However, it was only on March 20 that the spread of COVID-19 to the Ilocos Region was officially confirmed by the Region I office of the Department of Health. The first three cases considered to be that of the Ilocos Region involved: 77-year-old man who died at the same day his COVID-19 infection was confirmed, and the two other cases were that of two local politicians of Caba, La Union Mayor Philip Caesar Crispino and his wife, Councilor Donna Crispino. The councilor is noted to have a previous travel history to Metro Manila and began manifesting symptoms on March 2.[2]