The Department of Health in the region bestowed citations and awards last Friday on barangays which have been providing quality health services to their communities.
The DOH-Center for Health Development conferred awards for best performing ‘Botika ng Barangay’ and best sanitation practices during its annual Recognition Day for Quality in Health and Facility held at the Grand Men Seng Hotel, Davao City last December 10.
The Best Botika ng Barangay award was bestowed on 10 barangays in the region during Recognition Day attended by some 250 health officials and workers representing their respective offices in the region, municipalities and provinces, barangay health centers, local government units and private sectors.
The awards were based on the following criteria: (Best Botika ng Barangay) Well-ventilated and sufficiently-lighted facility with good housekeeping; must have presence of human resource such as regular visit of pharmacist, trained BnB operator; must have high rate of sales; and must have community participation & innovative approaches.
The first to receive said award were barangays Paloc and El Katipunan, respectively, of Maragusan and Laak, both in Compostela Valley province.
In Davao del Sur, the award was given to barangay Camalig, Sarangani Island and barangay Lower Bala. Barangay Waan in Buhangin district and barangay Langub in Talomo district of Davao City also received awards.
Barangays Semong in Kapalong and Magsaysay in Carmen, both in Davao del Norte, were also cited in the Best Botika ng Barangay category, along with barangays Zaragosa in Manay and Mamili in Mati, Davao Oriental.
In the Barangay with Best Sanitation Practices category, the DOH-CHD cited two regional winners and another two regional finalists that are vying for the national contest.
Best Rural Sanitation Inspectors also received awards.
Rex Labadia, an engineer, of DOH/CHD explained that the yearly search for Barangays with Best Sanitation Practices aims to recognize the improvement of the LGUs in providing a better environmental health program for the barangay residents like clean and safe drinking water supply.
Labadia said the awardees were chosen based on the following criteria: increased percentage (more than 85%) of households with sanitary toilets, potable drinking water, solid waste management and vegetable garden.
One of the regional winners for this category was barangay Inambatan of Monkayo in Compostela Valley represented by barangay captain Dendo Apari, with Charlita Baluis and Ricardo Babiano as best rural sanitation inspectors.
The same award was conferred on Manga in Matanao, Davao del Sur headed by barangay captain Jimmy Tablo. The best rural sanitation inspector for the barangay was Flordeliza Sabanal.
Contending for the national contest for the Best Sanitation Practices include Brgy. Poblacion in Magsaysay, Davao del Sur as represented by Brgy. Captain Chona Seng. Severino Santos and Imelda Olbes were cited as best rural sanitation inspectors who will also vie at the national level representing their barangay and town.
The other regional finalist is Brgy. Sto. Niño in the municipality of Kiblawan (Davao Sur) with Fortunato Pelletero, Jr. as barangay captain. Health inspector Romil Magalan will represent the barangay as contender for the best rural sanitation inspector.
Davao Oriental Gov. Malanyaon lauded DOH for this annual giving of recognitions and incentives which she said inspire the LGUs to exert more effort in developing health strategies for the improvement of the stakeholders.
Malanyaon, who graced Recognition Day, said that having the lowest score card for health in 2007 became a challenge for the governor to improve the province’s health program. [PIA 11/Carina L. Cayon]
