The Department of Health (DOH), together with its partners, recognized 40 outstanding local government units that are in the forefront of health promotion and COVID-19 response for its first-ever Healthy Pilipinas Awards for Healthy Communities.
The Healthy Pilipinas Awards for Healthy Communities recognized LGUs that have spearheaded initiatives in the seven priority areas defined in the DOH Health Promotion Framework Strategy, which serves as the long-term roadmap for health promotion in the country and highlights the importance of national and local leadership and governance in health, as well as the need for partnerships for health. Additionally, recognitions were given to LGUs that initiated programs on COVID-19 response to combat the ongoing pandemic.
“The DOH will remain steadfast in our commitment to support local government units. We will focus on improving various healthy settings, including healthy communities through key action areas. A policy framework for healthy community jointly developed by the DOH and the DILG will provide guidance to the LGUs in effectively implementing, monitoring, and evaluating health promotion policies and programs in their localities. The DOH has further developed several health promotion playbooks for communities that local implementers can utilize to create healthy people and healthy communities,” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III.
DOH Health Promotions Bureau Director Dr. Beverly Ho explained that the promotion and co-creation of healthy communities are guided by four key principles. “First is equity, wherein we recognize that the vulnerabilities are socially determined through reducing gaps in health access opportunities and outcomes for empowerment. The second principle ensures that all of our actions in co-creating healthy communities must empower individuals and communities so that they can exercise control and take charge of their health. The third principle is a partnership, which means that policies and programs must be developed and implemented through the intersectoral approach. And the fourth principle is actually on community participation, where we expect communities to be involved in the decision-making and problem-solving,” she said.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire in her closing message cited, ”More than a competition, we want everyone to remember this event as a recognition of the initiatives and activities of LGUs in health promotion. Thank you for the LGUs in your initiatives in our eight priority areas. Many of our kababayans benefited from these programs. Thank you for bringing health to all Filipinos. Through our concerted efforts, achieving a healthy Pilipinas is within reach.”
Michelle Lang-Alli, Office of Health Director at USAID, commended the DOH and LGUs for their efforts in promoting health and safety during the pandemic and expressed the organization’s commitment to supporting government programs at the national and local levels. “USAID will continue to work with the Philippine Department of Health and other partners to achieve the health promotion framework, strategy, and further universal health. Our decades of work in the Philippines has demonstrated success made possible with your commitment and collaboration toward a common goal toward a healthy Pilipinas,” she added.
Teodoro Padilla, Executive Director of PHAP, shared how the LGUs inspired their organization to strengthen partnerships and provide continuous support to government health programs and campaigns. “We commend the DOH for being in the forefront of our COVID-19 response and other equally crucial health programs. The Healthy Communities Award is one platform which encourages good practice sharing so that we can also emulate and scale up where possible. We are now more determined to partner with the DOH and our local governments to make these health programs sustainable through the PHAPCares Foundation, and ultimately strengthen the health care system.”
The Healthy Pilipinas Awards for Healthy Communities aims to recognize LGUs — including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) — that have spearheaded efforts in the seven (7) Priority Areas defined in DOH’s Health Promotion Framework Strategy. The seven Priority Areas are Nutrition and Physical Activity, Environmental Health, Immunization, Substance Use, Mental Health, Sexual and Reproductive Health, and Violence and Injury Prevention. For this year’s awards, in recognition of LGU efforts to combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic through both minimum public health standards and vaccination, the DOH also included a category on COVID-19 response.
The Healthy Pilipinas Awards is also in partnership with USAID ReachHealth, USAID BreakthroughAction, USAID RenewHealth, UNICEF, ImagineLaw, AHA Behavioral Design, MentalHealthPH, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI), and RedScope Communications, Inc.
To learn more about the Department of Health’s Healthy Communities Awards and other health promotions campaigns, visit the Healthy Pilipinas website at www.healthypilipinas.ph
Healthy Pilipinas Awards for Healthy Communities
List of Winners
Priority Area 1: Nutrition and Physical Activity
Borbon, Cebu – Borbon Healthy Nanay and Bulilit
Canlaon, Negros Oriental – Multi-sectoral Approach in the Reduction of Malnutrition
Tandag City – First 1000 Days Program
Bayambang, Pangasinan – ECCD F1K Dietary Supplementation Program for Mothers
Quezon City – GrowQC: Quezon City’s Inclusive and Sustainable Food Security and Healthy Public Food Procurement Program
Priority Area 2: Environmental Health
Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur – OPLAN ZOD: Toilets for Every Juan
Quezon City – Camp Coordination and Camp Management Program
Carmen, Surigao del Sur – Kugi Uswag Carmen: Annual Search for Environmental and Sanitary Best Practices
Sta. Praxedes Rural Unit – Sapat na Palikuran, Sagot sa Malinis na Kapaligiran
Borbon, Cebu – Borbon Disaster Risk Reduction and Management in Health and Health Emergency Management Services
Priority Area 3: Immunization
Claveria, Cagayan – Immunization
Pampanga Provincial Health Office – Catch-up Immunization Campaign
Imelda, Zamboanga Sibugay – Age-appropriate Immunizations
Tacloban City – Immunization (COVID-19 Vaccines, Anti-flu, and Pneumococcal for Senior Citizen
Priority Area 4: Substance Abuse Prevention
Cagayan de Oro City – Rehabilitation and Aftercare: Kontra Droga
Ilagan City – Social Advocacy Group and Integration Program (SAGIP)
Tacloban City Government – New Beginnings
Antique Province – Tobacco Control Program
Consolacion Cebu – Community Based Rehabilitation Program
Priority Area 5: Mental Health
Ilocos Sur – This Book is so Boring – A Self-Care Journal
Baguio City – Mental Health Program
Borbon, Cebu – Mental Health Warriors
Quezon City – Your Mental Health Matters: The Quezon City Community-Based Mental Health Program
Bohol – Laum Bohol Program: A Holistic Approach to Mental Wellness
Priority Area 6: Sexual and Reproductive Health
Cagayan de Oro City – Teensights: Adolescent Sexuality and Reproductive Health Insights (Online Campaign)
Cabuyao, Laguna – Talk Show with Dra. David at Cabuyao on Air (Population Health and Development)
Puerto Princesa City – Sustaining Reproductive Health Services Gearing Towards Population and Development
San Fernando, Camarines Sur – Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health (ASRH)
Dumaguete City – Sexual and Reproductive Health Promoting Positive Sexual and Reproductive Health in Dumaguete City
Priority Area 7: Violence and Injury Prevention
Valuezuela City – Juana Be Wais: Communicating Violence Prevention
Iloilo City –Iloilo City Bike Lanes
Lapu-Lapu City – Violence and Injury Prevention Program
Priority 8: COVID19 Prevention – Minimum Public Health Standards
Baguio City – Baguio BIDA Solusyon Award for COVID-19 Prevention Programs
Legazpi City – The Legazpi COVID-19 Vaccination Program 2021
San Juan City – Ako ay San Juaneño, Bakunado at Protektado: San Juan City Vaccination Information Dissemination Program
Bataan Province – Baatan Vax
Guimaras Province – Usapang Bakuna with Barangay Health Workers
Honorable Mentions – BIDA Awardees
San Juan City – COVID-19 Prevention (Minimum Public Health Standards) Program
Ilagan City – Prepare Ilagan (Pandemic Response Program and Recovery of the City of Ilagan)
Biñan City – Sa Lungsod ng Biñan, Bida ang May Bakuna Campaign
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