Vol. 58 No. 12
January 5-11, 2015
P8.00
Currimao residents rescue
stranded dolphin
BY LEILANIE G. ADRIANO
STAFF REPORTER
CURRIMAO, Ilocos Norte— Coastal villagers of Barangay Victoria here rescued a female spinner dolphin, which they named “Jesusa Victoria”, on Dec. 25, Christmas Day.
Holiday beach goers
state.
found the dolphin near
The dolphin spans 1.67
shallow waters.
meters and weighs apThe Philippine Coast
proximately 45 kilograms.
Guard reported the dolLater in the afternoon
phin rescue at 10:30
at about 4:31 pm, the dola.m., making it the 15th
phin was successfully restranding case since
leased after feeding the
January 2014, said
dolphin providing supportArthur Valente, fishery
ive care.
regulatory officer of the
Mr. Valente said
Provincial Agriculture
“Jesusa Victoria” did not
Office and Ilocos Norte
show wounds and
team leader of the Philscratches, but said the
ippine Marine Mammal
dolphin did not display
Stranding Network.
any signs of buoyancy.
At least 15 volunteer
He said the group took
responders including two
blood samples from the
veterinarians from the
animal for a blood profilProvincial Veterinary
ing study.
Office treated the
Mr. Valente theorized
stranded dolphin at the
that the depressed dolbeach. It was described
phin might have been
to be in a “depressed”
hungry, and was stranded
as it searched for food.
OWWA Region 1
celebrates 2014 OFW
Family Day
THE 2014 OFW Family Day, one of the most awaited
institutional events of the Overseas Workers Welfare
Administration (OWWA), was celebrated on December 14, 2014 at the Jose Aspiras Hall of the Don Mariano
Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU- SLUC)
in Agoo La Union.
Page 3
Wishes
AS WE BARREL into the New Year, I fervently wish
that we would all remain “whole” as 2015 rolls along.
Page 4
DOST bares passers of
Junior Level Science
Scholarship Exam
IN SUPPORT of the execution of laws under the K-to12 program of the Philippine government that urges
the hiring of Science & Technology (S&T) teachers,
the Department of Science & Technology-Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI) is implementing the Junior Level Science Scholarship (JLSS) program under
Republic Act (RA) 10612 known as the “Fast-Trac
Page10
2
Page
TRAINED responders try to revive a stranded dolphin in Brgy. Victoria, Currimao, Ilocos Norte
LEI ADRIANO
Lakas ng Bombo… ramdam ng mundo!
ON A YEARLY basis, senior managers, station executives,
and top officers of Bombo Radyo Philippines congregate for
the annual top level management conference (TLMC) to assess the performance, set goals, and give award to those who
were able to exemplify the network’s best practices. This is a
weeklong strategic planning session with its vision to continue excellence in radio broadcasting.
From January 5 to 10, 2015, this year, Iloilo City will again
Bombo Radyo Pres. Rogelio M. Florete
host the Top Level Management Conference (TLMC) for 2015
with the theme: Lakas ng Bombo…Ramdam ng Mundo!
The theme of the conference reflects a reality: through
the dint of the creativity, hard work, visionary leadership and
judicious reading of the sign of the times wherein Bombo
Radyo Philippines has continued its dominance in the radio
industry being preferred by choice of the majority of the radio listeners.
Under the hands-on leadership of media mogul and multiawarded business leader Dr. Rogelio M. Florete, Bombo
Radyo Philippines has maintained its front running position
in the radio industry, leading the way in the application of
cutting edge technology, the use of creativity in programming, the crucial delivery of content plus the harnessing of
logistics to serve the public.
The network has retained its well-earned reputation of
having repeatedly launched various effective campaigns
which ensured product movement of sponsor products. Its
brand of corporate social responsibility has not remained in
the dole out mentality but enjoined big business to forge a
strategic alliance with the man on the street the poorest of the
poor in the Philippine society.
The enhancement and betterment of services meant not
just for the Filipino listener who considers Bombo Radyo
Philippines as its primary source of news, information and
entertainment. The ever expanding Filipino diaspora (an estimated 11 million Filipinos are working abroad), Bombo Radyo
Philippines is reaching to the Filipino wherever he might be.
Turn to page 2
Experts share research
findings to sustain aggie
productivity
SOME 30 scientists and high-caliber researchers who
are members of the Fulbright Philippine Agriculture
Alumni Association (FPAAA) came to the University
last month to share their findings in agriculture and
fisheries research which might help sustain the
region’s farm productivity and entrepreneurship.
Page 3
LC cops seal guns to avoid
indiscriminate firing
LAOAG CITY—Three days before the New Year’s celebration, Laoag City police officers sealed their firearms muzzle on Dec. 29 to prevent indiscriminate firing during the holiday revelries.
Page 8
2 THE ILOCOS TIMES
NE
EW
WS
S
N
DOST bares passers of Junior
Level Science Scholarship Exam
BY KATRINA APAYYO
DOST 1
IN SUPPORT of the execution of
laws under the K-to-12 program of
the Philippine government that
urges the hiring of Science & Technology (S&T) teachers, the Department of Science & Technology-Science Education Institute (DOSTSEI) is implementing the Junior Level
Science Scholarship (JLSS) program
under Republic Act (RA) 10612
known as the “Fast-Tracked S&T
Scholarship Act of 2013”.
The RA 10612 is based on Republic Act 7687 or the “Science &
Technology Scholarship Act of
1994” thus, the qualifiers of the JLSS
Scholarship will receive the privileges following the existing financial assistance provided to RA 7687
Scholars during the remaining years
of their undergraduate studies.
Upon graduation the scholars are
required to serve as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) teachers in any public
or private high school in the country, preferably in their hometown.
They will be allowed to teach initially without passing the (Licensure
Examination for Teachers) but
should pass it within five years of
hiring. Teacher training will also be
given by the Philippine Normal University to ensure the competitiveness of the scholar-teachers in the
field of teaching.
JLSS examination was administered nationwide last October 18, 2014. A total five hundred (500) third year college students successfully hurdled the
examination. The following are
passers and become the new
scholars from Region 1:
Charlotte V. Balderas, Jeric
Aren O. Dedicatoria, Ronald G.
Gamboa, Julius Aaron P. Mejia,
Michell O. Pere, Ramil V. Petines,
Rodeney C. Rimbaoa, and
Joanna Grace S. Saladino.
The initial implementation
of the JLSS program will take
effect on the Second Semester
of AY 2014-2015.
International journalists account
for nearly a quarter of journalists
killed in 2014
The past three years are the most deadly for
journalists on record, CPJ finds
NEW YORK—Twenty-three percent of journalists killed on the job
this year were members of the international press, about double the
proportion the Committee to Protect
Journalists has documented in recent years. In total, at least 60 journalists were killed globally in relation to their work in 2014, compared
with 70 killed in 2013. The past three
years are the most deadly period
CPJ has ever recorded.
“This is the most dangerous
time to be a journalist we have ever
seen,” said Joel Simon, CPJ’s executive director. “Historically, local journalists have always borne the brunt
of the danger, and this is still the
case. But the increased attacks on
international journalists show that
in the current environment, everyone is a target.”
The higher-than-usual proportion of international journalists killed
reflects in part the increasingly volatile nature of conflict zones in which
Westerners are often deliberately
targeted. Anja Niedringhaus, a German photographer for The Associated Press, was shot dead by a police officer in Afghanistan while covering elections. In August, U.S.
freelance journalist James Foley,
who had been kidnapped nearly
two years earlier, was executed by
members of militant group Islamic
State, who published an online
video of the murder. Two weeks later,
IS published another video showing the beheading of U.S.-Israeli
freelance journalist Steven Sotloff,
who had been abducted a year before.
Despite increased risks to international journalists working in conflict zones, the majority of media-
related threats affect local journalists. For example, of the approximately 20 journalists CPJ estimates
to be currently missing in Syriamany of whom are believed to be
held by Islamic State-most are local
journalists. The high number of abductions led vast swaths of Syria
to become no-go zones for the media, as international journalists
stopped entering the country and
local journalists flee from it.
Still, Syria was the world’s deadliest country for journalists for the
third year in a row. In total, the Syrian conflict led to the deaths of at
least 17 journalists in 2014, bringing to 79 the overall number of journalists killed in the country since
the conflict began in 2011. Syria replaced the Philippines as the second deadliest place for journalists
since CPJ began documenting media-related killings in 1992.
Almost half of the journalists
killed in 2014 died in the Middle
East. In Iraq, at least five journalists
were killed, while at least four journalists and three media workers
were killed covering the 50 days of
conflict in Israel and the Occupied
Palestinian Territories in July and
August.
Further combat and crossfire
deaths occurred this year in Ukraine,
where at least five journalists and
two media workers were killed-the
first journalism-related killings CPJ
confirmed in that country since
2001.
Both Paraguay and Burma experienced their first media-related
deaths since 2007. In Burma, the
military said in October it had shot
and killed a Burmese reporter while
holding him in custody in south-
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC
THE ILOCOS TIMES wishes to inform our advertisers,
contributors and other clients that all
advertisements, contracts, articles and other
materials should now only be coursed through the
publisher, Primo Jay S. Ramos. Any transaction
entered into with other persons will not be
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TIMES is ilocos times@yahoo.com &
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website is theilocostime.blogspot.com. For ad
placements, please contact the publisher @
mobile nos. 0918-9336-580 or 0922-2854-0933
eastern Mon state. At least three
journalists were killed in Paraguay,
all of whom covered the lawless region along the Brazilian border.
CPJ’s database of journalists
killed for their work in 2014 includes
capsule reports on each victim and
a statistical analysis. CPJ also maintains a database of all journalists
killed since 1992.
CPJ’s report is available in Arabic, English, French, Portuguese,
Russian, Spanish, and Turkish.
(CPJ is an independent, nonprofit
organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide)
Lakas ng
Bombo…
ramdam ng
mundo!
From page 1
With the Bombo Network News, the
content emanating from Bombo
Broadcast Centers is made available
in audio and video streaming 24/7
to include the network’s highly visited website.
Bombo Radyo Philippines under Dr. Rogelio M. Florete continues to enhance and expand the capability of the network to be of better service to the Filipino radio listeners. This kind of service oriented
leadership is being gradually turned
over to his children senior vice president Margaret Ruth C. Florete and
executive vice president Rogelio C.
Florete, Jr. His firm commitment to
improve the quality of life of the Filipino has set the tone and direction
of the network. Today media is being challenged to bring to the consciousness of our country men the
effects of climate change and bring
awareness of disaster to the lives
and property of our countrymen.
Indeed
Lakas
ng
Bombo…Ramdam ng Mundo affirms the commitment of Bombo
Radyo Philippines to offer the best
of radio to the Filipino as well as
imbibe to its listeners the ability to
transform lives. This dynamics is a
continuing love affair of the Filipino
listeners with Bombo Radyo Philippines as an affirmation of being the
number one radio network in the
country… Basta Radyo, Bombo!
January 5-11, 2015
AR
OUND THE
AROUND
PR
OVINCE
PRO
Batac approves 10-year
solid waste management
plan
BATAC CITY—The city government here finally approved a 10-year
solid waste management plan for 2014-2023.
Batac councilor Florencio Laud, one of the main authors of the
measure, said the plan provides a future solid waste management
system that complies with the requirements of Republic Act 9003 or
the ecological solid waste management act of 2000.
Mr. Laud said this will improve the information awareness for the
public to decrease the amount of wastes they generate.
Mr. Laud added that the plan aims to ensure the protection of
public health and environment; conserve and protect the environment through proper solid waste management plan; improve efficient
and effectiveness by the city government in delivering the solid waste
management practices and help provide employment opportunities
for the community.
The plan also preserves and protects the community for the next
generation in an answer to the mandate of RA 7160 that every local
government unit shall take primary responsibility of delivering basic
services and facilities to improve the quality of life of its constituents
through programs and projects.
Mr. Laud stated that the 10-year solid waste management plan of
Batac was prepared under the supervision of the DENR-Environmental Management Bureau Region I and with the technical guidance of
the DENR-accredited Pollution Control Association of the PhilippinesRegion I.
During the last regular session of the Sangguniang Panlungsod
however, Batac vice mayor and council presiding officer Ronald Allan
M. Nalupta clarified some matters on the approved ordinance before
he finally affixed his signature for the measure to be sent to the
Sangguniang Panlalawigan.
One of the clarifications was under Section 7.1, source of reduction of chapter 7 of the solid waste management system wherein it
states the strict implementation of ‘No Styrofoam’ policy in all eateries, schools and even household levels and the implementation of the
‘Balik Bayong Program’ to reduce the use of plastic bags in public
market and other general stores.
Mr. Nalupta asked how this will be implemented as there is no
existing ordinance for them. He added that this would also need
public hear-ings.
He added that the lack of ordinances backing up the solid waste
management plan may become a ground for its disapproval by the
higher sanggunian.
Mr. Laud said, in response, that there are plans to enact separate
ordinance for this matter.
The councilor disclosed that an ordinance banning the use of
styrofoam has already been introduced under the committee of environment but it was tabbed for further study to follow the restriction
on the use of plastic bags.
Mr. Nalupta went on to sign the measure after the clarification. He
however added that it would be up to the provincial board to look into
this. (Dominic B. dela Cruz)
PNP strengthens special
anti- carjacking operations
group
LAOAG CITY—The Philippine National Police is set to
strengthen a dedicated unit to correct the increasing trend of
carjacking incidents mostly in this city.
The Special Anti-Carjacking Operations Group (SACOG),
currently headed by P/Supt. Julius Niegos, deputy provincial
director for operations of the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial
Office (INPPO) is set to implement counter measures and additional work force to address car theft incidents here.
Police report shows that from January to November 30 this
year, about 120 carjacking incidents have been recorded both
from the first and second districts of Ilocos Norte. Of the 86
cases in the first district, 68 cases happened in Laoag City.
According to outgoing provincial police director P/Sr.
Supt. Antonio Mendoza Jr., the spike of incidents happened
in September as motorcycles were jacked while unattended or
were parked outside residences during the wee hours in the
morning.
While there are CCTV installed in various strategic places,
Mr. Mendoza said that almost all incidents had no eye witnesses.
In view of this, the police has sought the help of the
Sangguniang Panlalawigan to sponsor a resolution to check
on the list of dealers of motor parts through the city or municipal business licensing division including the provision of
additional funding to help solve this problem.
With additional funding for mobility, the police seeks to
strengthen the seven-member SACOG, which will now composed of several personnel from the police’s intelligence and
operations including its operating arms involving all city and
municipal police stations and the Highway Patrol Group.
(Leilanie G. Adriano)
NEWS
January 5-11, 2015
THE ILOCOS TIMES
3
OWWA Region 1
celebrates 2014
OFW Family Day
THE Ilocos Norte delegation during the OWWA OFW Family Day celebration.
PHOTO
COURESY OF
OWWA REGION I
Experts share research findings to
sustain aggie productivity
BY REYNALDO E. ANDREA
CONTRIBUTOR
SOME 30 scientists and high-caliber researchers who are members
of the Fulbright Philippine Agriculture Alumni Association (FPAAA)
came to the University last month
to share their findings in agriculture
and fisheries research which might
help sustain the region’s farm productivity and entrepreneurship.
FPAAA members are those who
have been awarded scholarships in
various universities in the country
and abroad under the PhilippineAmerican Educational Foundation
(PAEF). Their presence here was
part of this year’s National Conference on Agriculture and Fisheries
by FPAAA and the celebration of
its 10th year anniversary of promoting agricultural modernization in the
country.
A total of eight mature technologies on agriculture and fisheries, including three development
workshops were discussed and undertaken so that local farmers and
fishermen who will follow them
might increase their production and
get higher profit.
The theme of the conference –
Sustainable agricultural productivity and entrepreneurship through
science and technology – had a
great impact in reinforcing the national government’s vision of enabling the farmers and fishermen
expand opportunities in both the
agriculture and fisheries sectors.
The association has long been
a partner of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in agri-fishery development in pursuing the agency’s
vision of sustainable agriculture
and agri-entrepreneurship using the
members’ expertise.
Dr. Esmeralda S. Cunanan,
PAEF executive director, said the
conduct of this activity is a milestone that serves as a “testimony
of the FPAAA’s commitment of
sharing their researches and spread
their expertise to various stakeholders in the agriculture and fisheries
sectors in the country.”
In the past, the fulbrighters
have consistently undertaken different scholarly and socioeconomic
activities with the intent of wanting
to help the government’s modernization efforts in agriculture by the
DA.
It is recalled that a memorandum
of agreement was signed in December 15, 1999 between the DA and
the PAEF that marked the beginning
of the Fulbright Philippine Agriculture Scholarship Program.
“Through this program, the
FPAAA members continued to improve their researches and extension works in order to help attain
agricultural sustainability in the
country,” Dr. Cunanan said adding
that this year’s conference is a fitting commemoration of the
association’s 10-year of existence
as it continues to go reach its professional and scientific goals and
“to stop at nothing to sustain the
country’s growth and development.”
Likewise, Batac City Mayor Jeffrey Jubal C. Nalupta was happy in
welcoming the PFAAA members
because he knew that their presence
“will once again level up and revolutionize the agriculture and fisheries industries in Ilocos Norte.”
“For a paramount agriculturebased economy like the one in the
province, we stand to get the most
out of this conference,” he said adding that the topics discussed in the
plenary sessions have been tailorfit to the particular needs of the province.
The mayor also received certified seeds and samples of bio-fertilizer products from the FPAAA to
be distributed to local farmers for
this coming planting season.
Meanwhile, the application of
the eight mature technologies that
have been shared by the former
Fulbright scholars in Ilocos Norte
farms will surely add to the development and modernization of agriculture and aquaculture industries
in the province that are already
translating jobs in the countryside
and giving substantial income to
the farmers.
Records from the provincial government show that agriculture, which
is one of the economic powerhouses
in the province has contributed much
in combating poverty as shown by
its reduction from a staggering 24
percent from the last three years to
only 9.9 percent this year.
EDC sets aside P1M for typhoon
‘Mario’ victims in Ilocos Norte
BY LEILANIE G. ADRIANO
STAFF REPORTER
LAOAG CITY—At least 124 recipients from the selected host municipalities of the largest wind power
farm in Ilocos Norte will be given
P1.5 million worth of poultry and
livestock project as income replacement after they were identified as
one of the hardest hit by typhoon
Mario which struck the province
last September.
Eric Pascua, head of the provincial government’s Investment Office
said that about P1 million of the total amount accounts for the Energy
Development Corporation’s (EDC)
commitment to provide development and livelihood fund to the host
province once it starts selling electricity to the Wholesale Electricity
Spot Market (WESM).
Under the law, the EDC is mandated to set aside 25 percent of every one centavo sale of electricity
to host municipalities of renewable
energy project.
In compliance to the Department of Energy resolution 1-94, Mr.
Pascua said the EDC has pledged
to allocate at least P1 million as an
advance share of the province for
its livelihood program.
Since November this year, the
150-megawatt Burgos wind project
of the EDC, the largest wind farm in
Southeast Asia with 50 wind turbines situated in a sprawling 600hectare forestland in Burgos town
has started to deliver electricity to
WESM.
In view of this, at least 80 of
the 124 recipients of the EDC
livelihood program will be given
20 broiler chicks each with corresponding chick booster supply until these are ready for harvest.
Meanwhile, some family
beneficiaries who are members
of an association will be given
four heads of sheep worth P16,
500 each.
Through a memorandum of
agreement under a counterpart
scheme, Pascua said P500,000 of
the P1.5 million livelihood assistance will be shouldered by the
provincial government and the
respective beneficiaries.
To ensure the success of the
program, both the Provincial Veterinary Office and the Department of
Agriculture are tasked to provide
technical assistance.
THE 2014 OFW Family Day, one of the most awaited institutional events of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), was celebrated on December 14, 2014 at the
Jose Aspiras Hall of the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial
State University (DMMMSU- SLUC) in Agoo La Union.
The event was participated PhilHealth, LBP La Union and
in by a total of 1,197 participants NRCO and Philippine Red
comprising of 233 delegates Cross were also given their
from Ilocos Norte, 62 delegates respective tables so they could
from Ilocos Sur, 404 delegates also extend their respective
from La Union, 448 delegates programs and services to
from Pangasinan and 50 guests OFWs and their families. They
consisting of MOFYA Regional also gave freebies and giveWinners for the past ten years, aways to lucky participants.
partner- agencies, sponsors, The City Government of
member of the media and the Dagupan, Pangasinan has likeDOLE- Regional Coordinating wise donated raffle prizes.
Donors from private instituCouncil.
This institutional activity is tions like the AXA Philippines,
part of the government’s effort Herbalife, Global Pinoy Cento recognize the OFWs’ forti- ter, SM City Rosales,
tude in conquering the dilemma Metrobank, BPI and Barista
of being temporarily separated Choi were also present during
from their families as a conse- the event and extended their
quence of overseas migration. support through various freeThis event is an opportunity for bies and raffle prizes. Smart
OFWs, their families and other Communications, OWWA’s
OFW families to gather together partner in this event has genthis Christmas season and spend erously offered its full coopquality time as they strengthen eration in making this event
their ties and foster amity with possible including the provision
one another. It is also a venue of additional prizes to the winfor fun, games, raffle draws, and ners of the contests.
contests showcasing the talents
Model OFW families
of the OFWs.
The theme for this year’s AS part of the celebration,
celebration is “Ang Pasko ay OWWA RWO1 also prepared a
kay saya, kapag pamilyang Tribute to its Model OFW FamOFW ay sama-sama!”. The ily of the Year Award (MOFYA)
staff of OWWA Regional Wel- Regional winners. The Regional
fare Office 1 (RWO1) came up Winners were given a Certifiwith the fiesta type/ county fair cate of Appreciation. Engineer
concept in celebrating the said Rolando Almonte, 2008 MOFYA
Regional Winner, who passed
event.
away last October 2014 was
That’s My Tomboy, Mr. also conferred a Posthumous
Award. The previous MOFYA
Pogay
THE event started with a parade Regional Winners like Engineer
within the vicinity of Agoo, La Alberto Calsada, Capt. Manolo
Union Town Proper participated Gacutan, Mr. Segundino Revita,
by the OWWA Staff, Migrant Engineer Orlando Bartolome,
Desk Officers (MDOs), mem- Mr. Manuel Cabrera, Mr. Larry
bers of the OFW Family Circle Campos and Chief Engineer
(OFC) Regional Council, Alberto Balbalan also expressed
OWWA Scholars and the del- their support to the event through
egates from the four provinces sponsorships.
in Region 1. The parade was
graced by the Drum and Lyre Games, raffle
Corps of Agoo East Central BENEFACTORS, partners
School. The highlight of the event and stakeholders who supwere the Street Dancing Com- ported the activity and who
petition and the Search for That’s unceasingly contributes in the
My Tomboy and Mr. Pogay. advancement of the welfare
Each province has their own rep- of OFWs and their Families
resentatives on the contests. The were also given recognition.
M a x ’s a n d G r e e n w i c h
province of La Union won in the
Street Dancing Competition and also gave parlor games for
That’s My Tomboy while the the children while OWWA
Province of Ilocos Norte p r e p a r e d g a m e s f o r t h e
emerged victorious in the search adults. All the participants in
the games were given prizes.
for Mr. Pogay.
Numerous raffle prizes
coming from sponsors and
Trade fair
THERE was also a trade fair from OWWA were also given
where various products from the away to lucky participants in
four provinces of Region 1 were the event. The Grand Prize
displayed and sold. There was in the raffle is an Ipad Mini
also a food fair where foodstuff from OWWA and was won
were given free to the partici- by a lucky delegate from the
pants. Free Face-paint and mas- Province of Pangasinan.
The 2014 OFW Family
sage were given to participants
within the first three hours of the Day has definitely given fun,
joy, laughter, gifts and surevent.
prises to the OFWs and their
Partner government agen- families through the shared
efforts of OWWA, its staff
cies
PARTNER government agen- a n d p a r t n e r i n s t i t u t i o n s .
cies like SSS, Pag-Ibig Fund, (OWWA RWO1)
4 THE ILOCOS TIMES
OPINION
January 5-11, 2015
Rowdy Revelry
THE NEW Year usually turns the whole country into a
sort of a war zone—explosions, smoke and general gunpowder odor takes center stage in a celebration welcoming the New Year. As such, injuries—and worse, fatalities—often become the result of a rowdy revelry.
This New Year, the Dept. of Health reports a lower
number of firecracker victims. As of
Jan. 2, 2015, the figures are 593; 580
of which happened from Dec. 31, 2014
to Jan. 2, 2015. This, the DOH said,
was almost 400 cases lower than last year’s revelry; last
year the DOH recorded 986.
But as DOH acting Sec. Jannette Garin earlier said,
it would have been better if firecrackers have not been
used in ushering the New Year.
It is a source of amazement for foreigners why most
Filipinos would risk life and limb by handling firecrackers and fireworks by themselves to welcome the New
Year. In more developed countries, professionals are hired
to stage firecracker and fireworks display. Not only would
this ensure a beautiful display, it also keeps everyone
safe.
Laws have been created that ban powerful as well as
highly toxic firecrackers. However as in most laws in the
country, the firecracker law is either seen as a simple
suggestion or ignored altogether. The banned firecrackers still appear on the streets and law enforcers as well
as other security forces do nothing to either confiscate
these illegal materials or stop people from igniting them.
The dangers posed by firecrackers multiplies exponentially when authorities basically allow anyone to explode firecrackers anywhere. Even if people with enough
sense not to touch firecrackers during New Year celebrations are exposed to danger by this fact as they may end
up being victimized by those who ignite and throw firecrackers in every direction away from them.
Here in Laoag City, the local government has specified a firecracker sale zone; however it stopped short of
designating a firecracker explosion zone to ensure safety
of residents—especially those who are not firecrackercrazy. Or if there was a designated zone, it has been largely
ignored by both the authorities and the revelers.
The health hazard posed by explosions everywhere
is already dangerous in itself; add to this the air and noise
pollution created by exploding firecrackers and the act
may no longer be about warding evil spirits or bad luck
but simply ignorant and risky acts that go overboard.
Six cities in the country—Muntinlupa City, Baguio
City, Olongapo City, Davao City, Kidapawan City,
Zamboanga City—have banned the use of firecrackers.
If our local officials are reluctant to follow their example,
the least they could do would be to designate a firecracker
zone or mount a fireworks display to usher in the New
Year.
Not only would this become safer for everyone but
more so another attraction for tourists to welcome the
New Year here.
Editorial
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
Editor-in-Chief
Managing Editor
Staff Reporters
ILOCOS PUBLISHING CORP. (IPC)
PRIMO JAY S. RAMOS
MICHAEL T. ESMINO
DOMINIC B. DE LA CRUZ
LEILANIE G. ADRIANO
Consultant
EFREN S. RAMOS, JR.
Published weekly by ILOCOS PUBLISHING CORPORATION
President
Vice President
Circulation Director
Legal Consultant
Founding Chairman
(1957 - 2004)
PRIMO JAY S. RAMOS
EFREN S. RAMOS, JR.
REX DOMINIQUE S. RAMOS
JACQUELINE RAMOS-RAMIREZ
EFREN O. RAMOS, SR.
Editorial Office: M.H. del Pilar cor. P. Paterno Sts., Brgy. 23, Laoag City
Telephone Nos. (077)772-0976 • (077)771-1378
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E-mail:
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theilocostimes@gmail.com
PRESS
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INSTITUTE
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Wishes
AS WE BARREL
into the New Year, I
fervently wish that we
would all remain
“whole” as 2015 rolls
along.
In this sense, I
MITCH T. E SMINO
also have other
wishes for other
people. Here goes....
For Pres. Noynoy C. Aquino the Big J’s Ginebra of old and
to remain in his promised path live up—not only to expectaand not to do an Arroyo—to vow tions—but to the Ginebra nevernot to run for reelection then sim- say-die spirit.
For Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee
ply say it was a lie when the elecR. Marcos not to let all she have
tion season comes.
For Vice Pres. Jojo C. Binay gained for the province during
to finally come clean and answer her incumbency to waste by optall the allegations against him ing out of a third and final term.
For Sen. Bongbong R.
point-for-point.
For all the senators, con- Marcos to run for President—
gressmen and their respective so he’ll probably be out of any
staff currently detained to find elected office by 2016; or if fate
real justice, not just for them but plays a cruel joke on our counfor the whole Filipino people and try, we’ll all be transported back
so we can finally write “30” on to the 1970s.
For Rep. Rudy C. Fariñas to
that sad—and scandalous—pork
continue serving the province’s
barrel issue.
For the Supreme Court to first district and making all
find a way to hasten the judicial Ilocanos proud by his exploits
process in the country so victims and accomplishments at the
would not have to wait for de- House of Representatives.
For. Rep. Imelda R. Marcos
cades for court decisions.
For Sen. Nancy Binay to start to retire from politics and enjoy
acting like a real senator and not all the fruits of her labor in relaa personal sentinel of her family tive tranquility.
For Laoag Mayor Chevylle
at the Senate.
For Sens. Allan Cayetano V. Fariñas to continue to be more
and Sonny Trillanes to hurry up patient as she steers the city tothe Binay probe so they can turn wards more progress and develto other pressing needs of the opment.
For the Laoag Sangguniang
country.
For the Commission on Elec- Panlungsod to be more proactions to crackdown on all elec- tive specifically to the fare
tion violators, notwithstanding the rates—that they be as fast to
fact that the country may end up pass higher fare rates when oil
prices shoot up as they should
without any elected official.
For all Bureau of Corrections be moving for lower fare rates
officials to resign irrevocably and as oil prices plunges.
For Batac Mayor Jeff C.
submit themselves to an investigation so those responsible for Nalupta to continue to dream big
the unthinkable flouting of the as he brings his city higher tolaw would be punished accord- wards progress and developingly—but hopefully not jailed in ment.
For Piddig Mayor Eddie G.
the same complex.
For Manny Pacquiao to ei- Guillen to continue working tother continue just boxing or re- wards the full development of his
tire from the ring entirely so he municipality and to show everycould pursue other endeavors one else how things should be
done.
with better success.
For the San Nicolas power
For the Barangay Ginebra
Gin Kings to wake up from the couple of Mayor Melanie Valdez
funk they are in, learn to play as and Vice Mayor Boying Valdez
Less Than
Zero
to further enhance the
image and reality of
their municipality as
the upcoming commercial center of the
province.
For the Ilocos
Norte Electric Cooperative to be more considerate of their supposed member-consumers’ feelings by becoming more friendly
towards them. And of course, to
work harder towards lesser unannounced power interruptions,
power fluctuations and lower
power rates.
For the Ilocos Norte Water
District to be more efficient in
delivering water supply to their
concessionaires.
For PLDT to give better services to their consumers, especially in terms of internet speed.
For the windmill farms in the
province to mean more than just
tourist attractions to the
province’s residents.
For PureGold Laoag to allow
shoppers to use eco-bags instead
of forcing them to leave the bags
in their baggage counters as this
defeats the purpose of a city ordinance which precisely calls for
shoppers to bring their own ecobags for shopping.
For Jun Gudoy to learn that
life should not be lived in the fast
lane and be stuck in fifth gear
always.
For Steve Barreiro to resume
his column before he leaves for
somewhere.
For Lanie Adriano to go on
being the successful reporter of
this paper and other media outlets.
For Doms dela Cruz to continue being the face of the paper
and find his own happiness.
For Jay Ramos to have more
success both as barangay chairperson and publisher of this paper.
For Herdy Yumul to settle
down and have a family of his
own.
And for all us to learn our
role to stop climate change or to
at least mitigate its effects towards healing the only planet we
can live in.
And of course… world peace
OPINION
January 5-11, 2015
Predictions
IN
OUR
DURING A FIYOUNGER years,
ESTA CELEBRAFreddie Caralipio
TION.
was one of the
MANY WILL
busiest hairstylists
DIE
DUE
TO
in Laoag City. He
FOOD POISONwas the owner of
ING.
OPO
CEYORK
UERRERO
El Hombre—later
FIRE WILL DErenamed Freddie’s
STROY MANY
Super Hair—one
HOUSES.
of the most active hair salons
A FA M I LY W I L L B E
in the 1980s up to early
MASSACRED.
2000s.
Whew! It seems that the
MORE BUSINESSES
At present, Freddie is still W I L L R I S E I N L A O A G negative predictions outnumvery active. But his attention C I T Y
AND
I L O C O S ber the positive ones.
is now divided into two mat- NORTE.
But according to Freddie
ters—the vision for beauty
ILOCOS NORTE PRO- Caralipio, negative vibes may
and the vision for the future. VINCIAL GOVERNMENT or may not happen—it all deSimply put, besides being a WILL RECEIVE AWARDS. pends on how hard we pray.
beautician, he is now also
A N I L O K A N O W I L L He believes that if we deeply
known as a tarot card reader. BE ENDORSED TO RUN ask God, no bad things will
F r e d d i e h a s g a i n e d a FOR PRESIDENCY.
come to us this year and for
reputation as a local
2 4 O R A S I L O K A N O the rest of our lives.
Nostradamus because many WILL RECEIVE HONORS
***
of his predictions seemingly AND AWARDS.
BARD NOTES: Happy
figured in real events. Thus,
to Governor
TOPNOTCHERS
I N bard-reading
O
even some politicians, busi- BAR AND BOARD EXAMS Imee Marcos, Laoag City
nessmen and media person- W I L L
COME
FROM Mayor Chevylle Farinas,
alities frequent his place for ILOCOS NORTE.
L a o a g C i t y Vi c e M a y o r
tarot reading.
AN
A I R P L A N E Michael Farinas, ProvinFor a year starter report, BOUND TO LAOAG CITY c i a l Tre a s u re r J o s e p h i n e
Argie Lorenzo, correspon- WILL CRASH.
Calajate,
D r.
Castor
dent of 24 Oras Ilokano, inA POLITICIAN WILL Bumanglag, Dr. Miramar
terviewed Freddie on his pre- BE MURDERED.
Bumanglag and PNB Laoag
dictions for the year 2015.
A LAWYER WILL BE Manager Metty Guerrero.
Here are some of his pre- KILLED.
Happy reading also to
dictions for Laoag City and
A MEMBER OF THE the members of the Bad
Ilocos Norte:
MEDIA WILL MEET A N Circle Runners and to the
MORE
T O U R I S T S ACCIDENT.
employees of AMA Laoag,
WILL FLOCK IN LAOAG
T H E R E W I L L B E A PNB Laoag, DEPED Laoag
CITY.
S H O O T I N G I N C I D E N T and Vertext.
The Bards
of Blaise
J
& A
G
Compassion, the essence of redemption
We are done with
Christmas and are now
into the New Year. 2014
has been a year of
transformation—and
despair too, topped by
Super
Typhoon
Yolanda’s unparalleled
devastation. We have
been revealed about
corruption scandals of untold
proportions involving high
government officials: the arrest
and incarceration of a House
member who was once the
President of this dear Republic;
the impeachment of the chief
magistrate of the land, the arrests
and incarcerations of three
senators and the ongoing
investigation into our Vice
President’s culpability on the
crime of plunder; the arrest and
incarceration of the former
commanding general of the
Philippine National Police, and
the ongoing investigation of its
current chief; the insulting
privileges accorded to privileged
inmates at the national
penitentiary; the unremitting
crimes of murder and robbery of
riding-in-tandem felons in the
streets of Metro Manila; and many
more incidences that are
repugnant to our civility as a
nation.
Behind these negative
occurrences in our midst, our
economy stands yet sturdy and our
country continues to be considered
as tops in investment location
among the emerging economies in
South East Asia—because of sound
economic fundamentals, triggered
chiefly by our government’s
political will to stand eye to eye
against thieves in government.
Benigno “Pnoy” Aquino III has not
been a perfect president, but he
came just in time with a perfect
resolve to snatch our country from
the abyss of moral and economic
bankruptcy: and we have earned the
respect of the world on this score.
2015, we should hope, will be
a blessed year for us owing from
the visit of Pope Francis in Manila
a few days from now. “Truly there
are so many tears this Christmas,”
he declared in his “Urbi et Orbi”
message to the “city and the world”
on Christmas eve at the St. Peter’s
Square in the Vatican. He
condemned the brutal persecution
by the Islamic State of minorities
and other people not belonging to
their ethnic or religious class. “May
indifference be changed into
closeness and rejection into
hospitality,” he prayed, and
beseeched those in affluent
countries “who are immersed in
worldliness and indifference to
experience a softening heart.”
The Pope’s message is all about
compassion, a trait repressed by
most of our nation’s leaders—in
exchange for personal greed and
self-serving power. Behind all the
calamities and socio-political
turbulence rattling our stability
however, we have better
opportunities the New Year offers—
for our economic outlook still shines
with promise, as the experts project.
But 18 months from now, with a
new president, we won’t be able to
tell yet if that time will
mark the beginning of
the continuation of what
Aquino has started for
us. We must hope it will.
Corruption in our
country must terminate
that what the Filipinos
rightfully deserve to
have will be given. The
citizens need to have a unified
stand toward this end that they must
express in the voting booths in
2016. To elect an honest governor,
the governed must be honest in so
doing. To have a compassionate
government, the governed must
have compassion to themselves.
And this is all about people power:
the power to craft their own destiny
through their right of suffrage.“ A
just government derives it power
from a just people,” were the words
of Thomas Jefferson to the
American people; and their
government has been just to them,
because they have been just in
exercising their power of suffrage.
We need honest elections, but
that honesty begins from the mind
of the electors. To rebuff vote-buyers
and vote on the basis of character
and competence rather than
popularity would be a good start. We
need redemption, and Pope Francis’
visit could do wonders toward this
end. In the final analysis, however,
it is us to decide how bad we want
that redemption to occur. I deeply
pray and hope therefore that the new
year will become the turning point
to our path to redemption,
constituted by our freedom from
poverty, ignorance, indifference
and self-righteousness. With
compassion to ourselves and
others, this redemption, I believe,
is not hard to achieve.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!
THE ILOCOS TIMES 5
Ebola leaves hundreds
of thousands facing
hunger in three worsthit countries
Lack of access to food in Guinea, Liberia and
Sierra Leone could threaten over one million people
ROME—THE number of people facing food insecurity due to the Ebola
epidemic in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone could top one million by
March 2015 unless access to food is drastically improved and measures
are put in place to safeguard crop and livestock production, two UN agencies warned today.
The disease’s impact is potentially devastating in the three countries
already coping with chronic food insecurity, the UN Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) said in three
country reports published.
Border closures, quarantines, hunting bans and other restrictions are
seriously hindering people’s access to food, threatening their livelihoods,
disrupting food markets and processing chains, and exacerbating shortages stemming from crop losses in areas with the highest Ebola infection
rates, the FAO-WFP reports stressed.
In December 2014, half a million people are estimated to be severely
food insecure in the three worst hit Western African countries.
The loss of productivity and household income due to Ebola-related
deaths and illness as well as people staying away from work, for fear of
contagion, is compounding an economic slowdown in the three countries.
The situation comes at a time when more food needs to be imported
by all three countries, but revenues derived from export commodities are
affected.
In their reports, the Rome-based FAO and WFP underscore how the
outbreak of Ebola has caused a significant shock to the food and agriculture sectors in the affected countries.
While estimated crop losses appear relatively modest at national level,
sharp disparities in production have emerged between areas with high
infection rates and other regions in the three worst-hit countries.
In particular, labor shortages have marred farming operations such as
planting and weeding while movement restrictions and fear of the disease
have disrupted agricultural market chains.
“The outbreak has revealed the vulnerability of current food production systems and value chains in the worst Ebola-affected countries”, said
FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa,
Bukar Tijani. “FAO and partners need to act urgently to overcome the
agriculture and market disruptions and their immediate impact on livelihoods which could result in a food security crisis. With timely support, we
can prevent the outbreak from having a severe and long-lasting impact on
rural communities,” he added.
“The outbreak of Ebola in West Africa has been a wake-up call for the
world”, said WFP Emergency Response Coordinator Denise Brown in
Dakar. “The virus is having a terrible impact on the three worst-hit countries and will continue to affect many people’s access to food for the
foreseeable future. While working with partners to make things better, we
must be prepared for them to get worse,” she said.
Call for urgent action
FAO and WFP call for urgent action to re-establish the farming system in the
three countries. Measures should enable most severely affected people to
access agricultural inputs, such as seeds and fertilizers, in time for the next
planting season and adopt improved technology to address labor shortages.
The reports also recommend cash transfers or vouchers for affected people
to buy food as a way of overcoming their income loss and help stimulate
markets.
These efforts should go hand in hand with ongoing actions aimed at
stopping the spread of the disease such as awareness-raising and related
training.
In numbers
IN Guinea, 230 000 people are estimated to be severely food insecure because of the impact of Ebola, and by March 2015, the number is expected to
swell to more than 470 000. Aggregate food crop production in Guinea for
2014 is expected to be about three percent lower than in the previous year.
In Liberia, 170 000 people are estimated to be severely food insecure
because of the impact of Ebola, and by March 2015, the number is expected
to swell to almost 300 000. The rapid growth in the spread of Ebola in Liberia
coincided with the crop-growing and harvesting periods, and farm labor
shortages have resulted in an estimated 8 percent decline in aggregate food
crop production.
In Sierra Leone, FAO-WFP estimates for November 2014 indicate that
120 000 people in Sierra Leone are severely food insecure due to the impact of
Ebola. By March 2015, this number is expected to climb to 280 000. Aggregate
food production is estimated to be 5 percent lower than 2013. However, rice
production is expected to dip by as much as 17 per cent in one of the country’s
most infected areas, Kailahun, which is usually one of the country’s most
productive agricultural areas.
FAO and WFP’s response to the crisis
FAO is providing assistance to 200 000 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra
Leone. Crucial activities include community campaigns to help stop the spread
of the disease, strengthening savings and loan schemes, particularly those
involving women; and provision of in-kind or financial support to vulnerable
households to safeguard livelihoods and incomes.
WFP is focusing on meeting the basic food and nutrition needs of affected families and communities in the three worst-affected countries. So far,
WFP has provided food assistance to more than two million people. WFP is
also providing crucial transport and logistics support, particularly to medical
partners, and is building Ebola treatments centers and storage hubs for humanitarian interventions.
The scope of the crisis remains large in 2015, and both UN agencies
urgently require more funding to continue to assist the most vulnerable
communities whose lives and livelihoods are threatened by the disease.
`ˆÌi`Ê܈̅ʘvˆÝÊ*Ê`ˆÌœÀÊ
‡ÊvÀiiÊvœÀʘœ˜‡Vœ““iÀVˆ>ÊÕÃi°
/œÊÀi“œÛiÊ̅ˆÃʘœÌˆVi]ÊۈÈÌ\Ê
ÜÜÜ°ˆVi˜ˆ°Vœ“É՘œVŽ°…Ì“
FEATURES
FEA
TURES
6 THE ILOCOS TIMES
January 5-11, 2015
Kammayet dagiti literatura Ilokana ken kultura iti amianan
(Second part of a series)
PA N A G I L I B R O :
Uray idi 1935 sakbay ti 1946 Filipino
Mass Migration babaen iti SS
Maunawili ken SS Falcon, ken
kalpasan ti Umuna nga Isasangpet
dagiti 15 nga Ilokano a taga
Candon, umuna a sakada a bin-ig a
lallaki ken bin-ig nga Ilokano,
babaen ti SS Doric idi Disiembre 20,
1906, iparangarangen dagiti binatog
da FRANCO MANUEL KEN
BENITO DAGUIO, 1935, kastoy ti
kangato ti arapaapdan nga agilibro
ken mangtagiben kadagiti sinurat a
prosa, piksion, dandaniw nga
Ilokano iti libroda:
“ADU A RIKNA [wenno Dayeng Kararua]” – Franco Manuel ken
Benito L. Daguio 1935
“Napateg Kurditan Samtoy —
— ti kurditan Samtoy adda a
palagdaen na kadatayo dagiti
makatubay nasudi a kabibiag
kailukoan ken kadawyan tattao ti
daga a nakayanakan. No adda
mangpasalibukag kariricna ken
mangpadaeg kinasaririt maipapan
waden, gakat wenno kababalin
sangkailian, dayta ti masarakan a
biagen ken ipatpateg ti kurditan
Samtoy [saomi ditoy].
Masapul unay a dagiti
nakaduayyaan nupay naintuodan a
banbanag isu da ti mataginayon ken
di tagilipaten ket bin-ig da kuma a
mangmurmuray kadatayo babaen
pannakaibisik da kadagiti binatog
kurditan Samtoy.
Ngarud, intay agbasa ken
agpartuat kadagiti nadaegan a
dandaniw, tularamid ken pasintawi
iti Samtoy. Kadakuada sapulen tayo
ken itukit tayo dagiti bin-i ti Samtoy
isu danto met ti mangbiag
nagnagan tayo kadagiti kaputotan.
Ti kurditan Samtoy napateg to
nga agnanayon no dagitoy ti
paaddaenna; dana a mangiturong
kadatayo iti natarnaw a panagbiag;
taeng a pangikaraptan naliday a
biag tapno naragsak; padpadas a
bin-ig a laglagip ken ay-ayat; biag a
nakawesan dayag ti Namarsua iti
Sapasap”
***
ITI Gumil Hawaii Anthology: “UTEK
NI KAYUMANGGI”: These are living proofs that this organization is
accomplishing its mission and
showing signs that it is coming of
age. The literary artistry displayed
in the construction of the writings
contained in this book is a tribute
to the imagination, mental resourcefulness and patient pursuance of a
dramatic triumph in the minds of the
writers.
Needless to say, these achievements were largely inspired by the
devoted President Pacita C. Saludes,
supported by such prolific writers
Mario Albalos, Amado Yoro and
others. – Rev. Juan F. Dahilig, Adviser.
***
PLUMA: SIIT KEN ROSAS 1988 –
AMADO I. YORO
PAKAUNA ITI PLUMA: SIIT
KEN ROSAS 1988 Yarigko ti
panagsurat iti panagtalon. Adda
bin-i nga aggapu iti nabun-as a
dawa, a kunak, dagiti dawa ti biag,
dagiti gapuanan, nga isuda ti
pammaneknek ti kaadda ti
maaramidan
a
paset
ti
bangbangonentayo nga agamang ti
Literatura Ilokana, ti bukod a
pagsasao – ken literatura. Ti
panagilibro ket maysa a kita ti
panagani a pannakurnos dagiti
sinurat, prosa man, piksion, daniw
man ken ania a sanga ti literatura
[genre]. Isuda man dagiti bunga ti
isip ken imahinasion a naabel
kadagiti pampanunot.
Arapaap ti maysa a mannurat ti
pannakatipon dagitoy a bunga ti
tarigagay, ken sirib a manmano nga
adda a saguday ti tao. No adda
panaginaw iti INA a mangsikog ken
mangawit ti buklenna a biag, adda
met iti mannaniw
wenno mannurat. Ta
maysa met a panaginaw
iti panangputarna dagiti
pampanunot, regta ken
sirmata, ti umno ken
nainsiriban a balikas.
Dayta ti tagibien ti
MADO
ORO
kalikagum tapno buklen
ti lubong ti biag, ti
kinamannaniw ken
kinamannurat, tapno agbalinda a agbirbiroktayo iti henio a sibibiag.
Patiek: datayo ti puso, kararua, rikna,
naindaklan a gapuanan.
Maysaak nga Ilokano. pulso, lasag ken bitek ti panawentayo
Nagtaudak iti nanumo ngem a naibugas ken maibinggas iti
nadayaw a kaamaan ti mannalon. buklentayo a gapuanan. Datayo ti
Natagibi ken natiltilak iti rigat. Iti mensahero a mangaw-awit ti
arubayan ti dadapilan, ti lengguahe, ikawestayo ti galad, ken
katabakuan, ti kapagayan ken balor ken daeg ti kulturatayo – uray
kaunasan. Ket no adda dagiti inar- sadino a lugar. Datayo ni mannalon,
arapaapko nga aramiden, uray idi ni agmulmula ken agay-aywan iti
ubingak pay, uray ita ta dakkelakon, kinelleng a yan ti saguday, bassit man
nga uray idi addaak pay iti lugarmi, wenno dakkel ti akemtayo, ti nasken:
nga uray addaakon ti ballasiw-taaw mabigbigtayo a taraudinatayo da
a nagbalin a maikadua a taeng, iti Pedro Bucaneg ken Lam-ang.
Nanumo man dagiti gapuanak
labes ti panagayatko iti
nakayanakak a daga ken iti lugar a a linaon daytoy a libro, isuda ketdi
timmaoak, ket dimmakkel met ti ti pudno a rikna, bael ken sirib a
tarigagayko tapno sanguek idan – nagaw-atko iti wada, sin-aw ken
kas kontribusionko iti tay-ak ti urnos ti panunotko nga agsurat.
panagsuratan. A kabayatan nga Maidiligda man iti sabali a rukod ken
aglabas ti aldaw, ibilangko a timbang, isuda ti pudno a rikna,
kanayon ti bagik nga aginaldaw nga anag, sudi, pintas, panirigan ken
agsursuro ken makipagad-adal nga panangimutektek tapno aggarawda
agsurat. Nailaga daytoy a tarigagay a mangitakder ken mangitandudo iti
iti adu a pannakigasanggasat, biag ken pakasaritaan ti nagtaudak,
pannubok ken pannakapaay. Dagiti ken ti kina-Ilokanok. Bassit man
pannakadaleb ken pannakaitublak. dagitoy, ngem patiek a dakkelen a
Isu pay la dagitoy a tarigagay ken pangrugiak. Kunak iti bagik:
essem, itoy nga ibabangon tapno nasaysayaat nga amang ti bassit a
magna – umaskaw uray iti pangrugian ngem iti pulos a saan a
kabassitan nga addang kas marugian – a di met aramiden. Patiek
pangrugiak. Siak pay laeng, ken a ti rugi, isu ti puon ken pondasion;
latta, daydi sigud a mangipatpateg, isu ti ridaw ti amin a ruangan a
mangitangtangsit a nagtaudak iti serkan tapno makadanon iti laem;
isu ti tukad a pangrugian ti amin nga
puli ken pagsasao.
Maysa a panangtaliaw iti agdan iti panagpangato.
Ti RUGI, bassit a rugi, kas itay
naggapuak daytoy a banag. Adda
dagiti biddut, ngem kunak: tunggal naisarusar a bin-i a pagay, itan,
biddut ket puonan nga agdur-as ken mairikda iti umayen a panagtutudo
agballigi. Ammok a saan a maladaw ken umasidegen a panagtalon – ti
Agiriktayon,
tapno makipagmuliak iti itatakder ti panagitukit.
maysa a pasdek wenno institusion agbunubontayo, ti panagtalon
nga agbalin a kameng dagiti teddek umayen – ket ti pagay dumakkel
ken panuli dagiti masursuraten a manen a mangibunga ti sabali a bini. Dayta ti panagtultuloy nga aggipi
pakasaritaan ti Literatura Ilokana.
Sangkakunatayo
nga ti pagay ni agmulmula ken
Paradise
Page
A
I. Y
mannalon, agtuloy nga
agtulid ti rueda ti biag….
***
KASTOY ti insuratko iti
paset ti pakauna ti libro
a “Mga Uban at Rosas –
1990 ni Mario Abinsay
Albalos. “Ti panagilibro
iti gapuanan ken sinurat
ti maysa kadagiti
kangatuan nga arapaap
ti mannurat iti panagsuratna”
“Patiek a panawenen tapno
mailibro dagitoy a gapuanan.
Natalged la ketdi dagitoy a sinurat
no maurnosda iti sibubukel a libro.
Agbalinda a manipesto nga agsaad
iti biblioteka wenno barukong ti
“sarusar” dagiti mannurat. It man
imeng, laem, sagumbi, talged daytoy
a sarusar, agsaonto latta dagiti
balikas iti panaglabas ti aldaw.
Mabalindanton nga isaoan ti
bukodda a panawen, ngamin,
inikkanen ni mannurat ti bukodda a
biag, puot, garaw ken riknada.
MGA UBAN AT ROSAS 1990
– Mario Abinsay Albalos
Idi dawaten ni Mario Albalos a
dakami ti mangsurat ti pakauna
wenno Introduction ti librona: Mga
Uban at Rosas – 1990 [translated
by Reynaldo A. Duque], saanmi a
mapagkedkedan, saan a gapu ta
imbilangmi a kabsat iti pluma, ngem
gapu ta maysa a mannurat ken
mangipaptpateg, kas kaniak, ti
bukod a literatura – iti bukodko a
nakayanakan a pagsasao.
Kas kaniak, nangato ti arapaap
ken sirmatana iti nagan ti literatura
Ilokana. Adda kayatna nga ibati a
tugot ken nalawag ken nadayaw a
ladawan ti kaputotanna. Iti tay-ak
iti literatura, ipanekneken dagiti
dadakkel a bagi ti prosa a
nasuratnan. Saan a barengbareng ti
panagsurat.
Piksion, prosa, mabalin a
naibatayda iti pudno a pasamak ken
padas ti biag.
Maibilang ni MAA kadagiti
kaaktibuan a mannurat kadagiti
panawen ti 1970-80’s. Prize winner
iti Gumil Hawaii ken dadduma a
salip.
[Mga Uban at Rosas: 1 nobela;
11 sarita; 1 drama]
***
BIN-I TI BIAG 2005 – Francisco
Tubon
Ponce
As an Ilocano writer, from Ilocos Sur,
it is my duty and responsibility to
write in the preservation of our Iloco
literature and the culture in our own.
Besides, it is my humble contribution and accomplishment in the
propagation and enriching both literature and culture.
“Bin-i Ti Biag” is edited by Cles
Rambaud of Bannawag. Brainchild
of Gumil Filipinas and former
Bannawag Managing Editor Juan
S.P. Hidalgo, Jr., “Adtoy a mainayon
iti agamang iti Literatura Ilokana iti
Hawaii daytoy a libro ni FTP.
Mapadayawantayo amin iti
panangilibro ni Apo Ponce kadagiti
nobela, sarita ken daniwna.
Paneknekan ni Apo Ponce nga iti
laksid iti adu a pakakumikoman ti
mannurat iti panangpatan-ayna ti
pamiliana, iti trabaho ken
komunidadna, sisasagana nga
agsakripisio iti panangputarna iti
literatura, ken mangibati iti
permanente a tatawiden. Wen,
maysa manen a libro a panuli ti
Literatura Ilokana a mainayon iti
umat-atiddog a listaan dagiti libro
ni Ilokano iti Hawaii ken Filipinas.
“Adda kabukbukodan a kayaw
ken ray-aw dagiti agbibiag kadagiti
nobela ken sarita ni Ponce. Matda
nga umis-isem, no adda man
mapaellek, ti agbasa kadagitoy,
wenno isagidna ti tammudona iti suli
dagiti matana, ket patien lattan a
naibasarda iti kinapudno, ken
iparangda dagiti nakaay-ayat ken
makapaleddaang a padas ti maysa
nga Ilokano iti ganggannaet a daga.
Saan met a maliklikan ni Ponce ti
manglagip ti away a dinaklan ken
pinanawanna, a pakariknaan iti
itataliaw a napnuan iti panangilala.
Nalabit a kastoy a talaga ti asino
man nga umadayo. Adda latta
naragsak
nga
away
a
sublisublianna, no di man iti lagip,
agawid a mismo tapno mapan
umiliw. – JSPH,JR.”
(To be continued)
NO
TICES
NOTICES
January 5-11, 2015
Publication Notice
R.A. 10172
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC
CCE-0070-2014
December 29, 2014
In compliance with the publication requirement and pursuant to OCRG Memorandum Circular No. 2013-1 Guidelines in the Implementation of the Administrative Order No.
1 Series of 2012 (IRR on R.A. 10172), Notice is hereby served
to the public that AICO CURAMMENG BATULAN has filed
with this Office, a petition for correction of Gender/Sex from
“MALE” to “FEMALE” in the Certificate of Live Birth of AICO
CURAMMENG BATULAN at Burayoc, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte
and whose parents are Flordelin Batulan and Lourdes
Curammeng.
Any person adversely affected by said petition may file
his written opposition with this Office not later than January
18, 2015.
(SGD) MAURO G. MALDA
Municipal Civil Registrar
Jan. 5-11, 12-18, 2015*IT
______________________________________________________________
PAKAAMMO
Ni MARILYN CABANELA ket kayat na nga ipakaammo kenni
MICHELLE MANGLAL-LAN a tawaganna wenno agtext iti
cellphone No. 0916-588-4939 maipanggep iti Petition ti
Pannakaadaptar ni PATRICK nga naiyanak idi Junio 14, 2002.
Jan. 5, 2015*IT
NOTICE
MARILYN CABANELA wishes to notify MICHELLE
MANGLAL-LAN that the latter will call or text cellphone No.
0916-588-4939 regarding the Petition for Adoption of PATRICK
who was born on June 14, 2002.
Jan. 5, 2015*IT
On ethics
ETHICS is about making choices that may not always feel
good or may not seem beneficial to you but are the right
choices to make. They are the choices that make “model citizens” and examples of the golden rules. We’ve all heard about
the golden rules: Don’t hurt, don’t steal, don’t lie, or the most
famous aphorism of Confucius. “Do unto others what you
don’t want others do unto you.” These are not just catchy
phrases; these are words of wisdom that any productive member of society should strive to live by.
In our personal lives, most people try to do the golden
rules. Ethics are thought of by many people as something
that is related to the private side of life and not to the business side. In many businesses, having ethics is frowned upon
or thought of as a negative subject. This is because business
is usually about doing what’s profitable, not about what’s
really the right thing to do.
Many people tend to disregard ethics specially politicians in many cases. Money or monetary gain can influence
people to do unethical things either in the workplace or in
everyday life. In the words of Benjamin Franklin “nothing in
this world is sweeter than honey but money”.
Ethics can also be defined as beliefs that distinguish right
from wrong. These beliefs are normally passed down from
the family to help you make the right decisions when the
need arises. Morals are also on the same line as ethics when
talking about doing the right thing. People’s morals can be
totally different but should follow the same overall pattern in
determining right from wrong. Ethics and ethical principles
extend to all spheres of human activity. They apply to our
dealings with each other, with animals and the environment.
They should govern our interactions not only in conducting
research but also in commerce, employment and politics. Ethics serve to identify good, desirable or acceptable conduct
and provide reasons for those conclusions.
When most people think of ethics (or morals), they think
of rules for distinguishing between right and wrong, such as
the Golden Rule (“Do unto others as you would have them
do unto you), a code of professional conduct like the Hippocratic Oath (“First of all, do no harm”), a religious creed like
the Ten Commandments (“Thou Shalt not kill…”), or wise
aphorisms like the sayings of Confucius.
Most people learn ethical norms at home, at school, in
church, or in other social settings. Although most people
acquire their sense of right and wrong during childhood, moral
development occurs throughout life and human beings pass
through different stages of growth as they mature. Ethical
norms are so ubiquitous that one might be tempted to regard
them as simple commonsense. On the other hand, if morality
is nothing more than commonsense, then why are there so
many ethical disputes and issues in our society? It is because the common sense is on uncommon. One plausible
explanation of these disagreements is that all people recognize some common ethical norms but different individuals
interpret, apply, and balance these norms in different ways in
light of their own values and life experiences. (Gervin F.
Bumanglag; Alvincent S. Siena; Ted Peter A. Pagba; Sevie
Valencia; Angelo A. Taylan)
EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT
OF ESTATE OF THE LATE
ENGR. FELIX PANLASIGUI
WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS
Notice is hereby given that
the intestate estate of the late
ENGR. FELIX P. LAGMAY consisting of several parcels of land
designated as Lot Nos. 1955,
1979-A, 11327, 12416 and coowners of Lot Nos. 2191, 2192,
1996-C, 1980, 1907, 17614,
17611, 17605, 17324, 17243-B,
8220, 8206, 8217, 8033, 8047,
39531 and 37171 covered by
Title Nos. OCT 0-4911, TCT 0232012000134, P-11416, T-17874,
T-17874, T-19543, T-15754, T4047, T-17541, T-18498, T18496 and T-18497 containing
an area of 75.26 sq. m., 554.34
sq. m., 412 sq. m., 1,264.5 sq.
m., 515.85 sq. m., 417.83 sq. m.,
348.535 sq. m., 527.81 sq. m.,
284.65 sq. m., 258.94 sq. m.,
1,408.87 sq. m., 1,940.20 sq. m.,
1,289.55 sq. m., 1,040.00 sq. m.,
531 sq. m., 1,230.00 sq. m.,
2,934.00 sq. m., 1,419.23 sq. m.,
2,263.44 sq. m., 10,230.00 sq.
m. and 4,923.00 sq. m. with improvements thereon situated at
San Julian, Quiling Norte, Quiling
Sur, Cal-laguip, Baay, Baligat and
San Mateo all of Batac City,
Ilocos Norte, Wind Residences
Tower 3, 821 Condominium Unit
containing an area of 34.89 sq.
m. and a bank deposits with
METROBANK BATAC BRANCH
and BANK OF COMMERCE
BATAC BRANCH under Savings
Acct. Nos. 4283428056257 and
063200014041 respectively has
been the subject of Extrajudicial
Settlement with Waiver of Rights
executed by his heirs ratified and
acknowledged before Notary
Public Joel R. Garcia as per Doc.
No. 201; Page No. 92; Bk. No.
LXXXI; S. of 2014.
Jan. 5, 12, 19, 2015*IT
_______________________________________
DEED OF ADJUDICATION
Notice is hereby given that
the intestate estate of the late
FRANCISCA ACOB consisting of
three (3) parcels of land designated as Lot Nos. 53823, 51989
and 53831 containing an area
of 437 sq. m., 427 sq. m. and
811 sq. m. covered by TD Nos.
08-021-06125, 08-021-00289
and 08-021-06102 situated at
Brgy. Cabaruan, Bacarra, Ilocos
Norte and a building with an area
of 146.25 sq. m. under TD No.
08-004-00735 situated at Brgy.
San Andres, Bacarra, Ilocos
Norte has been adjudicated by
her heir ratified and acknowledged before Notary Public Jason Bader Ll. Perera as per Doc.
No. 350; Page No. 70; Bk. No.
127; S. of 2014.
Dec. 22, 29, 2014, Jan. 5,
2015*IT
______________________________________________________
DEED OF ADJUDICATION WITH
QUITCLAIM AND PARTITION
Notice is hereby given that
the intestate estate of the late
MARCELINA R. SAGUIGUIT consisting of a parcel of land designated as Lot 1 of the subdivision plan (LRC) Psd-25150, being a portion of a parcel of land
described on plan Psu-162144
(FPA No. 3-1 2251), LRC Record
No. (Free Pat. No. 176453) under TCT No. T-10748 containing
an area of 694 sq. m. located at
Brgy/ 7 Caunayan, Batac City,
Ilocos Norte has been the subject of Deed of Adjudication with
Quitclaim and Partition executed
by her heirs ratified and acknowledged before Notary Public
Da Vinci M. Crisostomo as per
Doc. No. 472; Page No. 96; Bk.
No. CCXXXIV; S. of 2014.
Dec. 22, 29, 2014, Jan. 5,
2015*IT
______________________________________________________
make it a
habit to
“T
he longest running
“The
newspaper in the
north”
PhilRice celebrates
innovations
From page 8
ment [propelled] rural progress. Truly, you are at the forefront of agricultural innovation. Your work to boost agricultural productivity is integral in our efforts to secure the welfare of our farmers and enhance Nueva Ecija`s reputation as
the Rice Granary of the Philippines,” he said.
Meanwhile, Department of Agriculture Sec. Proceso J.
Alcala said that PhilRice was efficient and productive in addressing the challenges in the agriculture sector.
Mr. Alcala said that PhilRice helped the country increased
its local rice supply. In 2013, the Philippines produced 18.44
million metric tons of rice, making it the fastest growing riceproducing country in Asia.
PhilRice, created through Executive Order 1061 signed
on November 5, 1985, also honored more than 100 of its research and development workers.
Honorees were led 2 international awardees; 7, national;
and 2, regional. Recipients of 3 international best poster
awards; 19, national; 7, best paper international awards; and
12, national were also recognized.
The institution also recognized 36 loyalty awardees and
welcomed three PhDs and nine master‘s graduates.
THE ILOCOS TIMES 7
DEED OF ADJUDICATION
Notice is hereby given that
the intestate estate of the late
FRANCISCA A. ACOB consisting of a bank deposit with the
BANCO DE ORO (BDO) under
Savings
Account
No.
005190245102 has been adjudicated by her heir ratified and
acknowledged before Notary
Public Jason Bader Ll. Perera as
per Doc. No. 272; Page No. 55;
Bk. No. 126; S. of 2014.
Dec. 22, 29, 2014, Jan. 5,
2015*IT
______________________________________________________
For Quality Printing Jobs
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Have safety concerns?
Check out independent
GMO studies online
INDEPENDENT peer-reviewed research on Gene Modified
Organisms or GMOs is common.
This is the conclusion of a study conducted worldwide
on half of all research on risks associated with genetic engineering.
Conducted by the GENetic Engineering Risk Atlas (GENERA), the study belies the claims that there is little independent research on the safety of gene-modified crops and organisms for consumption or the environment.
GENERA is a searchable database of peer-reviewed research on the relative risks of genetically engineered crops
that includes important details at-a-glance. This database is
intended to be comprehensive, to include all of the relevant
research, and to accurately report the outcomes of each study
as reported by the authors.
To increase transparency, the funding sources of each
study are listed, which requires contacting the authors of
any paper that does not report this information. By including and reporting important details about all of the relevant
peer-reviewed scientific studies—not just those that fit a
pre-determined conclusion—GENERA will allow members of
the public to easily compare large amounts of research to
form their own conclusions about the relative risks of genetic engineering.
The database, which went public on August 25, is now
on beta testing with the first 400 out of over 1,200 studies
that have been curated.
It is a project of Biology Fortified, Inc., an independent
tax-exempt non-profit whose mission is “to strengthen the
public discussion of issues in biology, with particular emphasis on genetics and genetic engineering in agriculture.”
Founded in 2008 as a scientist run information resource
and public forum, Biology Fortified does not accept funding
from industry sources, and is instead funded by the contributions of readers and grants.
“People are looking for sources that they can trust that
can help them find unbiased information about genetic engineering, but in a politically-charged debate, unbiased sources
are difficult to find,” says Dr. Karl Haro von Mogel, Chair
and co-Director of Biology Fortified.
Journalists, scientists, public officials and anyone can use
GENERA to search for research on the effectiveness of using
genetic engineering to modify the genetics of plants. They can
find studies that compare GMOs to non-GMOs to see if they
are equivalent. Studies conducted on the safety of consuming
genetically engineered foods and their impacts on the environment are also included in the Atlas.
GENERA offers users a unique opportunity to look at the
results of hundreds of studies at once with a built-in chart feature. After doing a search, users can turn that search into a chart
of the selected studies to look at their results, funding sources
or almost any other attribute they want.
Out of the first 400 randomly-selected studies available in
the GENERA beta test, half of them are funded entirely by government agencies and independent nonprofit organizations.
Before the project began, rough estimates placed them at just a
third of the research.
The government-funded research is worldwide in scopeconcentrated in Europe and Asia, followed by North America
and Australia. According to GENERA, “these findings should
turn the heads of people who thought it was skewed to private,
U.S.-based laboratories.”
“Not all of our results are surprising,” says Dr. Anastasia
Bodnar, co-Director of Biology Fortified. “Systematic reviews
have concluded that genetically engineered crops are safe to
eat, and when you look at the results collected in GENERA, it
agrees with that conclusion.” (SciencePhilippines)
8
THE ILOCOS TIMES
NEWS
January 5-11, 2015
LC cops seal guns to
avoid indiscriminate firing
BY LEILANIE G. ADRIANO
STAFF REPORTER
LAOAG CITY—Three days
before the New Year’s celebration, Laoag City police
officers sealed their firearms
muzzle on Dec. 29 to prevent
indiscriminate firing during
the holiday revelries.
LAOAG City PNP chief P/Supt. Jeffrey T. Gorospe leads the muzzle taping of guns issued to all members of the city police and CSU personnel to
avoid indiscriminate firing during New Year’s Eve revelry. The sealing took place after the flag raising ceremony held in front of the city hall
building.
DOMS
DELA
Led by Laoag City police chief
P/Supt. Jeffrey T. Gorospe, the police force including 25 Civil Security Unit based at the Laoag City
Hall presented their guns for the
sealing of muzzles as witnessed by
reporters here.
According to Mr. Gorospe, the
nationwide taping of muzzles is a
way of showing to the public and
all concerned gun holders that they
should avoid indiscriminate firing
during the holidays.
The police said violators will be
subjected to punishment as uniformed personnel will be deployed
to strictly monitor those who will
be caught firing their guns.
Last year, the Philippine National Police recorded 28 victims of
stray bullets all over the country on
New Year celebrations. This includes a sleeping two-year-old boy
of San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte who
was hit by stray bullet while his
family was busy partying outside
the house.
CRUZ
PIDS welcomes new board member PhilRice celebrates
STATE THINK tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies
welcomed former Energy Secretary
Atty. Raphael Perpetuo M. Lotilla
on December 16, 2014 as the new
member of its Board of Trustees.
He took his oath before PIDS Board
Chairman and National Economic
and Development Authority
(NEDA) Director General and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary
Arsenio M. Balisacan at the NEDA
Head Office in Pasig.
Atty. Lotilla brings to the Board
his vast experience from years of
government service and leadership.
He replaces Dr. Maria Cynthia Rose
Banzon-Bautista whose term as
PIDS Board member ended.
Aside from his stint at the Department of Energy from 2005 to
2007, Atty. Lotilla’s sterling credentials include teaching at the University of the Philippines College
of Law, and serving as former
Deputy Director General of NEDA,
President and CEO of the Power
Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corporation (PSALM),
and the Regional Programme Direc-
tor of Partnerships in Environmental Managements for the Seas of
East Asia.
Representing NEDA Director
General and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan,
NEDA Deputy Director General
Emmanuel F. Esguerra confidently
assured that, “with his participation in the PIDS Board of Trustees,
the PIDS will continue to be the respected and prestigious institution
that it is.”
Atty. Lotilla was grateful for the
welcome. He used the moment to
thank his co-honoree and outgoing board member Dr. BanzonBautista. “The legacy that she
leaves is a challenge not only for
me but to all those who will be succeeding her,” he said.
Dr. Banzon-Bautista, currently
a CHED commissioner, was lauded
at the dinner event by her peers and
colleagues for eight years of meritorious service as member of the
Board.
“Besides being a sociologist
and educator, she is one of the
country’s voices for educational
PIDS Board Chairman and NEDA Director General and Socioeconomic
Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan swears in Atty. Lotilla being
sworn in by .
reforms, and she has held many
roles in her career: as a professor,
researcher, department chair, dean,
policy research director, CHED commissioner, and member of international advisory boards – the list
goes on,” enumerated Dr. Sheila V.
Siar of the PIDS Research Information Department who served as the
event’s master of ceremonies.
PIDS Senior Research Fellow
Dr. Aniceto C. Orbeta added to the
praise, “I’ll not be very off if I say
because of her words of endorsement for PIDS, PIDS has become
respected by many universities.
Because of that, and on behalf of
the PIDS research family, I’d like to
say thanks.”
Esguerra, on behalf of Secretary Balisacan, presented Dr.
Bautista with a plaque of recognition and appreciation for “her distinguished contributions to the sociological aspects of the Institute’s
development policy research
agenda and program, and her genuine concern for the welfare of the
institute as a whole.”
PIDS President Gilberto Llanto
reflected, “It’s the good fortune of
PIDS that the membership of the
board comes from the rank of professionals and people with integrity. [That way] it’s shielded from
political intervention. That’s the
secret behind the kind of reputation and good name that PIDS has
earned through the years. We’ll
continue with this, and it will be so
in the future.”
The honorees both expressed
their appreciation over the festivities and their sincere and deepest
gratitude to the Institute. Dr.
Bautista bid her colleagues an amicable farewell, “I’m very proud of
PIDS, and I know you will be moving from strength to strength.
Thank you very much, I’m not used
to this, but I am deeply touched.”
innovations
THE PHILIPPINE Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) renewed its commitment to the Filipinos by inspiring innovations and rural transformation during its recent 29th anniversary.
Dr. Eufemio T. Rasco Jr. PhilRice executive director, said that the
Institute‘s advances in research and development show the rice workers‘ efforts in helping the country provide enough rice and foster
progress in rural areas.
In 2013, PhilRice released 10 new early-maturing varieties for saline, irrigated, and rainfed lowland areas. NSIC Rc3442SR, an aromatic
special that is moderately resistant to green leaf hopper, was also
released.
“We have achieved sustained progress in rice production by
providing Filipino farmers with new high-yielding rice varieties. [Last
year was] also remarkable with the National Year of Rice campaign.
[During this campaign], we led many Filipinos in sending a unified
message that each of us can help attain rice sufficiency and this year,
we [upheld] that message by motivating everyone to be responsible
rice consumers,” Dr. Rasco said.
The 29-year-old agency spurred innovations such as the development of nutri-rice milk, Metarhizium anisopliae in powder form,
and hydrous bioethanol fuel injector for spark-ignition engines.
Nutri-Rice milk is a healthy drink made from germinated brown
rice containing Gamma Amino Butyric Acid, which improves brain
and cardiovascular functions and can slow down the effects of aging.
On the other hand, Metarhizium anisopliae is a fungal microbial
agent that controls rice black bug – a pest that can reduce yield up to
80 percent and cause complete crop loss due to bug burn.
“[Other than our researches], we also launched an ambitious rural transformation campaign aiming to reduce poverty through our
Gusto namin milyonaryo kayo advocacy,” Dr. Rasco said.
Under the Gusto namin milyonaryo kayo campaign, diversified
farming and agri-business ventures will be promoted through nucleus
estates across the country starting from 10 PhilRice stations. Nucleus
estates will be put up to give farmers access to support services
including training, input, custom services, modern support technologies, product development and packaging, and marketing.
In preparing farmers for the ASEAN integration, PhilRice launched
the Palayabangan: The 10-5 challenge, a national competition, which
aims to find out technologies that will produce rice at the least cost
without sacrificing yield.
Competition results show that farmers can yield 10.54 t/ha for
P4.94/k. Average input cost is at P11/k.
Aurelio M. Umali, Nueva Ecija governor, lauded the Institute’s
contributions in the country‘s rice granary.
“[While working with] PhilRice for the past years, I have witnessed, with considerable pride, how your tremendous and highly
successful efforts in the field of agricultural research and developTurn to page 7