problems. This was stressed by Education Secretary Bro. Armin
Luistro on December 16 at the Policy Forum on Impact Evaluation organized by state think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies
(PIDS), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), and International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie). Luistro, who closed the
event, urged representatives from various government agencies to adopt
the practice of evaluating the impact of their programs and projects.
“Unless you’re able to say that a particular program is successful or
that it needs to be enhanced and improved, it’s just another activity,” he
said.
Impact evaluation can help improve government services by providing a deeper understanding of their effectiveness and by assisting leaders
and policymakers make informed decisions.
NEDA Deputy Director-General Emmanuel Esguerra who represented
Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan stressed the importance of institutionalizing impact evaluation across the government bureaucracy. Related
to this, Australian Aid Counsellor Robyn Biti said her office awarded three
research grants that will help some government agencies assess the impact of their programs. The 3ie administers one of these grants, aiming to
conduct an impact evaluation of the Department of Social Welfare and
Development’s Sustainable Livelihood Program. The other grants are for
the impact evaluation of the programs of the Office of the President Adviser on the Peace Process, the Department of Labor and Employment,
and the Supreme Court.
Impact evaluation provides evidence of effectiveness
THE forum also featured presentations of impact evaluation cases in the
Philippines presented by PIDS Visiting Research Fellow and former World
Bank Lead Expert Vicente Paqueo.
Three major government programs have been subject to impact evaluation, namely the Pantawid Pamilya Program (4Ps), the Legal Minimum
Wage Policy, and the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive
and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS) program.
The 4Ps was designed to assist poor households through conditional
cash transfers tied to education and health objectives. Grants are given on
the condition that their children will attend school and visit health centers
regularly.
Throughout the implementation of the program, critics panned the
4Ps saying it was not effective at all. They claimed that it promoted dependency and laziness among the household beneficiaries.
Paqueo argued, however, that impact evaluation studies conducted
so far show the program is, in fact, effective. It has improved key education and health indicators. Criticisms that it encouraged laziness and dependency proved to be unfounded. The hours of labor that people put in
work did not change. The number of hours that children put in work
declined but this is because they were going to school instead.
Paqueo said that despite these results, it is important to emphasize
that the 4Ps is not a panacea. Necessary adjustments still have to be made
to improve the program to make it more effective and sustainable.
In another case study Paqueo cited, impact evaluation was able to
demonstrate the risk and cost of adopting policies without appropriate
empirical evidence, and the fact that what might work in other countries
may not always have the same effect locally.
The objective of the legal minimum wage policy (LMW) was to raise
the household minimum wage of low-wage earners. But after evaluating
the policy’s real impacts in the Philippine setting, it turned out that it was
doing more harm than good.
By raising the LMW, employment and work hours were reduced especially in small firms in order to cope with increased operating expenses.
The rise in wages significantly decreased average household income by
20 percent.
In short, the policy negatively affected the very people it wanted to
help.
Paqueo said the case study underscored the value of evaluating government policies to determine their unintended consequences and to think
of more effective alternative policies.
In the last case study presented by Paqueo, he again demonstrated
the importance of impact evaluation in producing new knowledge from
unintended consequences. The study on the impact of the KALAHICIDSS program in conflict areas has shed new light on the mechanisms
that link aid and conflict. The results showed that KALAHI-CIDSS led to
an increase in violent conflict contrary to the popular belief that development aid helped reduce conflict. A development program threatens to
reduce local support for insurgents’ cause, creating a backlash from insurgent groups to try and sabotage the program.
The future of impact evaluation in Philippine governance
IMPACT evaluation is crucial to improving the way the government facilitates development but its importance needs to be widely appreciated for
successful take-up by leaders and policymakers.
PIDS has started the groundwork by undertaking an impact evaluation project in 2014. The project involves the conduct of process evaluation and impact assessment of key government programs as well as capacitating the monitoring and evaluation staff of the NEDA, the Department of Budget and Management, and other key agencies in conducting
impact evaluation. The project consists of 23 impact evaluation studies
and several technical trainings on how to conduct impact evaluation.
For PIDS President Gilberto Llanto, these efforts are not enough. “To
sustain what we started, we need to bring the importance of impact evaluation to the consciousness of other officials.”
The policy forum was conducted to further raise awareness and apTurn to page 7
FEATURES
FEA
TURES
6 THE ILOCOS TIMES
January 4-10, 2016
Sarindaniw para kadigiti immuna a sakada
SARINDANIW pay maisagut kadagiti 15 nga orihinal, umuna
nga Ilokano a sakada a naggapu iti Candon ken amin a sakada
kas pannakadanon ti 109 a kaada dagiti Filipino iti Hawaii,
sipud ti Disiembre 20, 1906. Nagluasda iti Manila Port bababen
iti SS Doric a simmanglad iti Honolulu port, sa naitarusda iti
Ola’a Sugar Plantation, Keeau, Hawaii Grande.
Sarindaniw para kadagiti sakada, iti hawaii ken sentenario
ken ti henerasion ti baro a filipino
04/27/2007
(Originally “Urat ti Kaputotan: Saribiagm Sakada,
Panagbirok; Henio ti Baro a Filipino”)
[Maidaton kadagiti 15 nga orihinal a sakada, amin a
sakada nga immay nakigasanggasat iti Hawaii ken saringit
ti kaputotanda iti baniaga]
Sarindaniw ni Amado I. Yoro
Ewa, Hawaii, USA 96706
adda puon ti amin a panagbaniaga, ti payapay-awis
umay kas iti naamo a kalapati wenno
kannaway-rawis dagiti arapaap
ket wen, ti gagar ken segga simnek iti puso da Bello
Cortez, De Jesus, Dasulla, Galmen, Gironella,
tured nakem: panagbaniaga-panagsukimat dagiti Ilokano
iti kasaluyotan a Ramos. Rebollido ken Sagun.
magnaka, sulbod-sakada ti arapaap ti baro a panaginaw
dagiti riniwriw a bitek ti pagorasan ti pulso a paratignay
ti baro a pannakaipasngay anak-sirib dagiti kayumanggi
a gurong.
ti taaw umay latta dagiti panagbaniaga dagiti
pannakigasanggasat, atiddog latta ti dana a mangsapul ti
kaibatogan a langit kalpasan dagiti sangagasut a
pananggaud ti bukod a bilog, ti sumang-at-sumalog a
dalluyon a mangsiplag karit ti kinatibker: ti andur,
regget-pinget, ti kayaw ti nakayanakan.
[adda pannakaulila ti daga a napanawan:
natnag kadi ti lua, ti ina, ti ama, ti anak?
nagsangit met ala, wen, ti naipusing a taeng
napno ti namnama, uray iti panagngatangata,
awitda met dayta nga ipapanaw]
iti ballasiw ituloymo a yaddang ti gurong iti
labes ti siglo a nalikudan, kamakamem ti ipus ti kari
ti karit ti ayat ken determinasion-balangat a rimat
umay met dagiti nepnep nga inusatan ti arbis
dagiti parbangon iti rinibu a panagriing
adda tikag ken kalgaw ti biag kadagiti panagbirok ti
bukod a kaipapanan a langit iti mangliwengliweng
natiweng, wen, natiweng ti taaw dagiti rabii saanda a
Paradise
Page
AMADO I. YORO
nailibay kadagiti panaguray iti nagpatnag a panagbaniaga
dagiti kubbuar ken kidag ti dalluyon ti damaldalinesnes
wen, ti nalamiis a katangkatang ti taaw iti sirok ti
bituen ti rabii wenno rayray ti init; wenno naulpan a
tangatang dagiti panagbiahe ken pannakayadayo
iti sab-ok-saklolo ditoy iti nalabaga a daga ti
masarakan ti riniwriw a sukogan, dagiti
riniwriw a karit, dagiti riniwriw a pannubok,
dagiti riniwriw a tanamitim a [no dadduma sennaay-umsi]
iti nakatnagan a daga: ti palayupoy iti kaunasan,
ti kapiniaan ken dagiti pakabirokan ti sileng ti siping
ti ayat, tured ken nagbannogan: panagbirok
Ad-adu pay dagiti naikay-o a daga a kas
damili ti kina-Ilokano. Tunggal sangapala a
daga nga ikuruay kagiddan ti matnag a
ling-et iti muging ken iti aglingling-et a
bagi—a kayumanggi—adda gitebgiteb ti
barukong—ti pannakatubay—
uray tunggal darikmat-oras-aldaw a kalien a rimat
ti balitok—saan a sangalunlon a pirak, a doliar—
ta saan met a basta akupen ket ikarga iti bolsa
wenno plato, iti banga, iti tayab, dayta a a doliar,
ngem pudno, wen, pudno nga igubet a
teggeden ti sileng dayta a nabungon iti
nalabaga a nakilnet a daga: umuna a sigpat iti Ola’a
ken dagiti adu pay a panagalla-alla
a nagaruyotan naapgad a ling-et, lua iti tapok,
lua iti nakalemmeng a panagmaymaysa
iti aklili ti segga, gagar ken iliw...
no ti init ket tumangkarang ti pul-oy yasidegna ti iliw
ken segga dagiti pannakayadayo, dagiti panagbirok
sukogenna ti biag dagiti matenneb nga arapaap
adtoy ti daga; ah, ti baro a daga iti
pannakigasanggasat; tubayen ita ti baro a
ladawan berde, wen, berde a kaunasan ti
nalabaga a kinelleng ti tay-ak a pinasayakan
ti hannawai man* dagiti agkalawikiw a linabag ti bulong
ah, wen, ket wen maregregda iti panagluom kas iti dawa
ti biag dagiti agpakada a malem
adtoy ti sentenario ti sangagasut
a pannakigasanggasat; ginasut ken riniwriw
a pannakaitikleb wenno ibabangon; sennaay met
sagpaminsan naibudi la ketdi iti timek ni Marciano
dagiti lua; dagiti ling-et da Mariano,
dagiti puyat ni Celestino, Emiliano ken namsekan-iliw
Martin, Vicente, Francisco, Antonio, Apolonio
dagiti biroken a siping da Filomeno ken Cecilio
uray dagiti baratilio a sensilio a supapak
dagiti pagling-etan ramen ti madamili a pakasaritaan
dagiti di aggibus nga angsab ken arimpadek ni Prudencio
kadagiti linimbang nga unas ken pinia.
timrem manen ti ling-et, ti lua ti iliw
siboganna dagiti bukel ti namnama
dagiti nainaw iti nainsikogan a panagmula
ti balor ti biag nagramuten iti uneg ti sirok
ti daga daytoy ti paraiso ti siglo a panagmuli
ken panangtubay ti baro a ladawan
ti takder ti sabali a Juan; dagiti sabong a pinuros
iti sab-ok da Bello, Cortez, uray da
De Jesus, Dasulla, Galmen, Gironella, Ramos
iti kinasam-it ti tubbog ti unas a pinukan da
Rebollido ken Sagun; isuda a katkinero+
ti sabong, ammal met da Lam-ang ken Bucaneg
iti kasaluyotan, nairamanda iti balligi ken korona
uray iti pluma dagiti mannurat-Samtoy a kari
ti dayaw dagiti nakatugaw a saringit ti sakada
iti laem ti kapitolio wenno honolulu hale
iti laem ti radilio a kinatibker, nakaabongot latta
ti nalibnos a babai, iggemna a timbangan
kantaan wen, kantaanto latta ti parbangon ida
dagiti ibabangon iti sabali a pannakainaw
ti sabali a henio, sikogen latta ti nangato a namnama
iti baro a sukog, baro a henerasion ti nasinsin-aw a
sirmata a nakawesan iti saguday ni ayat
iti sabali a dayaw, sabali a balangat iti isu met la a ramut.
ramut iti labes ti daga a nagbukaran
takuat met ti baro a similia a pagmulaan
dagiti ad-adu ken nabugbugas a bin-i
ituloymo, wen, ituloymo ti aglayag iti ad-adu
pay a taaw: adda gameng dita, adda kenka
ti balligi, kitaem dita puso, riknaem dita dakulap
kas iti darikmat aglasat, gundaway a namsek iti saguday.
*hannawai man = irrigator
+katkinero = sugarcane cutter
1Copyright 2006 AMADO I. YORO
DOST conducts food safety assessment in La Union
BYSULAMITA F. CATALAN
DOST
A MULTI-AGENCY team led by the
Department of Science and Technology - La Union Provincial Scence
and Technology Center conducted
Food Safety Assessment on three
food establishments in the province
last December 7, 2015.
Engr. Ismael Gurtiza, Provincial
Science and Technology Director
was joined by Ms. Purisima F.
Lozano, Regulation Officer III of the
Food and Drug Admininstration
(FDA) Region 1, Prof. Anabella G.
Valdez, Chairman of the Food
Technlogy Department of Don
Mariano Marcos Memorial State
University (DMMMSU), Ms.
Maybelyn P. Badao of the Department of Agriculture (DA) – National
Organic Agriculture Program and
Ms. Sulamita F. Catalan, Focal Person of Food Safety from DOST-La
Union.
The three firms visited by the
Food Safety Team were Panaderia
de Azura at Brgy. Tay-ac, Rosario,
Pan de Monay Bakery and Sari-sari
Store at Sevilla, City of San
Fernando and Green Valley United
Cooperative at Naguilian Processing Center/Agri-Complex, Cabaritan
Sur, Naguilian. The first two firms
were bakeries while the third is a
manufacturer of vinegar and basi, a
native wine made from sugar cane.
The team commended the efforts of the firms in observing some
of the current good manufacturing
practices and their willingness to
learn and apply given suggestions.
However, they were reminded to use
only food grade materials in equipment directly in contact with the
food, in food and color additives
and in packaging. Proper and personalized labeling was encouraged
to protect the manufacturers from
false complaints. The were urged to
demand Certificate of Analysis from
their suppliers especially for water
and packaging materials used such
FOOD Safety Assessment at Green Valley United Cooperative, Naguilian
Processing Center/Agri-Complex, Gabaritan Sur, Nagulian, La Union.
FOOD Safety Assessment at Panaderia de Azura, Brgy. Tay-ac, Rosario, La Union.
as bottles and caps. Engr. Gurtiza
also provided them with new plant
layout to facilitate the process flow
and avoid product contamination.
Each firm was evaluated in six
assessment criteria which includes
(1) plants and grounds around the
production area, (2) equipment and
utensils used, (3) sanitary facilities
and controls, (4) sanitary operations, (5) processes and controls,
and (6) personnel. Compliance to
basic regulatory requirements were
also checked.
Food Safety Assessment is one
of the consultancy services offered
by DOST to provide technical as-
sistance to food processors to help
them comply with food safety regu-
lations and good manufacturing practices.
FOOD Safety Assessment at Pan de Monay Bakery and Sari-sari Store,
Sevilla, City of San fernando, La Union.
NOTICES
January 4-10, 2016
DEED OF ADJUDICATION WITH
SALE OF UNSEGREGATED
PORTION OF A PARCEL OF
LAND
Notice is hereby given that
the intestate estate of the late
FELIZA CRISOSTOMO consisting of a parcel of land designated as Lot No. 36962 under
TD No. 05-032-01878 with a total area of 5,528 sq. m. situated
at Brgy. 32, Palongpong, Batac,
Ilocos Norte has been adjudicated by her heirs and simultaneously sold the unsegregated
southern portion of the abovedescribed parcel of land with an
area of 682 sq. m. to Chingbee
Tinio Lazaro married to Reagan
Lazaro ratified and acknowledged before Notray Public
Jesus C. Nalupta, Jr. as per Doc.
No. 064; Page No. 011; Bk. No.
XIV; S. of 2014.
Dec. 21, 28, 2015, Jan. 4,
2016*IT
___________________________________
EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT
AND SALE
Notice is hereby given that
the intestate estate of the late
FRANCISCO BUTAY of Brgy. 11,
San Nicolas, I.N., consisting of
his conjugal ½ share of Lot No.
1344 covered by TCT No. T11117, situated in the Bo. of
Barat, Burgos, I.N., has been
adjudicated by his surviving wife
Germana D. Butay and children,
pursuant to Sec. 1, Rule 74 of
the Rules of Court, subject to
Sec. 4, thereof, and simultaneously sold it together with the
conjugal ½ share of Germana
D. Butay to Cecilia Bueno, as per
that Deed of Extrajudicial Settlement and Sale executed by them,
under Doc. No. 603; Page No.
12; Book No. XVI; Series of 1989,
for Ilocos Norte and Laoag City.
Dec. 21, 28, 2015, Jan. 4,
2016*IT
___________________________________________
DEED OF EXTRAJUDICIAL
SETTLEMENT WITH WAIVER
OF RIGHTS AND RELEASE OF
CLAIM
Notice is hereby given that
the intestate estate of the deceased MSGR. RODOLFO R.
NICOLAS consisting of a bank
deposit with CHINA BANKLAOAG CITY BRANCH under
Peso Savings Account No. 168086191-4 and Foreign Currency
Savings Account No. 168708521-4 has been the subject
of Deed of Extrajudicial Settlement with Waiver of Rights and
Release of Claim executed by
his heirs ratified and acknowledged before Notary Public
Franklin Dante A. Respicio as per
Doc. No. 358; Page No. 72; Bk.
No. LIX; S. of 2015.
Dec. 21, 28, 2015, Jan. 4,
2016*IT
___________________________________
DEED OF ADJUDICATION AND
SALE
Notice is hereby given that
the intestate estate of the late
Spouses SIMEON CATUDAN
AND CORAZON M. CATUDAN
consisting of a 1/3 share of the
parcel of land designated as Lot
No. 2560 located at Brgy 27-W,
Naguirangan, Batac, Ilocos
Norte, covered by OCT. No. O4802, with an area of 142 square
meters has been adjudicated by
their heirs and simultaneously
sold to FELIZA I. CRISOSTOMO
ratified and acknowledged before notary public FRANCISCO
A. MUSNI as per Doc. No. 17,
Page No. 4; Book No. LXXVI, series of 2015.
Dec 28, Jan. 4, 11 2016. *IT
___________________________________________
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC
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THE ILOCOS TIMES 7
R.A. Form No. 10.1 (LCRO)
Republic of the Philippines
Local Civil Registry Office
Province of Ilocos Norte
Municipality of Pagudpud
NOTICE FOR PUBLICATION
In compliance with Section 5 of R.A. Act No. 9048, a notice is hereby served to the public that ZENYMAR A.
AGUINALDO has filed with this Office a petition for change
of first name from “SANIMAR” to “ZENYMAR” in the birth certificate of ZENYMAR A. AGUINALDO who was born on April 4,
1971 at Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte and whose parents are
Sadiri Aguete and Florencia Francia.
Any person adversely affected by said petition may file
his written opposition with this Office not later than January
20, 2016.
(SGD) MAURO G. MALDA
Municipal Civil Registrar
January 4-10, 11-17, 2016
___________________________________________
DEED OF ADJUDICATION
Notice is hereby given that
the intestate estate of the late
MC ARTHUR G. ABLOG consisting of a bank account with
METRO BANK, BATAC CITY
BRANCH, Batac, Ilocos Norte
under Dollar Savings Account
No. 4282428004595 has been
adjudicated by his heir ratified
and acknowledged before Notary Public Angel G. Rubio as per
Doc. No. 360; Page No. 32; Bk.
No. IV; S. of 2015.
Dec. 21, 28, 2015, Jan. 4,
2016*IT
___________________________________
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Saving Grace Poe without really trying
From page 4
Comelec decision on the ground of newly discovered evidence.
As for the residency issue, six months short of ten years
is de minimis. “De minimis no curat lex (the law does not deal
with trifles), as the old legal saying puts it.
If Grace wins the Presidency, Marcos pa rin! Or Marcos
na naman!
DISCLOSURE: We are for upholding the law. We are not
against Grace. Her running mate, Chiz Escudero, is our fraternity brod. We filed an amicus curiae brief in 2004 favorable to
her adoptive father Ronald Allan Kelly Poe (aka Fernando
Poe, Jr.) in the disqualification case against him for not being
OWWA RWOI joins
DOLE 82nd
anniversary
festivity
BY JUSTIN PAUL D. MARBELLA
OWWA RWOI
THE OVERSEAS Workers Welfare Administration Regional
Welfare Office I (OWWA RWOI) took part in the regional
celebration of the 82nd Foundation Anniversary of its mother
agency, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE),
on December 15, 2015 in Bauang, La Union.
With the theme, “Walumpu’t Dalawang Mahusay na
Serbisyo sa Manggagawang Pilipino,” the event served to
celebrate the department’s long years of dedicated public
service, marked with outstanding milestones, victories and
achievements.
The OWWA RWOI officers and staff, along with the other
DOLE Regional Coordinating Councils (RCC), participated in
the various activities slated that day. The government workers gamely joined in friendly competitions such as in singing,
dancing, and fashion show.
DOLE regional director Grace Y. Ursua in her welcome
remarks said, “Let this celebration become a time for us to
rekindle our ties and relations as colleagues and friends.”
Engr. Robert L. Ranchez, the 2015 Model OFW Family of
the Year Awards (MOFYA) National Winner, also graced the
event. A pride of Region I, Engr. Ranchez said in his message
that ardent labor and hard work, indeed, bring success.
Mr. Alex F. Ferrer, the Provincial PESO Manager of
Pangasinan, also gave his inspirational message. A Hall-ofFamer Best PESO Manager in the Philippines, Mr. Ferrer expressed his sincerest thanks to all for their dedication in protecting the welfares of the laborers, not only in Pangasinan
but in the whole region.
The delegates from OWWA RWOI headed by OIC-PSD
Gerardo C. Rimorin won in all the contests during the day.
Some also had luck on their side as they took home exciting
surprises in the raffle.
a natural born-citizen. FPJ won. The citizenship issue in PFJ’s
case was entirely different from Grace’s. FPJ was not a foundling; Grace is. FPJ’s father was known, although it was claimed
that he was not a Filipino citizen at birth because FPJ’s grandfather Lorenzo Pou was a Spanish subject, born in the Philippines before it was acquired by the United States. Lorenzo
Pou, however, benefited from the “en masse Filipinization”
effected by the Philippine Bill of 1902. Fornier v Comelec and
Poe, G.R. No. 161824, March 3, 2004. Thus, Grace Poe’s hope
that “the Supreme Court will decide the same way it did in her
father’s case” is vain.
(Atty. Tipon has a Master of Laws degree from Yale Law
School where he specialized in Constitutional Law. He has
also a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the
Philippines. He placed third in the Philippine Bar Examination in 1956. His current practice focuses on immigration
law and criminal defense. He writes law books for the world’s
largest law book publishing company and writes legal articles for newspapers. He has also a radio show with his
lawyer son Noel where they discuss legal and political issues. Office: American Savings Bank Tower, 1001 Bishop
Street, Suite 2305, Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.A. 96813. Tel.
(808) 225-2645. E-Mail: filamlaw@yahoo.com. Website:
www.MilitaryandCriminalLaw.com. He was born in Laoag
City and lived during the war in Magsingal, Ilocos Sur,
Philippines. He served as an Immigration Officer. He is coauthor of “Immigration Law Service, 1st ed.,” an 8-volume
practice guide for immigration officers and lawyers. This
article is a general overview of the subject matter discussed
and is not intended as legal advice. No warranty is made by
the writer or publisher as to its completeness or correctness
at the time of publication. No attorney-client relationship is
established between the writer and readers relying upon
and/or acting pursuant to the contents of this article.)
Improve government programs through impact
evaluation
From page 5
preciation of the importance of impact evaluation. On January 4-15, 2016, a two-week training course on impact evaluation methods organized by PIDS and 3ie will be held at the
new PIDS’ office in Quezon City. Thirty participants from
selected regional universities and government agencies are
expected to attend. The course will teach participants commonly used econometric and statistical methods to evaluate
the impacts of social and other programs in developing countries.
Institutionalizing the practice of impact evaluation in government requires promoting a culture of evaluation, accord-
ing to 3ie Executive Director Emmanuel Jimenez. Successful
take-up, he said, needs the presence of certain factors, such
as credible research, buy-in from key champions, continued
engagement between researchers and policymakers across
all stages of conducting impact evaluation, and timely and
effective communication of impact evaluation results.
The cost of conducting impact evaluation may be substantial but Luistro countered that making it a regular activity
will help government do a better job of serving the Filipino
people, and in compelling the different agencies to work more
in sync with one another in the areas of research, implementation, and evaluation. (PIDS)
Damili Festival 2015
Rambakan Tayo: Sangagasut a Tawen Iti
Nasamay Nga Edukasyon Ditoy San Nicolas
Showdown Compeitition
Street Dance and Showdown Champion - Barangay 3
Thanksgiving Concert Featuring La Opera Tenor Sal Malaki
and Coro San Nicoleño
San Nicolense of the Year 2015 - Local Dr. Juanito Chua
'Parada 2015'
Inter Barangay Basketball Tournament 2015 Champion Barangay 11
Ms San Nicolas International Queen of
Queens Maricor Kristianne
Street Dance Competition
San Nicolense of the Year International Mr. Orlando Ribao
Miss Damili Festival 2015 Queen Bea Patricia
Catcatan
Ms San Nicolas International 1st Princess
Asha Phoemella
Ginoong San Nicolas 2015
Ms San Nicolas International 2nd Princess
Neriesa