Local Government Units (LGU) from Pangasinan bagged two trophies during the first ever “Healthy Pilipinas Awards for Healthy Communities” held virtually by the Department of Health (DOH) on March 4, 2022.
Bayambang Rural Health Unit was awarded the Priority 1: Nutrition and Physical Activity Award for their “Early Childhood Care and Development for the First 1000 Days (ECCD F1K) Dietary Supplementation Program for Mothers”.
The program promoted health and nutrition for the first 1,000 days of a child including the delivery of the needed basic nutrition services, conduct of nutrition education and cooking classes, livelihood programs and other activities relative to the ECCD-F1K.
The Ilocos Sur Provincial Health Office, on the other hand, received the Priority 5: Mental Health Award for its initiative in providing mental health patients a personal journal entitled “This Book Is So Boring”, which provides the reader/owner a safer venue to express ideas and thoughts and also offers self-care tips on how to manage stress and anxiety.
“We extend our congratulations to the winning LGUs for their initiative and selfless effort in providing the much needed health services even during the pandemic,” DOH- Ilocos Region Regional Director Paula Paz M. Sydiongco stated.
“I encourage you to continue providing health innovations and successful strategies to address health inequities at the local level. Strengthening primary health care is a key element towards achieving “Health for All”, with the objective of building healthy communities that are strong, healthy and sustainable,” she emphasized.
The first-ever Healthy Pilipinas Awards gave due recognition to LGUs for their exemplary efforts in the promotion of health programs and COVID-19 response.
The two LGUs were judged according to a set of criteria by the DOH that includes People’s Choice (20%), Partner’s Choice (30%), and Health Promotion Scorecard (50%).
They received a trophy from the DOH including its partners namely USAID ReachHealth, USAID BreakthroughAction, USAID RenewHealth, UNICEF, ImagineLaw, AHA Behavioral Design, MentalHealthPH, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. (PSFI), and RedScope Communications, Inc.
