URBAN HEALTH CHAMPION

The City of Maasin through the Health City Initiatives participated in the Urban Health Champion 1000 Cities,1000 Lives program.  The global movement which encourages to make all cities healthier was made in preparation for the World Health Day 2010 which was celebrated on April 7-11, 2010 initiated by the World Health Organization (WHO). The campaign calls upon all cities worldwide to open up portions of streets to the people to promote health activities for one day during the week, like biking, walking and exercises.

There are two goals to the campaign:
1000 cities: to open up public spaces to health, whether it be activities in parks, town hall meetings, clean-up campaigns, or closing off portions of streets to motorized vehicles.
1000 lives: to collect 1000 stories of urban health champions who have taken action and had a significant impact on health in their cities.

As recorded by the WHO, 1,392 cities in 133 countries, Maasin City among them, have joined the campaign, and committed to closing off one or more streets to motor vehicles for a day and offering citizens a novel public space for physical exercise, meeting family, friends and community, health checks, eating healthy local food or visiting local attractions. In addition, many cities are organizing activities for children, holding town hall meetings with mayors and local governments to focus on local health concerns and sponsoring open street events.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends five calls to action to build a healthy and safe urban environment:
1. Promote urban planning for healthy behaviors and safety.
2.  Improve urban living conditions.
3.  Ensure participatory urban governance.
4.  Build inclusive cities that are accessible and age-friendly.
5.  Make urban areas resilient to emergencies and disasters.

The Maasin Healthy City Initiatives and the city officials submitted a 5-minute video through You Tube to give details nominating me as Urban Health Champion.

It also mentioned that when I assumed the stewardship as the City Mayor of Maasin last 2007, "he leads by example and thus energized and mobilized all the city officials and employees of Maasin to do what he calls simple service with no strings attached."

As a sports minded mayor, the video narrated that I also enhanced the camaraderie among the colleges and organized the first Maasin Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MICAA), which hand-in-hand protects the people especially the young ones from the menace of drugs and had reactivated the Citizens Anti Drug Narcotics Unit (CANU) to effectively prevent the curse of drug addiction.

Maasin Healthy City Initiatives also enforced the "no smoking" campaign and prohibits smoking in public places in order to have a clean and smoke-free city.

During that time, I was seeking reelection on the May 2010 polls and also initiated healthy activities celebrating the World Health Day 2010 by closing the portion of Espina Boulevard on Sundays throughout the year to give the people a "smoke and traffic-free" road. A Hataw exercise was also set every Friday afternoon for an hour, participated by city hall employees, students/pupils, teachers, the Philippine Army, the Philippine National Police, the Bureau of Fire Protection among others.

Moreover, to install the importance of discipline and care of the environment, the video acknowledged my advocy for scouting.   We had produced 5 eagle scouts, the first in Southern Leyte and I became a Wood Badger, an outstanding achievement for scout leaders with the highest rank in Scouting throughout the province.

According to WHO, this unprecedented global event involving 1000 cities will result in physical, mental and environmental health benefits, substantial opportunities for small business, and an overall boost in the well-being of participating cities and their citizens.  We answered the World Health Organization's call to “be part of a global movement to make cities healthier.”

Many cities worldwide have conducted similar initiatives and continue to do so every weekend. Through the videos of 1000 lives, inspirational stories for us all to consider how we as citizens can work together and effect change were seen and hear including our very own video.

World Health Day was a unique opportunity to focus attention and unite governments, civil society and individuals to take action.  It is the one day when we can all strive toward a global health goal and have meaningful participation in a global event. On World Health Day 2010 we helped give voice to our common desire to make cities healthier.

THE CITY'S SWIMMERS

Maasin City was known all throughout the Visayas for producing good swimmers.  Every time the Eastern Visayas Athletic Association (EVRAA) meet was held, the city will emerge as the top medal harvester at the pool.

Jilma Maraon, a former Palaro medalist, was at the helm as coach and trainer of the Maasin City swimmers starting 2005 when we hosted the EVRAA and sent our first batch of swimmers to competition including my three sons.

But it was in the Ormoc City EVRAA in 2006 when we began to win category titles especially for the secondary girls.

Maasin City Sports Council produced two Palarong Pambansa gold medalists in swimming.  Edison Pacsa won a gold in the 50 meter breaststroke in Puerto Princesa in 2008 with a time of 37.17 seconds.  Christian Ivan Salud won the gold of the same event in 35.10 seconds and the silver in the 100 meter breaststroke in Lingayen, Pangasinan in 2012.

Another milestone in the city's swimming was achieved by a Maasihon, this time in the long distance feat by a golden aged triathlete.  Urbano Baculanta, 50 years old, became the first Maasin City resident to swim the sea traversing the city waters from the first barangay of the next town, Ichon, Macrohon.

“If a person my age can still be physically fit and active, how much more the younger ones,” Baculanta was quoted by Philippine Information Agency (PIA) before he plunged into the water for the city's historic distance swim.  “I just want people to exercise regularly, that’s the message I want to impart,” he added.

The adventurous exploit began at 8:02 in the morning on January 18, 2014, a Saturday.

The drizzly weather added more challenge as relentless rains brought by tropical depression “Agaton” almost cancelled the activity. But Baculanta pushed through with the ocean adventure escorted by the city rescue boat.

Baculanta estimated that he would cover the six kilometer distance in four hours.   But instead went faster by finishing it in two hours, 20 minutes, 15 seconds.

And believe it or not, he learned how to swim only at the late age of 38.  And 12 years later he realized his treasured dream.