Featured Articles

Sexual Abuse and Awareness Lecture – Bacnotan District Hospital observes National Awareness Week for the Prevention of Sexual Abuse and Exploitation by conducting a lecture participated in by patients and their companions at the Out Patient Department on February 18, 2021. PCol. Karen Borbe from the PNP-Bacnotan Women and Children’s Desk discussed child protection and encouraged the audience to report immediately to the proper authorities.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of La Union unanimously approved on third and final reading the draft ordinance prescribing the Guidelines on the Conduct of Health-Enhancing Physical Activities and Sports during the CoViD-19 Pandemic on February 16, 2021.

Provincial Ordinance 280-2021 also known as an Ordinance Prescribing the Guidelines on the Conduct of Health-Enhancing Physical Activities and Sports during the CoViD-19 Pandemic is line with the Philippine Sports Commission-Games and Amusements Board Department of Health (DOH) Joint Administrative Order No. 2020-0001 and is in accordance with the Omnibus Guidelines on the Implementation of the Community Quarantine in the Philippines released by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

In pursuit of increasing physical and mental resilience and to sustain the livelihood of professional athletes in the province, the SP passed the ordinance to fully implement the guidelines on the conduct of health-enhancing physical activities as well as income-generating professional sports activities during the CoViD-19 pandemic, provided that these remain aligned with the risk-based public health standards set by the DOH through AO No. 2020-0015.

While professional contact sports such as Basketball are allowed, recreational contact sports are still suspended until the availability of a vaccine and/or appropriate standard of care for COVID-19 cases is developed. Under the said guidelines, non-professional sporting events such as tournaments, competitive events, and athletic meets are not permitted.

Low Risk Areas such as the Province of La Union can conduct indoor or outdoor non-contact sports or activities for non-professional sports as long as establishments continue the practice of minimum public health standards such as, but not limited to, regular disinfection and sanitation of frequently touched surfaces.

Violators shall be charged with fines of P3,000.00 for the first infraction, P4, 000.00 on second infraction and P5,000.00 on third and subsequent infractions.

BLOODLETTING 2021. Adrian Belisario, one of the 86 volunteer donors from Bacnotan District Hospital (BDH) gives his share of blood during the Mass Blood Donation Activity held in BDH Annex Building on February 16, 2020. The said activity was in partnership with the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center participated in by partner agencies and associations. Regular Mass Blood Donation is conducted to augment the shortage of blood and blood products in the blood bank centers.

The Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) through the Local Economic Enterprise and Investment Promotions Unit presented the La Union Investment Plan (LUIP): THRIVE in LA UNION to the component Local Government Units on February 15, 2021 via video conference.

The LUIP is the blueprint of the province to foster a conducive investment climate. It contains plans and programs for a Sustainable Investment Development Strategy to Improve Investment Climate, to attract more investors amidst the pandemic and to increase business resilience. The LUIP defines the roles of each key player as PGLU strengthens partnership with them.

The PGLU is focused on the steadfast economic recovery plan and pursues to create sustained and aggressive growth. The priority is to implement projects and programs that will cater to the conduct of necessary technical assistance and capacity building interventions to further encourage investments and economic activities within the Province of La Union.

Leading the economic recovery, the LUIP framework aims to improve quantity and quality of investments generated in the component LGUs. Programs include Investment and Employment Hub, Investment and Employment Portal, Centralized provincial data management, local product development and other partnership with Non-Governmental Organizations, National Line Agencies and the private sector.

The Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved Ordinance no. 279-2021, mandating the formulation of the CY 2021-2025 Agricultural and Fisheries Mechanization Plan (AFMP) by the province, city and municipalities of La Union and following the guidelines provided in the Memorandum Circular 01-2020 of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior and Local Government during its 85th Regular session on February 9, 2021 held at the Legislative Building and Session Hall Provincial Capitol, City of San Fernando, La Union.

Said ordinance is the localized version of Article IX, Section 33 of Republic Act 10601 otherwise known as the Agricultural and Fishery and Modernization (AFMech) Law. Likewise, in consideration with the Department of Agriculture memorandum circular each LGU’s are required to implement their respective provincial, city and municipal agricultural and fishery mechanization plans as a vital component of their respective local development plan.

The AFMP is enacted to provide planning guidelines to all Local Government Units (LGUs) in the formulation of Provincial Agriculture and Fishery Modernization Plan (AFMP), City AFMP and Municipal AFMP by the province, city and municipalities of the Province of La Union.

The Provincial Planning and Development Office is tasked to conduct briefing or workshops to all City and Municipal Planning and Development Coordinators, ABE Groups and all other LGU Officials in coordination with the DA-RFOs Planning Division and RAEDs.

Furthermore, the Municipal and City AFMech Plan shall be submitted to the Provincial Planning and Development Office, copy furnish the Provincial Agricultural and Biosystem Engineering (ABE) Division within six months after the promulgation and the Provincial AFMech Plan with the attached City and Municipal AFMech Plan shall be submitted to the DA-Regional Field Office 1, copy furnish the RAED within two months after the submission of the City/Municipal AFMech Plans.

The AFM plan shall cover all production areas including its targeted expansion areas for rice, corn, coconut, sugarcane, high value commercial crops, livestock and poultry and fisheries; it also includes land development (land clearing, levelling, etc.); land preparation (plowing, harrowing, puddling, etc.); plant and animal care, harvesting and post-harvest; and in the case of rice, it includes irrigated areas under the national irrigation systems, communal irrigation system and small scale irrigation projects of National Irrigation Administration, Department of Agriculture, LGUs and private entities as well as rain fed areas.

CDH CLEAN UP DRIVE. Caba District Hospital (CDH) staff strengthens the implementation of 5S of the hospital during the conduct of 5S and restoration of the Microgarden on February 5, 2021 at CDH, Caba, La Union. The 5S methodology helps a workplace remove items that are no longer needed (sort); organize the items to optimize efficiency and flow (straighten); clean the area to easily identify problems (sweep); implement color coding and labels to stay consistent with other areas (standardize); and develop behaviors that keep the workplace organized long term (sustain). Clean Up Drive is a monthly activity of the hospital as part of the Environmental Preservation and Protection Program of the hospital.

CDH PSYCHOSOCIAL HEALTH CRISIS PROGRAM. Caba District Hospital (CDH) launches the Psychosocial Health Crisis Hotline as part of the Mental Health Program of the hospital during the Virtual General Staff Meeting on February 4, 2021 at Caba District Hospital, Poblacion Sur, Caba, La Union.

The Psychosocial Health Crisis Hotline features a hotline to provide assistance to individuals with psychosocial and mental health conditions, especially individuals at risk of committing suicide.

Clients may seek assistance by calling or texting the CDH’s Psychosocial Health Crisis hotline numbers 0912-555-9918 (Smart) and 0956-481-7840 (Globe).