LA UNION PROVINCIAL CAPITOL

ITS HISTORY OF STRUCTURE AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE TO THE PROVINCE’S DEVELOPMENT AND GOVERNANCE THRUST

        During the Spanish era, the La Union Governor held office and residence at the casa real, located in the cabecera, in San Fernando. It was established in August 23, 1851. The casa real stood until the American regime. At some point in the Japanese occupation, the structure was deplorably bombed. In 1949, during the administration of Governor Doroteo Aguila, the construction of the Provincial Capitol building was started. The Capitol, which used to be housed at the area now occupied by the San Fernando City Hall, was built on a 97,864 square meter ground. It was then rebuilt with the aid of the people of the United States of America under the Philippine Rehabilitative Act of 1946. On March 24, 1949, Senator Camilio Osias laid the cornerstone of the Capitol of the great and progressive Province of La Union. A year after, the edifice was completed.

In 1977, the welfare of the province and its future had been the prime concern of Governor Tomas M. Asprer ever since he assumed office as chief executive of La Union. Since it is “his lifestyle to surround himself with beauty with nature’s greenery and foliage and cool surroundings”, he spent a fortune providing for a scenic park across the doorsteps of the Provincial Capitol, its surrounding terraces and also its interiors. The Capitol toilets were repaired and improved. The entire roofing of the Capitol which had become rusty was replaced. The Canopy of the Capitol was constructed in 1980. This added feature of the Capitol not only made the Capitol building more beautiful and impressive but serves as a protection of the employees from the sweltering heat of the noon day sun and rain during the rainy season. Befitting as the seat of the provincial government, a flagpole where the Philippine flag rises every morning was installed in front of the Capitol where all provincial government employees are required to join the flag raising ceremony every first Monday morning of each month.

Under Governor Victor F. Ortega’s second term, the full-blast concreting of the perimeters of the Capitol grounds, and three major access roads (Zamora, Gapuz-Zigzag and the Guerrero Roads) leading to the provincial seat of government was finished. Some of offices have been refurbished with modern configuration and new-fangled facilities.

By the sunrise view from the balcony, behold the radiance of verdant hills and blue mountains blending with the azure sky and the towering wave of the Philippine flag beneath, along with the centennial flags and banner for each of the LGUs and the lone city of San Fernando. By the capitol veranda, take a spellbinding panoramic shot of the region’s cleanest and greenest and most beautiful scene in La Union-the bayside Capitol City of San Fernando, the City of 7 Hills, the emerging “Subic” version of the North Quad and home to Poro Point Special Economic and Free Port Zone in the Heart of Metro San Fernando.

Now beautifully landscaped, the Capitol grounds and the building can compete with other scenic spots in the country. The Provincial Capitol of La Union is dubbed as the “People’s Capitol” because its construction was undertaken as the Provincial Government of La Union’s humble gift to its people.