Municipalities of Kibungan and Kapangan, Benguet Receive Grants to Enhance Primary Health Care

The Zuellig Family Foundation, under its Bayang Malusog Leadership and Governance Program (BMLGP), reinforced its commitment to strengthening primary health care in Benguet through a ceremonial turnover of partnership grants to the Municipalities of Kibungan and Kapangan on February 16, 2026.

The ceremonies took place at the Kibungan Municipal Hall and Kapangan Municipal Hall, with the two municipalities serving as pilot sites of BMLGP in the province. ZFF implements the program in partnership with the Provincial Government of Benguet and the Department of Health-Cordillera Administrative Region (DOH-CAR).

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The partnership grants equip local government units with resources to bolster their primary health care systems at the frontline level. The grant package includes primary care instruments and equipment, health information system (HIS) support, home visit kits, and barangay health worker (BHW) kits. These resources enhance the capacity of Municipal Health Offices and Rural Health Units to deliver more responsive, coordinated, and community-centered health services.

Beyond equipment, the grants aim to improve primary care delivery and local health system management. The equipment strengthens frontline service provision, while HIS support enables local health teams to track patient data, monitor priority health conditions, and base decisions on evidence. Home visit kits and BHW kits further empower community-level care by equipping frontline health workers who serve as the first point of contact for many families.

Representatives from the Benguet Provincial Health Office (PHO)—Dr. Andrew Chamson Bacuso, Rural Health Physician, and Rubelyn Tomas, Senior Health Program Officer—joined them. Representatives from the Department of Health, Dr. Mercedes Calpito, Development Management Officer V and Provincial Health Team Leader, and Jocephine Fawayan, Development Management Officer IV, also attended.

During the Kibungan ceremony, Dr. Hydre Nga-ew highlighted noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) as a key focus of the municipality’s health agenda under the program. Emphasizing the importance of data-driven governance, Dr. Nga-ew stated, “What you cannot measure, you cannot manage,” underscoring the need for strong health information systems and collective support to strengthen the local health system and improve NCD implementation.

Both Mayor Agustin Tello of Kibungan and Mayor Harris Dizon of Kapangan expressed their gratitude to ZFF, PHO, and DOH for their continued support. They also reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening local governance and empowering their communities to achieve better health outcomes.

Banner photo: Turnover of partnership grants to the Kibungan Municipal Government with Mayor Agustin Tello (sixth from the right)

Author: Ayeza De Mesa, ZFF BMLGP Associate