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The Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) has extended the deadline for payment of provincial taxes, fees, and other charges to June 25, 2020.

In an ordinance authored by Board Member Jenifer C. Mosuela, the payment of provincial taxes fees and other charges due on April are all extended to June 25, 2020.

The ordinance was approved by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan during its regular session on April 28, 2020 through electronic governance (e-gov) platform held at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan Building and Session Hall, Provincial Capitol, City of San Fernando, La Union.

Due to the Community Quarantine brought about by COVID-19, businesses were interrupted, source of livelihood were affected, and in order to help taxpayers, the PGLU had extended the time of payment of taxes, fees and other charges without surcharges or penalties until June 25, 2020.

However, it was emphasized in the ordinance that all tax delinquencies prior to the effectivity of RA 11469 shall remain and shall be due and demandable following the expiration of the set deadline. The applicable interest, penalties and surcharges shall begin to run again and shall be due and demandable after the lapse of the effectivity of RA 11469.

“The measure was made to help taxpayers from the impact caused by virus. And that the community quarantine has impacted the daily lives of our constituents in the province, affecting their means of income,” BM Mosuela said.

Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Provincial Government of La Union, through the Office of the Governor – Environment and Natural Resources Unit and the members of the Naguilian and Lower Amburayan River System – Water Quality Management Area (WQMA) Governing Board, conducted their second quarter meeting online on June 11 and June 19, 2020.

Discussed in the meeting were the presentation of the result of the water quality monitoring from January – May 2020 and the finalization of the drafted three Governing Board Resolution including Reorganization of the WQMA Technical Working Group; Water Quality Technical Secretariat; and the WQMA Multi Sectoral Group for both Lower Amburayan River System and Naguilian River System.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the rescheduling of the WQMA activities and the cancellation of the Annual Celebration of the Fiesta ti Karayan Amburayan to be hosted by the Province of La Union on the month of June were agreed upon. The planned Lower Amburayan and Upper Amburayan WQMA convergence to be hosted by the Province of Benguet on July was also cancelled. In response to the exceedances of water quality monitoring result, inventory of establishments and pollution load assessment were also scheduled in the Municipalities of Naguilian and Bauang on August 6, 2020 and October 8 respectively.

WQMA aims to protect, through stakeholder collaboration, the water body and its tributaries by keeping their water quality within the Water Quality guidelines conforming to the water body’s classification.

The designation of the Lower Amburayan and Naguilian River as WQMA is a major step to sustainably manage its various water resources through the protection of its existing natural characteristics and the rehabilitation of those that are already initially altered through human intervention. At present, some parts of this major tributary are already experiencing serious water quality problems, thus the designation as such is geared to address the problems.