13/11/2026
The Municipality of Santa Marcela, joined the six other municipalities of the province of Apayao in the Municipal Leadership and Governance Program for Universal Health Care – Module 1, held on November 10–11, 2026, at Playa Tropical Resort, Currimao, Ilocos Norte.
Representing Santa Marcela were Municipal Mayor Hon. Evelyn B. Martinez; Sangguniang Bayan Committee Chairperson on Health and Sanitation Hon. Jayson Calban; Municipal Health Officer Dr. Myolaine C. Hilario; Nurse II Elaine Grace S. Balnao; Budget Officer I Reyzel T. Grande; and Administrative Assistant II Everlyn Mayodong.
The two-day program aimed to strengthen the leadership and governance capabilities of local health teams by examining their respective health situations, identifying gaps in primary health care, and developing strategies to improve the delivery of health services in line with the Universal Health Care Program.
Module 1 focused on leading change through ownership and co-ownership, with discussions on Bridging Leadership, systems thinking, trust-building, stakeholder engagement, communicating a shared vision, multi-stakeholder dialogue, and action planning.
Through the sessions and activities, the Santa Marcela team gained insights into the importance of shared leadership, collaboration, and collective responsibility in addressing local health concerns. The program also provided an opportunity to assess the municipality's existing health services and identify areas that require improvement.
The MLGP is one of the leadership development initiatives of the PGO Apayao thru the Provincial Health Office and the PDOHO (DOH-CAR), aimed to strengthening local health systems and advancing Universal Health Care at the municipal level.
Through its participation, the Municipal Government of Santa Marcela reaffirms its commitment to improving local health governance and working with health partners and stakeholders to provide more accessible, responsive, and quality health services for its constituents.