NAGA CITY, Camarines Sur (PIA) -- It was indeed a day worth remembering, savoring the triumph of the Department of Health-Bicol’s fight against COVID-19 that hit the world with its lethal virus.  It was also a reminiscence of how all the frontliners, health partners, and media joined hands, to beat the 2-year pandemic that claimed lives and left the world, with not just nostalgic memories, but also valuable lessons that teamwork, unity, and susceptibility has taught everyone.

Henry Ford said that “if everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” 

This was the message that the 11th Serbisyong Salud Bikolnon (SSB) Awards and Araw ng Pasasalamat wished to convey as it honored and took cognizant of its various partners and stakeholders who conquered their fears, risked their lives, and forgot their own vulnerabilities so that others may live and thrive. 

“I believe it is important to recognize the exemplary practices and performances of the local government units, national government agencies, health facilities, stakeholders, and other health partners in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, as during such time, we are all focused on the immediate health crisis,”  Department of Health (DOH) Usec Nestor F. Santiago Jr. said in his keynote speech during the SSB awarding held Jan. 13, Friday at The Marison Hotel, Legazpi City

The health official stated that it is just fitting to acknowledge all those who sacrificed and ensured the delivery of unhampered health services while the whole world is battling the COVID-19 pandemic.

“To have excelled in the other implementation of other health programs, services and interventions while simultaneously dealing with COVID-19 is a considerable feat that deserves to be recognized and celebrated,” Usec Santiago added.  

Present during the awarding ceremonies were medical chiefs, local government chief executives and officials, Rural Health Unit (RHU) heads, media partners, and other stakeholders, who in their own way, have contributed to the success of combating the ill effects brought by COVID-19.

LGUs as partners

One of the most dependable allies of the DOH Bicol Center for Health Development during the pandemic was the Local Government Units’ chief executives who were faced with the challenge of fighting an unknown enemy while ensuring the safety of their constituents.

The awardees were chosen based on their resourcefulness, dedication, and passion to pursue other programs of DOH Bicol while immersed in finding a solution to bring to nil, if not minimize the number of people getting infected by the COVID  virus.

All Municipal Mayors all over the region were also given recognition for all their efforts and for the support extended to DOH programs.  

CamSur Awardees

The Rural Health Unit of San Fernando was bestowed with the Adolescent Friendly Facility Award under the Family Health Programs category. Early last year, LGU San Fernando, under the headship of Mayor Fermin Mabulo bagged the Outstanding Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (ASRH) award in the Department of Health’s (DOH) first-ever "Healthy Pilipinas" Award for Healthy Communities 2022.

LGU San Fernando Mayor Fermin Mabulo, together with RHU Dr Zenaida Villeno received the Plaque of Recognition for the Adolescent Friendly Facility Award under the Family Health Programs category during the DOH Bicol CHD 11th Serbisyong Salud Bikolnon (SSB) Awards and Araw ng Pasasalamat held Jan.13, 2023 at The Marison Hotel, Legazpi City. (Photo credits: FMFb Page)

Cabusao RHU was cited among the five (5) Best Performing facilities for PinasLakas, together with the RHUs of Baras, Catanduanes; Barcelona and Bulusan, Sorsogon; and San Vicente, Camarines Norte.

The Bicol Medical Center (BMC) Psychiatry Department also known as The Don Susano J. Rodriguez Memorial Mental Hospital was given a citation for its exemplary performance in its Non-Communicable Disease Prevention and Cluster Programs. The said health facility bagged the Best Institutionalized and Established Mental Health Services for the Workplace Awards.  The plaque of recognition was received by BMC Assistant Chief Nurse for Specialized Areas, Maria Theresa Galvan, in behalf of BMC Medical Center Chief Dr.Ronnie Gigantone III and Department Head, Dr. Edessa P. Laguidao.

Municipalities of Magarao, Cabusao, Canaman, and Bombon were named for their Best Program Implementation on the National Voluntary Blood Services Program. All municipalities of the province also received the Pasasalamat Awards and a Plaque of Appreciation for their active support to DOH-Bicol CHD in the implementation of the various health programs and for working tirelessly to lessen the impact of COVID-19 in their respective communities.

Race to End TB Awards goes to Bicol Regional General Hospital and Geriatric Medical Center which was also cited as Top Performing Bacteriologically Confirmed Treatment Enrolment at the Facility Level.

Best Program Implementers

The Tabaco CHO received a citation for Best Mental Health Program Implementation on Community-based Rehabilitation program; the CHO of Sorsogon bagged the Best in Established 

and Functional Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral (SBIRT) for Persons Who Use Drugs, while Juan Alberto Memorial District Hospital from Province of Catanduanes and the Provincial Health Office of Camarines Norte got the Best Mental Health program implementation.

The City Government of Ligao received the accolade for Best Program Implementation on Healthy Lifestyle.

Under DOH Bicol’s Race to End TB awards, LGU San Vicente in Camarines Norte was cited as Top Performing Bacteriologically Confirmed Treatment Enrolment at the Municipal Level. Baras PMDT STC was named as Top Performing Facility for Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment Success.

LGUs Sta. Magdalena  and Gubat in Sorsogon received a Plaque of Appreciation under the Municipal-Wide Certified Zero Open Defecation (ZOD) Status category. 

Most awarded Provincial government, municipalities

The occasion looked like an apt acknowledgment of the efforts of the Provincial Government of Albay, including its municipalities after raking majority of the awards and citations during the DOH’s awarding ceremony.   

The provincial government of Albay received the “Green Achiever Award under the  Provincial level category. This was the highest award given by DOH Bicol CHD for Albay’s performance in the implementation of health sector reforms, including the various health programs and activities.

Municipalities of Bulan and Barcelona in Sorsogon, Dimasalang, Masbate, Malinao in  Albay, and the Cities of Ligao and Legazpi, also received the same recognition.

Other LGUs, health facilities, Faith-based organizations, media partners, and other stakeholders were also awarded for each of their specific health program accomplishments.

LGU Albay was also cited as Top Performing LGU for Population Testing Rate and Top Performing province for Deworming (mass Drug administration) while LGU Manito, also in Albay was adjudged as Top Performing LGU for TB Preventive Treatment.

Three RHUs from Albay were also recognized as Best Performing Facilities for MR-Td and CBD: Manito, Camalig, and Daraga. RHUs of San Miguel in Catanduanes and Palanas, Masbate were among the awardees.

SSB Honorees

The following national agencies also received the same Plaque of Appreciation: Bicol Regional Offices of DILG, Philippine Information Agency (PIA), DSWD, DepEd, DOJ, TESDA, PNP, OCD, BFP, CHED, BJMP, MARINA, PCG, PMS, Tactical Operations Group (TOG), DOT, DTI, NBI, CSC, DOLE, DICT, DOST, LTO, LTFRB, NEDA, OWWA, DPWH, Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ), Phil. Ports Authority (PPA), Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), DA, DBM, Bureau of Local Government Finance (BLGF), Bureau of Immigration (BOI), NICA, and COA.

From the academe, Bicol University and Catanduanes State University also received the same Plaque of Appreciation for helping the DOH in their health campaign during the pandemic.

Faith-based organizations were also recognized for their partnership in ensuring the effective implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign: the Archdiocese of Caceres headed by Most Rev. Rolando Octavus J. Tria Tirona, O.C.D., D.D; and the Diocese of Legazpi, Sorsogon, and Masbate and the Church of God-Baao. 

Pasasalamat for Media partners

DOH Bicol- CHD also expressed its gratitude to its media partners for their assistance and support in disseminating the DOH vaccination programs and the department’s other health programs.

“These media partners have shown their support to the campaigns of the DOH amid the pandemic by actively participating in media activities of the DOH Bicol and helping the department in uplifting the health literacy and information to the public,” Kenn Nuyda, one of the event’s masters of ceremony stated.

The Pasasalamat Awards and the plaques of appreciation were given to media practitioners from the various provinces of Bicol.  From Albay, recipients are Dennis Alta from Radio Veritas; Luence Barcena of DZGB; Rhaydz Barcia of Manila Times and Rappler; Henry Maceda of PBN Broadcasting Network, Inc.; Gina Rodriguez of Mayon Times; Karen Canon of Bicol-PH; Norris Minggoy of Brigada News FM-Legazpi; Mary Joy Reblando of Bombo Radyo-Legazpi; Nancy Mediavillo of Radyo Pilipinas; Alvin Llovit of DWRL-One Radio, Rosas Olarte of CNN Phil.; Michael Jaucian of GMA News; Mar Mendez of Zagitzit News FM; Don Ellis Canela of the RDJ Multimedia Services; Jun Arganda and Ken Cabaltera of IDOL-FM Legazpi.

Media partners from Camarines Norte, Norge Abarga of DWEN Cool Radio News, and Ronald Molina of Brigada News-FM Daet also received the same recognition.

Other media partners who were given the same citations were Allan Manansala of UNTV and Christopher Novelo of Radyo Pilipino-Naga from Camarines Sur; Arlene Bagadiong and Joriza Dela Rosa Alpapara of Radyo Pilipinas from Catanduanes and Engr. Raden Dimaano, Station Manager of DWDR from the province of Sorsogon.

DOH Bicol CHD also gave a posthumous award to Mar Arguelles of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and former PIA Manager of Albay. Arguelles died last year after his battle with cancer. Through the years, he was an active media partner of the DOH-Bicol in their campaign until his remaining days. The award was received by his son, Marlo Sebastian Arguelles. 

PIA Information Centers as DOH’s Health and Information Partners

Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Regional Office V and PIA Information Center Managers (ICMs) were also given recognition as honorees and recipients of the Pasasalamat Award and a Plaque of Appreciation for their efforts of the agency as DOH’s partners in health promotion amid the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Recipients of the said award are PIA Bicol OIC and Sorsogon ICM Benilda Recebido and ICMs of PIA Albay, Sally Altea; PIA Camarines Norte Rosalita Manlangit, PIA Camarines Sur Ana-Liza Macatangay,  PIA Catanduanes Edna Bagadiong, and PIA Masbate Ernesto Delgado.

The same plaques were also given to PIA regional and provincial personnel: Marlon Atun, Danica Caballero, Keren Bernadas, and former PIA 5 Multimedia Assistant Mr. Niño Luces.

The media also thanked former OIC for Health Promotion and Communications cluster, Noemi Bron for her untiring support and assistance  given to the members of the media.   

For the complete list of winners, please click this link: https://bit.ly/3Xg3hNf.  (PIA5/Camarines Sur)