Cabatuan ‘champion for health governance’

ILOILO – The municipality of Cabatuan was one of the five local government units (LGUs) in the country declared “Champions for Health Governance” (CHG) at the recent Excellence in Governance for Healthy Communities Awards 2019.

Mayor Ronilo Caspe received a plaque of recognition and P100,000 prize for Cabatuan.

The awarding ceremony was held on May 29 at the Office of Vice President.

This award recognizing LGUs with best practices in health governance was an endeavor of private organizations (Kaya Natin Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership; pharmaceutical company MSD; Association of Municipal Health Officers in the Philippines; and the Jesse M. Robredo Foundation).

The four other LGU awardees were Vigan City in Ilocos Sur; Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat; San Felipe in Zambales; and Kidapawan City in North Cotabato.

According to Caspe, Cabatuan’s holistic program called CABALAKA (Cabatuan Laban sa Kahirapan) impressed the evaluators.

Under CABALAKA are projects geared toward enhancing Cabatuanons’ health, improving the LGU’s deliver of social services, boosting the local economy specifically the agriculture sector.

Specific projects under CABALAKA include year-round free medical and dental consultations; distribution of maintenance medicines to those with diabetes, arthritis and hypertension; free circumcision during summer; enforcement of the anti-smoking ordinance; and regular conduct of bloodletting.

Caspe assured the people of Cabatuan that CABALAKA would be a continuous program./PN