Text by Charmaine Lingdas
Photo courtesy of Dr. Hannah Grace Pugong
When Dr. Hannah Grace Pugong saw her name among the Top 10 passers of the 2025 Physician Licensure Examination, she was overwhelmed—not with pride, but with relief and gratitude.
“After almost half a year of preparing for the exams, I still felt unprepared. Taking the boards was an act of faith,” she said. “I just trusted the God who authored this dream of becoming a physician.”
But this wasn’t the first time Dr. Pugong’s name made waves. Before becoming a doctor, she was already a two-time board top-placer: rank 1 in midwifery in 2014 and rank 3 in nursing in 2017. Now, she completes her ladderized journey from midwifery to medicine—a path shaped not by privilege, but by perseverance, prayer, and an unwavering heart for the underserved.
A Dream Cultivated by the Spirit of Service
Dr. Pugong didn’t always imagine herself wearing a white coat. In fact, she once felt clueless about what future to pursue. But a timely introduction to the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila School of Health Sciences (SHS) by her mother’s former boss opened a door that would change her life.
Like many alumni of the school, Dr. Pugong was shaped by a deep commitment to serve far-flung and underserved communities—a core value embedded in SHS education and training. Established in 1976, SHS was created to address the country’s health workforce challenges, particularly the brain drain and unequal distribution of healthcare providers. Its unique curriculum recruits students from low-income communities who pledge to return and serve their own people.
The community is at the heart of the SHS program—from the recruitment of scholars to the deployment of graduates. SHS scholars are endorsed by underserved barangays that are in critical need of health workers.
“After receiving the list of the requirements of SHS, my parents sought the help of our barangay council who promptly supported my endorsement to the school. We were also able to secure the support of the majority of the household heads in our barangay who signed my endorsement to the school.”
“I prayed for a full scholarship,” she recalled. That prayer was answered with an opportunity to enroll in SHS Baler.
“The dream was nurtured while I was already in SHS Baler taking up midwifery,” she said.
A Classroom Without Walls
Dr. Pugong asserted that studying at SHS wasn’t like most health schools. The real classroom was the community. The school’s step-ladder curriculum is an innovative, community-based and competency-based program that integrates the training of barangay health workers, midwives, nurses, and physicians in one continuous track.
At the UP Manila School of Health Sciences (SHS), students have the opportunity to progress through a distinctive educational pathway, starting with a foundation in Community Health. After completing ten quarters, students earn a Certificate in Community Health Work (CHW), qualifying them to practice midwifery after passing the Midwifery Licensure Examination. Those who continue their studies can pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) for 8 quarters and later, if desired, advance to the Doctor of Medicine (MD) program (20 quarters). Along the way, students are required to undertake service leaves, where they integrate classroom learning with hands-on community service, strengthening their commitment to healthcare and service. For Hannah, this unique educational journey has been key in shaping her dedication to improving healthcare in underserved communities.
“The four walls of our classrooms were not our main study areas because we were constantly exposed to the communities that were served by the school. The constant interaction with community people imbibed in us the social determinants of health, the intricacies of the health system.”
She explained that even with limited facilities and opportunities in her hospital affiliations, the school maximized what it had. “[SHS] has provided the opportunity for us to learn what cannot be taught by the books. It taught us to be grounded on what true service meant.”
Anchored by Faith, Lifted by Community
Dr. Pugong vividly remembers a young boy she helped during her community internship—a five-year-old with undiagnosed hemophilia who hadn’t walked for weeks. With the help of local health workers and a non-governmental organization, she facilitated his treatment and therapy.
“While I was reviewing for the boards and was going through a rough week, I began to question God whether I was really called for this profession. Then I received a message from the mother of that child who informed me that her child was able to walk already. She was grateful for the help in facilitating the care of her child. After our talk, I cried in prayer thanking God for reminding me of His guidance,” she recounted.
At that moment, she was reminded of why she chose this path—it was God’s way of affirming her calling.
Behind her achievements is a circle of unwavering support—her family, her church, her SHS mentors, and the review community that helped her prepare. “I made a commitment to take each board exam only once. So I gave it everything I had,” she said.
But more than routines and review schedules, it was her faith that kept her steady. “I didn’t just trust the process. I trusted the God who oversees the process.”
“Let The Inadequacies Not Break Your Heart for People”
Now a licensed physician, Dr. Pugong is preparing for deployment under the Doctors to the Barrios (DTTB) program, fulfilling her return service commitment to the Department of Health. For her, it’s not just a requirement—it’s a mission.
“I have often reminded myself that how I treat my patients should reflect how I want my family members to be treated by other health workers.”
To students walking the path she once took, she offers this:
“Always revisit your deepest whys while you study for those shall keep you grounded and motivated to strive towards excellence.”
She added, “The healthcare system of our country is far from perfect but let the inadequacies not break your heart for people. Rather, may those fuel even more diligence to work with communities and local key players/leaders towards better health outcomes for Filipino families.”
To future doctors, she passes on the wisdom of a beloved SHS mentor, Dr. Filedito Tandinco: “Our success as physicians lies in the strength of the health system wherever we may find ourselves practicing.”
With a heart rooted in service and a journey guided by faith, Dr. Pugong continues to grow into the kind of doctor our communities need—committed, compassionate, and grounded in purpose.#
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