Page 24 - 2nd Edition

MOST OUTSTANDING MAYOR AWARD 2021

HEALTH SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Being a nurse, Mayor Jane is a staunch advocate for quality Carmen is home to a substantial population of indigenous
healthcare services. It is no surprise, therefore, that the people belonging to the Manobo tribe. There are three identified
improvement of health and sanitation services is among her tribal communities in Carmen that are named after their
top priorities. She started with the very basic need among most localities. These are the Hubason, Hinapoyan, and Gacub
families in the upland areas which is access to proper toilets. tribal communities. Mayor Jane acknowledges the fact that
Mayor Jane believes that good sanitation at home is the key to the issues affecting these tribal communities also affect other
a healthy community so she intensified the campaign for Zero areas of concern in the whole municipality such as environment
Open Defecation (ZOD), especially in the most rural barangays. protection and peace and order. Mayor Jane is well aware that
As of 2018, the Municipality of Carmen achieved Zero Open organizing these communities and providing them with livelihood
Defecation (ZOD) status and was recognized by the DOH for opportunities will reduce the risk of them being lured into armed
being the 1st municipality in Surigao del Sur and 2nd in the groups. With this in mind, Mayor Jane ordered a more immersive
entire Caraga Region. engagement with these Carmenanon IPs and to provide them
with utmost support. This led to the establishment of the Tabinas
Agricultural Enterprise Village, locally known as “Bulihanan
Tu Abot Kanit Tabinas”, in Brgy. Hinapoyan. This initiative was
launched in coordination with TESDA to empower the IP farmers
and to expand their skills into the production of value-added
goods. The Gacub Tribal Center was also constructed upon the
orders of Mayor Jane.

Another concern for the health sector is the risk of childbirth
due to the lack of access to maternity facilities. Again,
infrastructure support was tapped to construct birthing clinics
in Barangays Poblacion and Hinapoyan. Mayor Jane also
implemented various reproductive health initiatives in line with
the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health (RPRH)
Law. For this, the Rural Health Unit of Carmen bagged the 2nd
Prize Purple Ribbon Award in 2018 from DOH Caraga Region.
Of course, other marginalized groups were not to be left behind.
With the support of the infrastructure sector, the Municipality of
Carmen was able to construct a PWD Building in central Carmen
and a new Child Development Center in Sitio Tabinas. The LGU
also rehabilitated 10 other Child Development Centers as well
as 5 Senior Citizens’ Multi-Purpose Halls in different barangays.
The Civil Society Organizations Federation of Carmen was also
established to facilitate the continued consultations with the
different people’s organizations.

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