Maasin City, Southern Leyte (12 February) -- A young doctor who finished the 2-year contract as "Doctor to the Barrios" of the Department of Health (DOH) is now working as a Municipal Health Officer in Limasawa Island, Dr. Noel Lumen, Provincial Head of the Technical Department at Salvacion Oppus Memorial Provincial Hospital here reported.

Dr. Martin Parreno, an Ilonggo, who was recognized by the First Gentleman Foundation for his exemplary job was absorbed by the municipality to work as a Municipal Health Officer at the Rural Health Unit (RHU) in Limasawa after his two-year contract with the DTTB program.

Lumen revealed that there are four assigned DTTB in Southern Leyte, " two of them are now working with the RHU, one in San Ricardo who also finished his 2-year contract and Parreno from Limasawa.." The other two are still on-going as DTTB, servicing the municipalities of San Francisco and Pintuyan, he added.

Parreno received the award from the FGF at Tacloban City during the graduation rites for Batch 21 DTTB last October 2008. He garnered a Grand Distinction Award for the Doctors to the Barrios, a cash prize of P100,000 and an all-expense paid trip to HongKong together with his parents, Honorato and Aniceta, their first-ever trip abroad, it was learned.

According to source, the outstanding doctor also received the Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) for having adjudged the Green Banner Award for three consecutive years in the nutrition program implementation at Limasawa Island.

Parreno served as barrio doctor from 2006-2008 and decided to extend his services to Limasawanons as a rural health physician. His dedication to serve the poor and his achievements in the remote island of Southern Leyte was noticed by First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and believed to be as one factor why he won the prize.