SAN FERNANDO CITY, LA UNION — La Union Governor Mario Eduardo C. Ortega has formally assumed the chairmanship of the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) Region 1, placing him at the center of efforts to strengthen peace, public safety and security coordination across the Ilocos Region.
Ortega took his oath on August 24, 2026, at the Provincial Capitol in San Fernando City, La Union. The oath was administered by Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Region 1 Director Jonathan Paul M. Leusen Jr.
The new assignment gives Ortega a regional role that extends beyond La Union. The RPOC brings together government agencies, local government units, law-enforcement and security institutions and other stakeholders to coordinate responses to peace-and-order and public-safety concerns throughout Region 1.
A bigger responsibility for Ortega
In assuming the post, Ortega said the appointment is both an honor and a major responsibility because the council’s mandate involves not only La Union but the safety and security of communities throughout the region.
He particularly pointed to developments in the West Philippine Sea as among the security concerns that make regional cooperation increasingly important. Ortega emphasized that government agencies and other stakeholders need to work together to address emerging challenges.
The governor is expected to help spearhead coordination on programs involving crime prevention, public safety, peace and order and other security concerns, working with regional agencies and local governments.
Ortega follows a line of La Union governors who have led the council
The appointment also continues La Union’s recent role in the leadership of RPOC Region 1.
Before Ortega, La Union Governor Raphaelle Veronica “Rafy” Ortega-David served as RPOC Region 1 chairperson. She formally took the position in March 2023, and official DILG records show her presiding over subsequent RPOC meetings covering issues including anti-criminality, anti-illegal drugs, anti-insurgency and preventing violent extremism.
Earlier, former La Union Governor Francisco Emmanuel “Pacoy” Ortega III also chaired the regional peace and order council, underscoring the province’s longstanding involvement in Region 1 peace-and-security coordination.
Why the new role matters
The RPOC is more than a ceremonial body. Its work provides a mechanism for government agencies and local governments to coordinate on threats affecting communities, including criminality, illegal drugs, insurgency-related concerns and public safety.
DILG Region 1 records show that previous RPOC meetings have brought together local officials, police, military representatives, national government agencies and civil-society stakeholders to discuss regional security issues and develop coordinated responses.
That makes Ortega’s new assignment particularly significant as Region 1 continues to deal with a broad range of security and public-safety concerns — from conventional criminality to emerging regional security issues.
For Ortega, however, the message following his assumption of office was straightforward: regional security will require cooperation rather than isolated action.
He called for unity among stakeholders and invoked the spirit of “La Union Agkaysa,” emphasizing collective action in keeping the region safe and secure.
The bigger question now is how Ortega will translate that regional mandate into concrete action — especially as security concerns in and around the West Philippine Sea continue to draw national attention.
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