Metropolitan Arrangements - Philippine Institute for Development ...

Health Management Strategies of Selected Cities 307
Integrated Approach: The Sum Is Greater Than Its Parts
Gingoog City opted for an integrated approach for its outreach
program, well aware that there are problems which cannot be solved
by one agency alone but by several agencies working together.
Olongapo City strengthened the linkage between health and
sanitation by integrating its environmental management program with
health activities. The Community Health Office plays a major role in
solid waste management. Its sanitary inspectors conduct regular
rounds and issue citation tickets (fines) to violators of sanitation
ordinances (such as unclean premises and putting out garbage outside
of the scheduled collection time), This combination of health and
environmental management resulted in the reduction of sanitationrelated
diseases such as typhoid fever and paratyphoid infections. The
occurrence of these diseases declined from 75 percent in 1988 to 9
percent in 1995 per 100,000 population.
Clustering of Barangays: A New Meaning for Hamletting
For more effective supervision and monitoring, Cotabato's
Office of Health Services grouped its 37 barangays into seven Clusters.
Each cluster is supervised by a coordinator who monitors the activities
of his respective cluster. Dividing the 37 barangays among seven
coordinators simplified the task of supervision and monitoring since
it enabled the coordinators to immediately respond to the problems
of the barangays within their respective clusters.
Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation:
Don't Expect What You Don't Inspect
Sem/nars
Butuan City's nutrition personnel together with the Department
of the Interior and Local Government conducts planning seminars
with bavangay leaders. They compare the nutritional status ofpuroks
(subvillages) in the barangay and guide leaders in making their
quarterly action plans. The Cotabato Office of Health Services
conducts semi-annual and annual review of programs.
Regular feedback through meetings
In Surigao City, the PHC chapter monthly meetings provide
the means for identifying community problems at the purok level.
Monthly staffmeetings, in addition to reports, are also conducted in