BAGUIO CITY (PIA) – – The Department of Health – Cordillera recognized its outstanding partners from the provincial/city local government units, regional line agencies, hospitals and health facilities, and private institutions for the successful rollout of the COVID – 19 national vaccination and deployment program here in the region.
The recognition ceremony dubbed as “Binnadang Para sa Resbakuna Awards” was held at the Baguio Convention Center last June 23 with National Vaccination Operations Center Chairperson and DOH Undersecretary Dr. Myrna Cabotaje as the guest of honor and speaker.
Cabotaje with DOH – CAR Regional Director Dr. Rio Magpantay and Assistant Regional Director Dr. Amelita Pangilinan led the awarding of plaques of recognition to the provincial LGUs of Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province and the City Government of Baguio for their unwavering support to the vaccination program.
Each LGU is awarded P50,000 financial incentive for funding of their priority health programs or projects.
The top three best performing municipal LGUs in each province in terms of vaccination accomplishments were also recognized. These are Bangued, Danglas, and Malibcong in Abra; Luna, Sta. Marcela and Calanasan in Apayao; Tublay, Buguias and La Trinidad in Benguet; Lagawe, Lamut and Kiangan in Ifugao; Rizal, Balbalan and Pinukpuk in Kalinga, and Bontoc, Sagada and Besao in Mountain Province.
In the provincial/city category, given recognition as best performing LGUs are the City of Baguio and the province of Abra and Apayao.
The municipal LGU awardees will receive P50,000 while the top performing city/province will get P100,000 from DOH CAR for funding of their respective health programs –
DOH-CAR also recognized its partner agencies, namely, Office of Civil Defense, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Dept. of Social Welfare and Development, Dept. of Education, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Commission on Higher Education, Dept. of Agriculture, Dept. of Labor and Employment, Dept. of Tourism, Dept. of Trade and Industry, Philippine Information Agency, Civil Service Commission and the National Economic and Development Authority.
Private partner- awardees are the Philippine Pediatric Society Inc. North Chapter, the Philippine Medical Society chapters in the region, Mercury Drug, Watsons and the Philippine Economic Zone Authority Baguio.
For hospitals/health facilities, given recognition are Conner District Hospital and Far North Luzon Training and General Hospital in Apayao, Luis Horal Memorial Regional Hospital in Mountain Province , and the Baguio Genera Hospital and Medical Center.
Cabotaje, in her keynote message, expressed gratitude to all the awardees for their invaluable contributions in the significant COVID – 19 accomplishments in the region that indeed prove that the spirit of Binnadang, a local term for “Bayanihan” (working together for a good cause) continues to live in the Cordillera.
Cabotaje also calls for a continuing partnership among all Cordillera stakeholders in the fight against COVID – 19, particularly in expanding the vaccination coverage especially in the provinces of Benguet and Ifugao, and to the school children with the upcoming implementation of blended virtual and face –to – classes, as well as in bringing in booster shots to senior citizens and immune – compromised individuals.
“Ituloy tayo ti ag-Binnadang. We started this fight together and so we will also finish this together”, she stressed. **JDP/CCD/PIA CAR
