Text by Jericho Paolo L. Mabansag
Photos by NTTCHP

On Aug. 2, 2026, the National Teacher Training Center for the Health Professions (NTTCHP) held its 11th recognition ceremony around a theme rooted in purpose: “Iskolar ng bayan, hinubog ng dangal at husay, pinanday ng paglilingkod ng bayan.” At its core, the gathering was about a singular, enduring responsibility, what it actually takes to shape the future of Philippine healthcare.

This year, 17 graduates received their degrees: nine in the Master in Health Professions Education, four in the Master of Health Professions Education, three in the Doctor of Health Professions Education, and one in the PhD in Health Sciences by Research. It marks a significant progression from the center’s inaugural class of eight, signaling a growing cohort of educators equipped to mold the next generation of healthcare professionals.

NTTCHP Dean Maria Elizabeth M. Graheda emphasized that every piece of scholarship produced by the graduates serves as a concrete building block for that future:

“Kaya hindi biro ang kanilang nagawa sa pagtamo ng kanilang masterado at doktoradong degree. Bawat takdang-aralin, bawat proyekto, bawat capstone project, thesis, at disertasyon na kanilang nabuo ay isang konkretong patunay ng kanilang ambag—hindi lamang sa kanilang mga institusyon kundi maging sa pag-unlad ng disiplina ng edukasyong pangkalusugan sa kabuuan.”

The future these educators are tasked with shaping, however, does not exist in an academic vacuum. Keynote speaker and alumnus Dr. Orlino O. Talens, former UP Manila Vice Chancellor for Administration and UP College of Medicine professor, reminded the class that true education extends far beyond syllabi and lecture halls:

“Ang Iskolar ng Bayan ay dapat gumawa ng mabuti para sa kapakanan ng bayan at sa mga taong-bayan…Do not confine your teaching to the knowledge content of your course. There are many things happening outside the classroom.”

His words landed with clear urgency. The health of the nation is continually tested by complex realities, from territorial tensions in the West Philippine Sea and political friction in the Senate to an ongoing energy crisis, climate vulnerability, and deep-seated poverty. Because these social determinants directly dictate public health outcomes, shaping the future of medicine requires more than clinical training. It demands educators who teach their students to act as civic leaders and agents of systemic change.

That thread of transformative stewardship ran through each of the graduate responses. Speaking on behalf of the Master in Health Professions Education (Professional Track) graduates, Academic Excellence Awardee Dr. Jojo Evangelista reflected on the core duty of the educator:

Doctoral awardee Dr. Maria Lourdes Dorothy S. Salvacion echoed this sentiment, tracing how small, everyday efforts aggregate over time into lasting structural impact:

“At the time, it felt like ordinary committee work. Just another series of meetings. Another curriculum revision. Another set of documents. But tonight, looking at this room full of graduates, I realized something. We were never just designing curricula. We were quietly helping shape futures.”

Closing the ceremony’s charges, student council representative Sheila May R. Jayme Nacabu-an, RPH, MHPED, called on her peers to take that duty into the field:

“…translate what you have learned into tangible outcomes—to become passionate leaders, healers, health advocates, researchers, excellent educators, and academic leaders who will honor the trust placed in you by the University, along with the title that now follows your names.”

In the end, the ceremony was less a celebration of titles earned and more an affirmation of a pledge. For NTTCHP’s Class of 2026, shaping the future is not a passive metaphor, but an active, daily practice of placing excellence and honor in direct service to the country.

Read more: 

#FP1 #FP6 #FP8 #AccessibleUPLeadership