‘Healthiest places’ in Mt. Province awarded in rites

By Juliet B. Saley

BONTOC, Mountain Province – The provincial government recently awarded winners in the first provincial search for healthiest places in the province. 

Awarded P50, 000 each were  Kayan Elementary School in Tadian, Banawel National High School in Natonin and Barangay Kaleo in Barlig as the healthiest elementary school, secondary school and barangay, respectively. 

The search was conducted first at the municipal level through the municipal health office from December last year to February 2016.

Municipal winners were entries to provincial search validated by the provincial board of judges headed by provincial Health officer Dr. Penelope Domogo. 

The search was pursuant to an executive order issued by the late Gov. Leonard Mayaen last January to promote a healthy Mountain Province.

The search aimed to encourage healthy environment consciousness and healthy lifestyle in communities and schools.  

Criteria in the search for the healthiest elementary and secondary schools  included:   No junk foods sold in the school campus, well maintained and clean school compound, students and teachers practice zero waste management, adequate water supply (pipe-in or fetched) for drinking and toilet use, functional health corner/room with health information materials, well maintained drainage system , well ventilated classrooms , no health hazards in school premises, teachers are not hypertensive, and no smoking policy is enforced.   

In the search for the healthiest barangay, criteria included healthy lifestyle  which covers percentage of households not burning household waste, percentage of households with backyard garden or field where they produce their own food, no eyesore like unsightly posters, graffiti, abandoned junks, garbage, litter, and percentage of households with sanitary toilet, community mobilization and participation in environmental protection and management covering clean pathways and roads and canals, protected water sources , reforestation being done and no forest/mountain fire among others.