ILOILO — Passi City and Tubungan town emerged as Western Visayas’ top-performing local government units (LGUs) in health systems excellence, leading 13 Iloilo LGUs recognized for outstanding healthcare services, disease prevention initiatives and public health programs.
The two LGUs clinched regional honors during the Department of Health (DOH) Western Visayas Center for Health Development’s Health Excellence Awards 2026 held in Iloilo City on October 29.
Passi City was named Regional Winner for Most Outstanding LGU for Health Systems Excellence under the component city and first-class municipality category, while Tubungan secured the same distinction in the second- to fifth-class municipality category.
Pavia and Batad were named finalists in their respective categories.
Beyond the individual LGU awards, Iloilo Province, through the Iloilo Provincial Health Office (IPHO), earned multiple recognitions for its performance in immunization, tuberculosis treatment, rabies prevention, HIV governance and healthcare system development.
The province recorded a 95.04-percent tuberculosis treatment success rate and a 70.33-percent fully immunized child rate in 2025, both recognized as the highest in their respective categories.
Iloilo also achieved 100-percent coverage of Level 1 adolescent-friendly health facilities across its cities and municipalities, alongside more than 85-percent mass drug administration coverage during the July 2025 campaign.
In rabies prevention, the province was recognized for achieving at least 80-percent mass dog vaccination coverage and maintaining zero indigenous human rabies cases for two consecutive years.
Its sustained disease surveillance, access to post-exposure prophylaxis and public health education efforts also earned recognition.
The province was likewise cited for exemplary HIV governance in implementing the country’s Seventh AIDS Medium-Term Plan and was named a finalist for local health systems implementation.
Meanwhile, several Iloilo municipalities received special citations for accomplishments in specific healthcare programs.
Concepcion earned the Tobacco Control Leadership Hall of Fame Award, while Tubungan received recognition for achieving municipal-wide G2 Basic Sanitation Facility Status under the Philippine Approach to Sustainable Sanitation Program.
Ajuy was recognized for its rabies-free island barangays, while Oton recorded the highest Philippine Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease Interventions (PhilPEN) risk assessment coverage among adults aged 20 and above at 116 percent.
Five municipalities also earned citations for their fully immunized child rates in 2025: San Enrique with 104.52 percent, Miagao with 102.84 percent, Barotac Nuevo with 98.41 percent, Tigbauan with 97.69 percent and Sara with 95.24 percent.
The IPHO, headed by Dr. Maria Socorro Colmenares-Quiñon, attributed the province’s achievements to the combined efforts of healthcare personnel, local governments and partner institutions across Iloilo’s 42 municipalities and one component city.
“Behind every recognition are the tireless efforts of our program managers, municipal and city health offices, Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), local government units, and partner institutions working together to bring quality, accessible, and responsive health services closer to every Ilonggo,” the IPHO said./PN
