KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato—-Behind every rapid response to a potential disease outbreak lies an unseen network of health surveillance workers tracking data, verifying reports, and protecting communities before health crises strike.
Highlighting the life-saving impact of reliable public health data, the Department of Health (DOH-CHD SOCCSKSARGEN) Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (RESU) conferred multiple top honors upon the South Cotabato Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (PESU) and its municipal counterparts during the 2026 Program Implementation Review at The Farm @ Carpenter Hill.
Leading the honorees, PESU Head Celia C. Lorenzo, RND, received the prestigious Pillar Award for 20 Years of Dedicated Service in Disease Surveillance, honoring two decades of building the province’s frontline epidemiology and disease surveillance system.
“Disease surveillance is not just about recording numbers or making reports; every data point represents a person, a family, and a community,” Lorenzo shared during an interview.
She said that for 20 years, her goal has always been simple, “To capture and detect health events with public health threat as early as possible, so that our responders such as our health workers, leaders and even the community can act quickly to prevent outbreaks, protect communities, and save lives. This recognition belongs to every disease surveillance officer working silently from the provincial to the barangay level.”
The regional body recognized South Cotabato’s robust health information architecture, awarding Functional Field Health Services Information System (FHSIS) status to the Office of the Provincial Health Officer (OPHO), Koronadal City Health Office, and the Municipal Health Offices (MHOs) of Lake Sebu, Tantangan, and Tboli.
Specialized disease reporting awards were also swept by local units, including Best Performing Disease Reporting Units for Measles–Rubella Surveillance (Koronadal City, Lake Sebu, Norala, Sto. Niño, Surallah, and Tantangan) and Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) Surveillance (MHO Tboli).
Dr. Alah Baby Vingno, Assistant Provincial Health Officer, emphasized that accurate field data directly empowers local chief executives to allocate resources where they are needed most.
“When a local chief executive decides to deploy vaccines, conduct spraying, or establish a quarantine, that decision relies on the accuracy of our surveillance team,” Vingno explained.
She said that getting recognized for Measles-Rubella and AFP surveillance proves that the local teams are vigilant.
“Quick detection in the field is what prevents localized cases from turning into full-blown public health emergencies,” Vingno stressed.
Conferring the overall provincial achievement to the sustained support of the Provincial Government under Governor Reynaldo S. Tamayo, Jr., Provincial Health Officer II Dr. Conrado M. Braña, Jr. stressed that a strong surveillance system is the bedrock of proactive governance.
“We cannot manage what we do not measure,” Dr. Braña stated.
He said the awards affirm that South Cotabato’s health decisions are rooted in timely, accurate, and quality scientific data.
“I congratulate Ms. Lorenzo and team and all our municipal surveillance officers for their unwavering dedication to keeping every South Cotabateño safe and protected,” Braña said.
Certificates of Appreciation were likewise awarded to all Local Epidemiology and Surveillance Units (LESUs) across South Cotabato, cementing the province’s reputation as a regional benchmark for evidence-based public health action.
