February 27, 2023 — The UP-PGH Department of Pediatrics and the UP-PGH Silahis ng Kalusugan School for the Chronically-Ill (SNKCI) received from the College of Holy Spirit Manila (CHSM) High School Class of 1973 its donation of cash and books under its Agapay sa Kalusugan at Pag-aaral (AKAP) legacy project.

AKAP provides youth empowerment through assistance in education in line with the legacy project goals of paying forward to the community and nation as an expression of gratitude.

The SNKCI was established by then chair of the PGH Department of Pediatrics Dr. Perla Santos Ocampo together with Ms. Estelita Samson, a special education teacher from the Division of City Schools Manila on September 23, 1996 to provide classes for admitted pediatric patients with chronic illnesses at PGH. It is still the only facility of its kind in the Philippines. 

In her message, UP Manila Chancellor Carmencita Padilla and Dr. Margaret Mae Maaño, SNK coordinator, thanked the donors for their continued support. The CHSM Class ’73 also donated P100,000 as part of their 50th Jubilee. 

“What I’d like to see happen for 2023 is for us to recruit ng mas marami pa pong estudyante, hindi lang ito pong nandito kundi yung mga pasyente namin na nasa wards,” said Dr. Marissa Lukban, chair of the PGH Department of Pediatrics. She also wished that graduating students would be given scholarships for college.

Dr. Cynthia Gonzales, representative of CHSM Class ’73, encouraged the students to continue their studies and pledged to raise funds to help the children.

Charmaine Lingdas | Published in UP Manila Healthscape No. 48 (February 2023)