2019

This is an Entry to the Government Best Practice Recognition Awards

Title

Deep Dive Activity

Organization

LGU Sison, Surigao del Norte

Best practice Focus Area(s)

Leadership, Social and environmental responsibility, Convergence, Strategic planning and deployment, Customer and citizen focus, Strategic performance management, Knowledge management and information technology, Climate change adaptation or mitigation, Integrity management, Financial Stewardship

Year Implemented

2016

Summary

The Deep Dive Activity is one of the best practices initiated by the Local Government Unit of Sison in partnership with the Rural Health Center personnel and other line agencies in pursuit of bringing basic health and government services to the grassroots of the barangays including the Indigenous People (IP) community of this locality.

This activity showcases the government interventions bringing basic health services and reaching far-flung communities within its area of responsibility. Launched in 2016, health personnel were sent to house-in at the community, do profiling, and gather health data information, as well as empowering and educating the locals through massive health information education campaigns.

The municipality is composed of twelve barangays wherein three out of twelve barangays have an  IP community, located at Barangay Mabuhay, Barangay Ima, and Barangay Gacepan.

As a result, IP community tribal leaders (“Datu”) were given the chance to represent their whole community to share and raise their health issues and concerns in the Expanded Local Health Board to which the Datu is also a member.

 

Background and Problem

Deep Dive Activity Objectives:

  1. To be able to bring basic health and government services to the grassroots of the barangays including the IP community
  2. To promote health-associated government programs to the IP community
  3. To promote a healthy lifestyle and a healthy environment
  4. To strengthen health awareness programs through massive information education campaigns
  5. To empower the IP community through active participation in the barangay development council meeting, joining in barangay assembly, and any other government programs.

Solution and Impact

Upon hearing the reports of the data gathered from the assigned health personnel, a series of meetings, discussions, thorough planning, organizing, and decision making of solutions was made. The Health Leadership Governance Program paved the way for this activity to emerge.

This Deep Dive Activity includes:

  1.  Appointment of five (5) Indigenous People as Barangay Health Workers, two (2) coming from Brgy. Gacepan, two (2) from Brgy. Mabuhay and one (1) from Brgy. Ima, whose nature of work and main function is to gather data, monitor, evaluate, assess, and record health statuses such as malnutrition, pregnant women pre-post-natal, child immunization, and others.
  2. Indigenous People tribal leader or “Datu” is given a chance to be the voice of their community by raising issues and concerns to be heard during barangay assembly, barangay development council meeting and municipal development council meeting that is a good avenue to incorporate Indigenous People Plan, Programs Development and Activities to be included in the Barangay and Municipal Annual Budget, as well as encouraging them to take part in any government activities and program in line with health and other government social programs. As evidence, the 2018 Mutya Nan Kapayawan: Bb. Sison, 2017 Buntis Congress singing champion, 2017 Search for Buntis Congress Pageant winner and one of the successful LGU – Eskolaran Graduates are all Indigenous People.
  3. Outreach Programs for Indigenous People such as giving Christmas gifts, sacks of rice, canned goods, clothing, sleeping gears as well as pairs of slippers are being implemented.
  4. Proposed Construction and Installation of Solar Street Lights within the Indigenous People community. This is a pipeline proposal that was being defended by the Local Chief Executive during her Young Leaders for Good Governance Fellowship Program worth $5,600 USD to counteract violent extremist black propagandas and NPA recruitment activity among Indigenous People at night time.
  5. Outsourcing of Funds from private stakeholders.  The Local Chief Executive has been able to lobby projects, programs, and activities to various private stakeholders, one of which is the Philippine Health Christian Foundation, Inc. extending their help to the Local Government Unit of Sison giving four (4) standard solar street lamps for the indigenous people community.
  6. Indigenous People Community Summit enables the IP community that form barangays Gacepan, Ima, and Mabuhay to exchange knowledge, share ideas and experience in adapting the importance of the immunization program, maternal and child care, family planning and environmental sanitation through team building activities, role-playing, and competitions. This is an avenue to promote awareness of the impacts and consequences of the health programs offered by the government as well as to encourage and enlighten them that prevention is better than cure.

The Deep Dive Activity was created to bridge the gap between the government and its constituents specifically the IP community through the concerted micro-efforts of the Health Personnel, Barangay Health Workers, BLGUs, and LGUs creating not just a resounding impact from this locality but also in the neighboring cities and municipalities.

Milestones

The Deep Dive Activity remarkably creates a positive impact on the IP community, boosting their confidence, morally and spiritually. They became more vigilant and responsible in embracing change with significant value not just for their own interest but for the benefits of every individual within the community.

This activity signifies further that:

  1. IP  community tribal leaders have been given the power and the voice to be heard during the Expanded Local Health Board Council Meeting. They are given power and time to decide, create and innovate projects, programs, and activities that are applicable to their community.
  2. The community itself has been resilient, improved, and more active in finding solutions or idea-formation in solving community and or individual problems.
  3. Stereotyping, bullying, and racism have been decreased as evidenced by an increasing number of IP students in school and joining activities like a variety of competitions. The first ever IP candidate in the annual search for Mutya Nan Kapayawan – Bb. Sison was Ms. Ma. Elizabeth J. Caga, who got the crown last 2018.
  4. More stakeholders extend financial support to the local government unit to fund this activity with trust and assurance that this will reach the IP community.
  5. Five Indigenous People have been appointed as Barangay Health Workers assigned to their respective barangays. This improves the quality, providing a concise and reliable profile and data about their community in terms of gender responsiveness by understanding their culture and tradition.
  6. This activity redirects their mindset and develops their personality from being introverted to becoming extroverted.