Bontoc – The Provincial Health Office bared the results of the 2019 Search for the Healthiest Places in Mountain Province during the regular Monday program last week.

The annual search which aims to encourage healthy environment consciousness and healthy lifestyle in the communities and schools is already in its fourth year of implementation.

Gov. Bonifacio C. Lacwasan, Jr. and Provincial Health Officer Nenita D. Lizardo personally turned over the prizes to the provincial winners and participants.

All the participating schools and barangays received P5, 000 cash prize each and certificates of recognition. The provincial winner in each category received P50, 000 each to be used for health-related project in their respective area. Funding for the search was sourced out from the Aid to Provincial Health Board of the Provincial Government.

There are three categories of the search namely: Barangay Category, Elementary Schools Category and Secondary Schools Category.

Barangay Mabalite in Tadian was adjudged as the winner for the Barangay Category while Lunas, Barlig and Nacagang, Sagada came second and third, respectively. Tocucan, Bontoc (4^th place) and Anabel, Sadanga (5^th place) were also recognized.

For the Elementary School Category, Mainit Elementary School (Bontoc) was proclaimed as the winner while Sacasacan Elementary School (Sadanga) and Pandayan Elementary School (Tadian) came second and third, respectively. Other participants were Lias Elementary School in Barlig (4^th place) Antadao Elementary School in Sagada (5^th place) and Bauko Central School (6^th place).

Moreover, Am-am National High School (Tadian) was adjudged as the healthiest secondary school in the province. Other winners were Lias National High School in Barlig (2^nd place), Tocucan National High School in Bontoc (3^rd place) and Saclit National High School in Sadanga(4^th place). Meanwhile, the Provincial Health Office further informed that the Provincial Government has procured 1,500 toilet bowls to be distributed this year to identified households in all municipalities of the province that are still in need of toilet bowl as part of its Environmental Sanitation Program. This is in support to the Zero Open Defecation Program of the DOH.