I. LEGAL BASIS

The Philippine National Red Cross, an auxiliary arm of the government  in the delivery of various humanitarian services was created by law by virtue of Republic Act 95  Section 3 (d) as further amended by Presidential Decree 1643, the Philippine National Red Congressional Charter states that the PNRC shall:

“….Establish and  maintain a system of national and international relief in times of peace and in times of war and meeting the emergency needs caused by typhoons, floods, earthquakes, fires, and other natural disasters and to devise and carry on measures for minimizing the suffering caused by such disasters.”

The PNRC through its network of more than 90 chapters and sub-chapters has endeavored  to continuously provide  quality service especially to the ‘most vulnerable’ sector of the community through its National Blood Program (NBP), Disaster Management Service (DMS), Community Health and Nursing Service (CHNS), Safety Service (SS), Social Services (SoS) and to include the Red Cross Youth (RCY).

II HISTORY OF RED CROSS IN LA UNION

The American Red Cross organized the civic spirited  citizens  to form the Red Cross Chapter in La Union. Thus, on April 15, 1947 amidst impressive  ceremonies,  the La Union Chapter was inaugurated. Atty. Pablo T. Rinonos was appointed Administrator, and Miss Presentacion Dumpit  was sent to Manila for training in the Red Cross work and became the Administrator later.The Red Cross office was situated in a small  corner of the improvised Capitol building  until its transfer to the new Capitol located atop a hill during the administration of Doroteo Aguila. That was considered not an ideal site for a humanitarian organization due to its inaccessibility  to the general public. The Red Cross existed for almost 10 years without a building of its own. For this matter, the Chapter Board under the Chairmanship  of Dr. Marcelino T. Viduya, at its meeting on September 12, 1956, passed and approved Resolution No. 2, requesting the honorable members of the Provincial Board to donate the vacant lot south of the old Boy Scout building, where the Antonino Library now stands.

On November 20, 1956, the Provincial Board, Governor Bernardo B. Gapuz, Honorable Jose A. Solomon and Honorable Angelino C. Salanga approved in its Resolution No. 1456 the request.

Thus on May 12, 1955, during the coronation of Miss Red Cross, an oversubscription was realized, added to the oversubscription of the past campaign , Php 6,000.00 was earmarked for the immediate construction of the Red Cross building on the donated lot intended for the purpose.

Financial assistance not only came from the generous people of La Union but also from foreigners. The Chinese Community, the Americans, the La Union School of Arts and Trades under then  Superintendent Apolinario Apilado for free labor of students under the supervision of their instructors in the construction of the building, all of them contributed to the efforts to make the dream to have a chapter building a reality.

In 1959, the worst fire disaster in the history of La Union occurred in the heart of San Fernando. Big commercial, industrial and residential buildings  were totally razed to the ground. Fire lasted for many hours and relief workers from neighboring chapters including the headquarters came to assist La Union Chapter. Donations for the victims came in abundantly.

In 1963, the La Union Chapter held its 6th Chapter Biennial Convention at the La Union School of Arts and Trades. This was a huge success because of the presence of Ramon Bagatsing and former Senator Geronima T. Pecson as guests.

The ever destructive white ants had damged this building much and it was felt necessary to have a new one at its present site where it is just accessible to the public. The local Red Cross is happy and grateful  that the Provincial Governor Juvenal K. Guerrero, have it constructed free for the La Union Chapter.

The First Board of Directors of La Union Red Cross for the years 1947 to 1952 was composed of the following:

Don Pablo Campos Chairman
Atty. Juan G. Carbonell Secretary
Mayor Lorenzo Dacanay Member
Dra. Rufino Macagba Member
Mrs. Antonia L. Balcita Member
Mrs. Antonia L. Alisangco Member
Mrs. Pilar Mendoza Member
Dr. Marcelino T. Viduya Member
Engr. Florencio Moreno Member
Dr. Tirso Coronel Member
Div. Supt. Dimaano Member

PAST BOARD CHAIRMEN

DON PEDRO CAMPOS  1947 – 1952
COL. PEDRO D. DULAY  1953 – 1954
DR. MARCELINO T. VIDUYA 1955 – 1962
DR. RUFINO N. MACAGBA SR. 1963 – 1974
TRANQUILINO TEJANO  1975 – 1979
AMB. JUSTO O. ORROS JR. 1980 – Feb. 2002
HON. MARY JANE C. ORTEGA Feb. 2002 to present

III The Red Cross Today

For the past fifty nine years, the Red Cross has continuously seek to deliver quality service to the most needy and most vulnerable. Today, it has become an organization focused not just on relief and response but rather in developing and implementing more proactive activities to address the changing needs. It has gone out from the traditional to a more dynamic and responsive  approach of providing health and blood services, disaster management, safety and social services as well as programs that will help develop the potentials and leadership of our youth today.

In 1999. Red Cross La Union, after a resolution was passed and unanimously approved, was renamed as the Philippine National Red Cross La Union - San Fernando City Chapter with a governing body called the Chapter Board of Directors headed by its Chairman, Gov. Justo O. Orros Jr. The Chapter is headed by an Administrator who oversees the over-all chapter operations including financial management. There are four technical people called Chapter Service Representatives and a chapter driver who are likewise tasked to promote the various Red Cross services.

Year 2002 sees a new leadership both in the Board of Directors and the chapter administration working from a different perspective but with the same noble mission of humanitarian service.  With the esteemed leadership of its ever active and supportive Chairman of the Board of Directors, Mayor Mary Jane C. Ortega, the chapter strived to go beyond the challenges that would have hindered a weaker organization. From a chapter struggling to meet its budgetary goals and failing for some time, La Union – San Fernando City Chapter has for three years hence, subscribed its goal with an excess.

In 2005, the La Union – San Fernando City Red Cross Chapter prepares for further developments as it moves forward towards the strategic directions of a more focused and more responsive national organization in the years to come. We started the year positively by signing an agreement with six (6) Rotary Clubs in La Union on January 8, 2005, for cooperation in the area of Disaster Preparedness and Response, the first tie-up of its kind in the PNRC. This partnership is made significant with the presence of the Chairman of the PNRC, Sen. Richard J. Gordon and the new Secretary General, Mr. Victor A. Liozo in attendance.

Also significant during the year is the conduct of a Chapter Assembly, after almost twenty years, wherein the different sectors in the Province of La Union are well represented, gathered on March 17, 2005 to elect the new members who will constitute the Board of Directors for the next two years. Likewise, reelected as Chairman is Hon. Mayor Mary Jane C. Ortega. Hand in hand with the chapter staff, headed by its Chapter Administrator, Mrs. Almira V. Abrazado and with the support of able and dedicated volunteers, we set forth on our continuing mission of saving lives and alleviating human suffering.

Truly, 2005 is a banner year for the La Union – San Fernando City Red Cross Chapter for during the Biennial National Convention in November 2005, our chapter is the recipient of the Chapter of the Year Award for Categories C, D and E chapters. No less than the Provincial Governor, Hon. Victor F. Ortega, our Chapter’s Honorary Chairman and our Chairman Mary Jane C. Ortega, accepted the award with chapter staff and volunteers.

The Provincial Government of La Union, in grateful recognition of our active role in spearheading various rescue and relief operations and humanitarian activities especially during occurrence of disasters and in sincere appreciation for our services through the blood donation program, conferred on the La Union – San Fernando City Red Cross Chapter the GOVERNOR’S AWARD during 156TH Anniversary Celebration of the Province of La Union in March 2, 2006.

The chapter staff and volunteers do not rest on our laurels. We are committed to the vision of the Red Cross of bringing timely assistance to more people in need. And thus, our work continues.