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The Provincial Government of La Union headed by Governor Emmanuel Francisco “Pacoy” R. Ortega III holds the first ever virtual moving-up ceremony for the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Program completers for School Year 2020 – 2021 on July 21, 2021.

In his message, Governor Pacoy congratulated the parents and the learners of the PGLU Child Development Centers who are moving-up to their ladder of education as the stars of the celebration, so with the ECCD educators, who have dedicated their time and hearts in ensuring that our young learners can cope with the National Early Learning Curriculum adopting the Center Based Program Implemented in an Alternative Venue.

“Despite the challenges of the pandemic, you have done a great job. Through your dedication, learning has literally continued beyond the four walls of the classroom” he said.

“It is by the grace of God, that we gather as a family in the celebration of our milestones and accomplishments in educational development; occasions such as these are great opportunities to triumph on our victories and to revisit our wins, so that we exceed our achievements in contributing to the growth and enrichment of learning in the province” he added.

He ended his message with “This celebration is also an instrument to reinvigorate and strengthen our faith. Indeed, all these successes are results of love, love from God, our love for Him, and to our neighbors”.

Based on the guidelines set by the ECCD Council, no face-to-face programs may be conducted, whether in centers or communities. As an alternative, the conduct of a virtual closing program was organized by Child Development Teachers/Workers in consultation with parents. Certificates of Attendance/Completion shall be delivered/couriered to the child’s home or the Center/LSWD Office/Barangay Hall for pick-up either by parent or guardian.

The virtual celebration was facilitated by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) staff headed by Mr. Ranilo P. Ipac.

The Province of La Union, through the Provincial Core Team Against CoViD-19, adheres to Advisory No. 16 of the Department of Health Center for Health Development – I which allows areas classified as high risk to initiate the roll-out of CoViD-19 vaccination for Priority Group A4 as supply permits and without disregarding Priority Groups A1-A3.
For the Province of La Union, component local government units (LGUs) including Agoo, Aringay, City of San Fernando, Bacnotan, Bagulin, Balaoan, Bangar, Bauang, Burgos, Caba, Luna, San Juan, Santol, Santo Tomas, and Tubao are classified as High Risk. The risk classification was based on the data of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit.
While high risk LGUs are now permitted to administer vaccination to A4 constituents with the available vaccine brands, the World Health Organization COVAX has donated vaccines intended only for A1, A2 and A3.

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.

“We are on top of the situation…ready po ang kapulisan with the help of the Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) at handa po tayong ituloy ang ating mga programa upang hindi po magkaroon ng karahasan dito sa La Union,” expressed La Union Police Provincial (LUPPO) Director Jonathan Calixto as he assured that they are intensifying crime-prevention efforts.

Through a one-on-one interview today (July 15, 2021), the director asserted that the province is generally peaceful as the LUPPO continues to conduct the national simultaneous anti-criminality law enforcement operations on loose firearms, illegal drugs, arrest of wanted persons and drug personalities. He stated that in La Union, they are focused on the arrest of gun-for-hire personalities and to pre-empt their plans.

The LUPPO is aligned to the updated provincial strategy of La Union with strategic focus to establish La Union as a Safe, Secure, Self-sufficient and Sustainable Province. As Gov. Francisco Emmanuel “Pacoy” R. Ortega III emphasized “there is no room for insurgency and violence in the province.”

PD Calixto ensures that they continue to have police visibility, patrolling and checkpoints and implement Inter-Agency Task Force Health Protocols. With zero insurgency in the province anti-Insurgency campaign continues through reaching out to far-flung areas through the LUPPO Patubig Program. Simulation exercises and drills are also conducted for anti-terrorism.

Advocacy groups in the province, whom PD Caixto called the “ears and eyes of the community,” are also mobilized. These advocacy groups are composed of members of force multipliers such as rider associations, youth sectors and environment advocates.

With Gov Pacoy’s directive for cohesive operations in ensuring the safety of all, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office was also instructed to work hand in hand with the LUPPO and other local DRRMOs.

“Governor Pacoy is very supportive in our campaigns against insurgency, criminal gangs, drug personalities…ito ang isa pong inspirasyon namin kaya ginagawa po namin ang lahat ng makakaya naming dahil very supportive po si Governor Pacoy,” expressed PD Calixto.

The PGLU calls for all kaprobinsiaan to be advocates of peace and order by reporting any known crimes to the LUPPO through (072) 700 5100. In case of emergency, call La Union Rescue at 911.

As one kaprobinsiaan, we can uphold our low criminality rate and sustain the safety and security of one another.

To provide strategic support in response to the CoViD-19, the Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU), through the Provincial Incident Management Team (PIMT), continues to collaborate with its component LGUs in enabling their local Incident Management Team (IMTs) across the province.
The PIMT leads monitoring and regular meeting of the local Incident Management Teams (IMTs).
Local IMTs play a significant role. They serve as the forefronts in ensuring the safety of every Kaprobinsiaan. IMTs also works round-the-clock to intensify the implementation of the Prevention-Detection-Isolation-Treatment-Reintegration Strategy (PDITR).
The PIMT has a strong tie-up with the national government organizations, which includes the Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and Office of the Civil Defense I (OCD). The following agencies including the personnel from the La Union Provincial Tourism Office (LUPTO) serve as the partners of the PGLU in manning the seven major quarantine control points in the Province of La Union.
Moreover, among the tasks being monitored by the local IMTs is the resident’s compliance to the health protocols and community quarantine protocols and strengthening the capacity of healthcare facilities. PGLU believes that the key to achieving the road to recovery would be scaling up efforts on community hygiene measures such as wearing face masks and face shields, social distancing, and frequent hand washing. In addition, to improve adherence to the regulations made to eradicate CoViD-19, PGLU introduces legal actions for individuals who defy the health protocols by virtue of the Provincial Ordinance 891 or the minimum health standards ordinance.
PIMT continues to support the CoViD-19 Vaccination Program of PGLU. As of the moment, personnel from PIMT were deployed at the mega vaccination site of the PGLU located at Fr. Burgos Gym, Saint Louis College, City of San Fernando, La Union.
Recognizing the importance of a multi-sectoral approach to the COVID-19 response will lead us through a #StrongerLaUnion.
PGLU is doing and will continue to do its part to support the response to the pandemic in the Province of La Union, grounded in strategic approach and solidarity. But, we can’t do this alone. Therefore, Gov. Pacoy calls for the cooperation to every Kaprobinsiaan to protect their loved ones and end this pandemic.
Stay safer with us, work #WithUs