2025 Reports | SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being

Current Collaborations with Health Institutions

Isabela State University (ISU) strengthens its commitment to promoting health and well-being through partnerships with government institutions and public-sector organizations. Recognizing the importance of physical fitness, proper nutrition, and mental health in maintaining a healthy and productive workforce, the University extends its expertise through community-based health and wellness programs that address the needs of public servants, educators, and youth development personnel.

On November 19, 2025, ISU and the Schools Division Office (SDO) of Santiago City formalized their partnership through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the implementation of the project “Physical Wellness Program Among LGU – Santiago City Employees, DepEd Teachers, and LYDO of Santiago City.” The agreement was signed by ISU President Dr. Boyet L. Batang and Schools Division Superintendent Mr. Alfredo B. Gumaru, Jr., establishing a collaborative framework for delivering health and wellness interventions to the target beneficiaries.

Led by Project Leader Dr. Jonathan L. Roque, together with Study Leaders Dr. Mark Bennette Ulep, Mr. Jhan Micheal Hiloma, Dr. Martina R. Peñalber, and Mr. Jade C. Marcos, the initiative integrates several components addressing physical, nutritional, and psychosocial well-being. These include physical activity exercises and dance literacy to encourage active lifestyles; specialized physical activity programs for DepEd MAPEH teachers and LGU personnel; injury prevention and risk management sessions; health and nutritional awareness activities; and psychosocial and mental health support to help participants manage workplace stress and prevent burnout.

Through this collaboration, ISU brings its academic and professional expertise beyond the University to support the health needs of government employees, teachers, and youth development personnel. The partnership provides a structured platform for delivering health education, promoting preventive practices, and strengthening awareness of physical and mental well-being in the workplace. These efforts demonstrate the University’s contribution to building healthier and more resilient public-sector workforces and advancing SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being).

Health Outreach Programmes

Public health and sustainable growth are fundamentally linked to societal advancement. Fulfilling Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) demands that higher education institutions look beyond classroom instruction and extend their knowledge, capacity, and resources directly to the grassroots level. By delivering responsive extension programs and building active partnerships with local government units, barangays, basic education schools, and rural health centers, universities play a critical role in promoting health equity, preventing disease, and elevating the quality of life across diverse communities. Demonstrating its commitment to this strategic mandate, Isabela State University (ISU) actively drives comprehensive extension programs and outreach projects designed to promote holistic community health and well-being.

Recognizing that public health solutions must be tailored to actual local needs, the University mobilizes its faculty, staff, and student volunteers to conduct targeted education campaigns and community-based health activities. These grassroots interventions address critical areas of wellness, including personal hygiene, environmental sanitation, optimal nutrition, maternal and child healthcare, responsible family planning, disease prevention, mental health advocacy, and healthy lifestyle promotion.

At the core of ISU’s outreach framework is a commitment to supporting individuals across all stages of life. The University regularly organizes structured physical fitness activities to encourage active living among youth and adults, alongside dedicated health programs tailored for older persons to foster healthy aging and long-term vitality. Highlighting this dedication to healthy aging, the Echague Campus—with the active support of the University Extension Office—recently spearheaded a targeted outreach initiative that directly benefited 86 elderly residents of Brgy. Rumang-ay, Echague, Isabela. Through integrated initiatives—such as preventive health screenings and referral services, community health teaching, hands-on nutrition education, environmental clean-up drives, and student-led volunteer services—ISU translates academic expertise into tangible public health actions.

By combining institutional capability with active community participation, Isabela State University continues to reinforce its role as a key driver of regional development. Through these sustained outreach efforts, ISU equips individuals with essential health literacy, encourages positive wellness practices, and strengthens local health networks, contributing significantly to building healthier, safer, and more resilient communities for present and future generations.

Access to Shared Sports Facilities

True to its mandate of serving not just its students but also the wider public, Isabela State University (ISU) has taken a proactive step in opening its sports facilities to the local community. This move reflects the university’s vision of inclusivity, wellness, and collaboration, making ISU a hub not only for learning but also for physical development and social cohesion.

The university’s sports facilities, which includes a variety of facilities such as a multi-purpose gymnasium, basketball and volleyball courts, a football field, a track and field oval, and fitness areas, is now accessible to members of the surrounding community, including youth groups, local athletes, non-student residents, and even senior citizens.

By opening campus infrastructure and fostering collaborative spaces for active living, universities play a pivotal role in promoting physical fitness, mental resilience, and social cohesion across diverse populations.

On August 16, 2025, the ISU Echague open gymnasium became a vibrant hub of movement and fellowship as young athletes gathered to celebrate the Day of Youth. The atmosphere was charged with competitive energy and community spirit, highlighting how access to shared sports facilities serves as a vital, yet often overlooked, determinant of public health. By opening its courts to the youth, ISU provides more than just a venue for play—it establishes a foundational ground where young individuals strengthen their physical health, personal discipline, and collective well-being.

At the core of ISU’s community framework is the belief that health is a public good and higher education carries a public duty. As a state university, ISU recognizes that its institutional mission extends well beyond academic instruction to include serving the broader community. Opening campus facilities for physical activity, sports tournaments, and shared youth experiences directly aligns institutional resources with the core objectives of SDG 3. True education must nurture both body and mind, instilling the active habits necessary for individuals and communities to thrive over the long term.

By bridging campus resources with active youth participation, Isabela State University reinforces its role as a vital partner in regional development. Events like the 2025 Day of Youth demonstrate that ISU does not merely advocate for Sustainable Development Goal 3—it actively enacts it. Through shared facilities and inclusive sports programs, the University transforms its physical spaces into centers of health promotion, helping build a stronger, healthier, and more resilient generation.

Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Services for Students

Isabela State University (ISU) demonstrates a strong commitment to the sexual and reproductive health of its students, recognizing that these services are integral to their overall well-being and academic success. The university actively works to de-stigmatize discussions surrounding sensitive topics such as sexual orientation, gender identity, and reproductive rights, fostering an environment of open and respectful dialogue between students and educators. This approach ensures that students feel comfortable seeking help and making informed decisions about their health, whether it involves routine care or addressing personal difficulties.

The University, in active partnership with the local Rural Health Unit (RHU), confirms that the university provides students with sexual and reproductive health-care-related services, including essential information and education. Through the

Valentine’s Day–themed seminar titled “Love, Sex, Lasting Relationships, and Teenage Pregnancy”, hosted at the Angadanan Campus’ Multipurpose Hall, the institution delivered targeted, evidence-based reproductive health education directly to its student body. With RHU representative Mr. Rudolph Zulueta as guest speaker, the session covered teenage pregnancy—its root causes, health and educational consequences, and concrete preventive measures—alongside responsible decision-making, relationship dynamics, and personal well-being. This collaboration bridges academic and community health resources, ensuring students receive accurate, open, and accessible guidance. The event fostered active student participation, addressing peer pressure, societal expectations, and shared responsibility. The university and RHU jointly affirm commitment to ongoing youth-focused reproductive health education and awareness, recognizing these as foundational to advancing health, gender equality, quality education, and sustainable development for all learners.