Marcos grandson weds presidential rival’s granddaughter

Love conquers all, even political differences.

The marriage this week of the grandchildren of former president Ferdinand Marcos and former senator Raul Manglapus signals the end of a decades-long rivalry, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos said Saturday.

"Many years ago my father was . . . gravely disappointed and saddened by the (loss) to the Supreme Court in his right to travel back home. That is the Supreme Court case Marcos vs. Manglapus," Marcos said during a thanksgiving celebration of the wedding of her son, lawyer Ferdinand Michael Manotoc, to Carina Amelia Manglapus.

"Tonight we have reversed that miserable ruling . . . Cara joining our family, love wins."

Manotoc and Manglapus' wedding on Wednesday was held privately in Makati.

On Saturday, Laoag Bishop Renato Mayugba presided over a thanksgiving mass held at Paoay church. Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, presidential adviser Francis Tolentino, and presidential spokesman Harry Roque were in attendance.

Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos said: "I'm very, very happy today because two families that are in contrast for so many years suddenly fell in love."

Ferdinand Marcos won the 1965 presidential election over Raul Manglapus, who later became one of the pro-democracy opposition leaders based in the US.

Manglapus served as the foreign affairs secretary of former President Cory Aquino.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, meanwhile, thanked the Marcos family for helping her father President Rodrigo Duterte during the 2016 elections.

The mayor said she's also grateful that some of the wedding gifts will be donated for the rehabilitation of Marawi City. — With reports from Kim Lorenzo, ABS-CBN News

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Ilocana graduates summa cum laude in Hawaii university

ILOCOS NORTE—All the way from Waipahu in Hawaii, 21-year-old Reschi Karla Ramo takes a vacation in Barangay Calioet, Libong, Bacarra yearly, where she was born and grew up until her family migrated to the United States in 2011.

Her homecoming this year is filled with more excitement after she brought home a very special "pasalubong" that can’t be compared with anything that came with the balikbayan box.

This is her achievement as she finished college as a summa cum laude at the University of Hawaii-Manoa.

Karla took up Bachelor of Science in Public Health minor in Ilocano Studies and garnered a grade point average of 3.98, which qualified her to become a summa cum laude.

After her graduation last May 13, she immediately flew back home to celebrate her success with her relatives and friends here.

She feels fortunate to be one of the few Filipinos who able to finish a bachelor’s degree in Hawaii, given that Filipinos comprise 25.1% of the population and are the second largest ethnic group in Hawaii.

“I feel really really proud of myself. This makes all the hardwork, sacrifices and sleepless nights for the past 4 years, worth it. I am happy because I am one of the Filipinos who finished a bachelor’s degree," Karla said.

In her younger years, Karla had already proven herself in school, given that she was a consistent 1st honor student since Grade 1 to 3rd year high school which was the last level she finished before leaving for Hawaii.

She admitted that studying abroad wasn’t easy. She experienced accent discrimination but over the time, she learned to handle it and made it as a motivation instead.

“I experienced discrimination especially when I was just new in Hawaii. Even if I know the right answer during recitations, I choose not to raise my hand because I fear that my classmates would make fun of me," Karla said.

"However, I was able to overcome my fear and learned not to mind what other people would think and say about me. Instead, I focused my energy on my studies. I always remind myself of my family - of what they taught me, which is to study hard and just focus on my studies. Education is deeply rooted in my mind and the importance of it is inculcated in my well-being."

Karla is fully decided to enter medical school to fulfill her dream to become a pediatrician and naturopathic doctor at the same time.

While studying, she will continue to work as an Assistant Director to the Early College Program in Waipahu High School in Hawaii to help fellow Filipinos in their education.

“I work as Assistant Director to the Early College Program because I am really passionate about education. And I want my fellow Filipinos because majority of the population in Waipahu high school is Filipinos. And they are underrepresented in higher education. So I want them to have the opportunity to experience college and our goal is to have them graduate with their college diplomas and high school diploma at the same time with no cost at all," Karla said.

She plans to work in the country in the future because she believes it’s important to stay connected with her roots where she started her dreams.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Accenture to expand in Ilocos Norte

MANILA, Philippines - Accenture, a global management consulting and outsourcing company, is expanding its operations in the Philippines.

Accenture announced its new delivery center based in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte is set to become operational later this year.

This would be the third Accenture delivery center in the country, in addition to centers in Metro Manila and Cebu City.

San Nicolas Mayor Melanie Grace Valdez, San Nicolas Vice Mayor Alfredo Valdez, and Accenture Delivery Center for Operations in the Philippines Lead Benedict Hernandez, recently led a time capsule laying ceremony to commemorate the official start of construction.

"We are honored that San Nicolas was chosen as the first location for Accenture in Ilocos. We are looking forward to a long-term relationship with Accenture as they build their business in the province. We welcome Accenture to our community and we pledge our commitment to support your endeavors in our municipality," Valdez said.

For his part, Hernandez said Accenture's further expansion in the Philippines attests to the company's continued confidence in the country.

"The delivery center in Ilocos strengthens our company's commitment and capability in building a greater future for both our clients and our more than 35,000 people in the country," he said.

Accenture plans to hire almost 200 in Ilocos to fill positions for the center.

Hernandez said the Ilocos facility will initially provide Accenture Operations services in health administration and finance for the company's global clients across Europe and North America.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Matt Evans hospitalized

MANILA -- Actor Matt Evans was hospitalized on Wednesday in Laoag, Ilocos Norte because of gastroenteritis or infectious diarrhea.

The actor admitted that he enjoyed feasting on Ilocano dishes like kilawin na kambing, kilawin na isda and binagoongan.

According to medical website WebMD, gastroenteritis is inflammation of the stomach and intestines, which leads to diarrhea and vomiting. Among its causes is irritation from particular foods.

Evans, who arrived in Laoag last October 28, is taking a break with his wife, Katrina Fariñas, who is from the province.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

BPO firm to open facility in Ilocos Norte

MANILA, Philippines - Business process outsourcing firm Expert Global Solutions (EGS) Philippines continued its local expansion with the opening of its site in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.

The facility, slated for completion by August 2014, will be the company's third provincial site. It will be expected to provide around 500 jobs for qualified talents in the province.

“We are very excited for our expansion in Northern Luzon. Laoag City is known as a first class city, which serves as the commercial and business hub of Ilocos Norte,” said Bong Borja, President and Country Head for EGS Philippines.

“We are also confident that the city has pool of highly qualified talents, which is one of the biggest deciding factors why we want to bring and grow our business in Laoag," he said.

In preparation for the opening of the facility, EGS are rolling out recruitment efforts in the province as it aim to offer locals the chance to be part of the growing business process outsourcing industry without having to be away from their families.

"Our presence in the provinces allows us to create job opportunities for qualified talents who choose to stay and work near home and within familiar grounds...As early as now, we'd like to invite applicants to partner with us and be our pioneers, as we build our One Team in Laoag," said Borja.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com