Author: Jerome Marzan

Highlighting the enabling capacity of the Provincial Government of La Union, the PGLU through the Provincial Health Office (PHO)and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), convenes the City of San Fernando COVID 19 Task Force, and Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center (ITRMC) to concretize plans to control and manage COVID-19 cases in the City and the whole Province of La Union.
During the dialogue, Dr. Romulo Monico and Ms. Julie Ann Hipona from the City Government of San Fernando reported the status of COVID-19 within the city, and their efforts to control the surge of cases. In addition, Dr. Marvin Munar of ITRMC highlighted the importance of the presence of a functional Healthcare Provider Network to be able to provide holistic healthcare services to all the constituents of La Union while, APDRRMO Mr. Alvin Cruz reiterated the need for collaborative and systematic approach in strengthening La Union’s stance against COVID-19.
Moreover, PHO Dr. Eduardo Posadas re-echoed the need for a whole of Province approach in successfully managing COVID-19 in the Province.
Moving forward, the PGLU commits to proactively work with its component LGUs, and National and Regional Agencies to monitor COVID-19 data, and to strengthen the Health Care Provider Network to ensure the health and safety of every Kaprobinsiaan.

The Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Jaime V. Ongpin Foundation Inc for Plastic Recovery and Recycling for the Clean Coasts Project on July 15, 2021. The MOA was signed between the PGLU, JVOFI, City Government of San Fernando, La Union, Municipal Government of Bauang, Municipal Government of San Juan, Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) Region 1, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) – La Union, Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Regional Fisheries Office 1 (BFAR RFO 1), Department of Science and Technology Region 1 (DOST Region 1), Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMMSU), Saint Louis College of San Fernando, La Union (SLC-SFLU), Lupon ng mga Indibidwal na Nangangalaga ng Kalikasan, Inc (LINK), San Juan Resort, Restaurant, Hotel Association, Inc (SJRRHASS), La Union Hotel Resorts and Restaurant Association (LUHRRA), Bauang Resorts, Restaurant and Hotel Association, Inc (BRRHA), Dragon Eight Junkshop, and Sto. Nino Junkshop.

The project’s title is “Plastic Recovery and Recycling for Clean Coasts” funded by Coca Cola Foundation. It is a two-year period project which aims to reduce plastic pollution through the collective participation of community stakeholders in the sustainable management of plastic wastes. The project will cover coastal communities of the City of San Fernando, La Union Bauang, and San Juan.

The Provincial Government of La Union continues to provide proactive steps towards cleaner living habits. With the #KalikasanNaman campaign of PGLU, the province continues to sustain the wonders and beauty of our natural habitat for the sake of our future generations.

To further increase the CoViD-19 Vaccine uptake in the province, the Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) through the Advocacy, Demand Generation, and Social Mobilization Group (ADGSMG) of the CoViD-19 Vaccination Program Task Force (CVP-TF) conducts a series of Demand Strategy Training of Trainers. ADGSM first convenes with the Demand Generation Officers from the Municipalities of Bangar, Luna, Balaoan, Sudipen, and Santol on July 15, 2021.
The Training of Trainers (TOT) is an avenue to converge and connect with the ADGSM counterparts to download the Bakuna Muna Advocacy Playbook, which will serve as the province’s localized guide to generating greater demand for CoViD-19 vaccines across all priority groups. Through the TOT, local ADGSMs could share best practices and combine these to intensify their local activities as La Union move forward with the other vaccine priority groups.
Through the combined efforts of the PGLU and local ADGSMs, benefits of having the vaccine will be thoroughly explained to every Kaprobinsiaan, and every resident will be invited to become advocates.
Meanwhile, CVP-TF also commended the municipalities with their vaccine demand generation initiatives. Among the best practices was engaging frontliners and health workers who already got their CoViD-19 Vaccine and share their testimonies during meetings. They have also cascaded information and communication materials down to their barangays even before deploying the CoViD-19 vaccine.
The Department of Health aims to vaccinate 70 million Filipinos in 2021, to achieve herd community.
With the #BakunaMuna CoViD-19 Vaccination Program supported by data-driven approaches, PGLU is hopeful that we shall soon recover from this crisis and move forward in building a #StrongerLaUnion.