The 2019 Champions for Health Governance Awards

Thursday, November 08, 2018


The 2019 Champions for Health Governance Awards on headway

It’s a little early for any press conference but this is something I am very passionate about. At the Max’s QC branch in Scout Tuason, three stalwarts of health particularly the Kaya Natin Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership and the Jesse M. Robredo Foundation and pharmaceutical company MSD is doing another installment of the Champions for Health Governance Awards. It started 2013 and this is their fourth one giving awards to top LGU’s that promote programs for health and prioritize the well being of their constituents as they show excellence in the executiin of their projects in accordance with UN’s sustainable development goals and the DOH’s goal of getting Universal Health Coverage for Filipinos nationwide.



Aica Robredo for the Jesse Robredo Foundation was present at the occassion



Acting Mayor Sara Garcia says “I am here as an acting Mayor but everything has a reason. I was a practicing Opthalmologist before I went into politics. By undertaking ethical strategies and seeking good leaders to build a just society. Kaya Natin is not partisan, champions for health governance is grounded on the UN Sustainable life goal and the implementation of the healthcare act especially in the city and municipality levels. Not only is there a cash grant but there will be a chance to become one of the organization’s champions as they efficiently implement their health programs. They will be screened with transparency, site validation, talk to Barangay and the people who receive the help from their health programs. Funding 100,000 for their health programs will go a long way and it has been able to help a lot in training professionals, provide facilities and materials for their future goals. I enjoin everyone to support out cause, from 10 we will choose 5 local government units that will get these grants so they can help their communities.”



Past winner of CHG Mayor Velasco of San Gabriel of La Union was there and he attested “You are the leads of a very noble cause that will affect the community. We are a 4th class municipality, our score cards always show our best effort because we are short on resources and in San Gabriel it has been a challenge. It is a time to review programs and analyze data for the local units. I presented in CHG how we do it for the baby and the elderly. I saw how it didn’t really need huge funds, the empowerment of people becomes a part of the solution. The local government should feel the needs of the communityand start dialogue to make sure health, education and livelihood are given to indigents and once they learned how to do it for themselves and the community, they get ownership on planning and solutions. The best ones come from the people themselves, in an enabling environment the health outcomes become better in promoting our initiative until now. I tell people about it in our town and they know they are part of that award, they know they can do so much more for the people. Thank you for making this appreciated, Mabuhay po kayo!”




Plaridel Bulacan Mayor Jocell Casaje adds “Thank you to all our champions for having us here, you are professionals, our small municipality is first class but we know how we all need resources. If the blanket is small we have to adapt, I am glad that in our town everyone is getting involved especially our mothers. We go to our outskirts and do our UHA program. We take care of babies, teenage mothers, funding through coinbanks so they can get checked by doctors through pre natal checkups and free birth facilities. We also do home visits for first time mothers and coached by our mother leaders while teaching them the right way to do breastfeeding and how to be environmentally apt. They also teach them how to plant moringa so they can lactate better with care packages so they take care of their children in their homes. This gives us a boost of morale, a multiplier effect as we invested it to our barangay leadership units so we could build a nutrition council, health facilities and midwives in enrolling them in maternal and obstetric care training. We are also rebuilding rural health units so we can better serve our people. Also with Senior Citizens, we will always cherish you giving us the name as Champions. We will do more.”




Dr. Beaver Tamesis the President and Managing Director of MSD says “I sincerely thank everyone for coming today. We have been doing this since 2013 to see who is commited to health and the UN goals you saw earlier. This is also in line with the thrust of government for Universal Health Care and we are impressed with the entries by highly urbanized cities to 6th class municipalities. We hope these programs by champions get copied by other cities and municipalities so they too can provide healthcare services. We believe in putting patients first and putting leadership programs in place. Our goal is “Inventing for life”. You are all partners in health and we hope this program continues. We are one with the countries aspirations in better health.”



Aica Robredo says “Thank you for being here to all our champions and our next ones. This is my first time attending this in leiu of my Mom and my Sister who knows the medical field. When my Dad was in DILG, he did it with good housekeeping. Local leaders are now thinking of solutions especially with little to no budgets and these people address their problems and the best solutions come from the people themselves. I am very excited to hear about your programs, JMR congratulates you in advanced. I know it is a tough job, but we are very honored to be part of this.”



Lead convenor of Kaya Natin! Movement Harvey Keh says “Thank you everyone and to our partners. This shows how important that different sectors work together if we want to promote quality healthcare. This is our fourth time and I am thankful that we are doing this again, that if you have innovative LGU’s , you have resulted in more productive citizens, that is our challenge to promote quality healthcare so we live the quality life we deserve. I am thankful that MSD trusts the foundation and programs for healthcare for mothers and different sectors of society. You flew here because you know how important healthcare is for your constituents. These winners have minimal resources but they do a splendid job with their health programs, we have to discover more by finding them. I am excited to see more LGU’s and their health workers, not just the mayor who does a pivotal role in it. The mothers and fathers, they do have a big role to play in making sure the community to make this another success. We hope we all take the challenge to do this in all our communities.”








Vice President Robredo sent a video congratulating the nominees and previous winners. She says his husband worked to nurture trust between the government and the people. She also says we should all continue to work on making sure goals for health programs are met with key people that participate in their own communities, with the same people who will benefit from it so they too can take ownership on the improvements they plan to make in their towns and cities.








This is a noble cause, you should help when and if your can.





KUMAGCOW
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