Malitbog National High School in Calinog is competing under the Supporting Healthy Lives Category with its Happy and Healthy School Program (HHS) which has benefited 1,000 students during the Covid-19 pandemic. The HHS is anchored on the notion that the community can address the challenges of the pandemic.

“With every home becoming a classroom during the pandemic, the household and wider community have been as important to this program as the school,” said school principal Jesus Catigan Insilada.

The school initiated activities such as home gardening, home-based wellness advocating healthy diet, clean water, and sanitation, and mental health advocacy.

With the HHS, the school was able to guide parents who have doubted their capability of helping their children with schoolwork.

“After intensive efforts, over 85 percent of parents felt comfortable acting as learning facilitators for their children,” added Insilada, who was one of the finalists in the 2018 Global Teacher Prize.

The school raised P2 million to fund the purchase of disinfectants, printers, and paper for home learning.

“We are glad that even though most of the learners live below the poverty line and some are malnourished, the school sees to it that the welfare of the children is given adequate importance,” said Dr. Ramir Uytico, Department of Education-Western Visayas (Region 6) director.

The school was able to also address vaccine hesitancy among teachers and staff and are now are vaccinated.

The two other schools vying in the country vying for the World’s Best School Prize are the Bonuan Buquig National High School in Pangasinan for its mangrove and beach cleanup project G.L. David Memorial Integrated School in Bataan for its feeding program.