8 Cordillera mayors receive awards for health programs

BAGUIO CITY -- Eight more local government units in  the Cordillera  have  graduated from the Municipal Leadership and Governance Program (MLGP) as they showed  improvement in  implementation of health programs and services.

Receiving their confirmation and certificate of graduation from MLGP officials were Lamut Mayor Mariano Buyagawan Jr, Hingyon mayor Geraldo Luglug and Asipulo mayor Armando Domilod, all of Ifugao; Mayor Wellinton Pooten of Besao, Mountain Province;  Mayor James Edduba of Pasil and Mayor Johnny Maymaya of Tinglayan of Kalinga, and Bokod Mayor Mauricio Macay and Kabayan Mayor Faustino Aquisan for the province of Benguet.

The chief executives received their certificates from Benguet State University officials headed by Vice President for Academic Affairs, Percyveranda Lubrica, in a Colloquium and Graduation ceremony at Prince Plaza Hotel, here on April 1.

Also awarded the certificate of MLGP completion/graduation were the respective municipal health officers of the said towns. 

During the graduation ceremony, each LCE  presented its  MLGP report and experiences and  engaged  in a panel discussion with NEDA Regional Director Milagros Rimando, DOH RD Lakshmi Legaspi, Carol Gano of DILG, Dr. Jacqueline Frances Momville of Zuellig Family Foundation and Dr. Ryan Guinaran of the BSU Open University.

DOH Assistant Secretary Nestor Santiago, the guest of honor during the ceremony, said the MLGP project aims to help local chief executives take active role in leading the implementation of health programs in their respective municipalities as mandated by the Local Government Code.

The MLGP is a three-year project of the DOH in partnership with Zuellig Family Foundation which aims to improve health outcomes through strengthened leadership and governance, enhanced local health systems, increased community participation and improved health seeking behaviors.

In the Cordillera, the MLGP is being implemented in partnership with the BSU Open University. The training program already produced 23 graduate-LGUs in three batches of the training program. -- Dan Ram