Text by: Jennifer F. Manongdo and Ehcel S. Hurna
Photos by: Joseph A. Bautista

For the 2013 Ramon Magsaysay awardee and national scientist Dr. Ernesto O. Domingo, it is quite inevitable for some scientists to stumble upon situations that would ignite their passion and transform them into advocates. After all, necessity is the mother of invention and this has proven true for his breakthrough work on hepatitis B and its link to liver cancer.

“My colleague in the surgery department said to me ‘You better do something about liver cancer because the 150-bed unit in liver cancer is admitting no less than 80 cases of cancer a year and none of them go out. They are all dying,’” Dr. Domingo recalled during a forum titled, “National Scientist on National Scientist” at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Feb. 28, 2024 in celebration of its 26th anniversary.

The 93-year-old Malabon-born gastroenterologist and educator responded to the request and organized a liver study group whose clinical studies found that the number one cause of liver cancer in the country was hepatitis B – the type that is transmitted from infected mothers to newborns. The discovery came at the moment a new vaccine against liver cancer had just become available overseas. Dr. Domingo’s team decided that vaccinating babies would be the right way to go but they had to convince the Department of Health (DOH) to finance the vaccine for mass distribution.

Dr. Domingo talked to some of his friends overseas and finally, a laboratory from South Korea, which is producing the latest hepatitis B vaccine, agreed to export its vaccines to the Philippines at a low cost. Its price became even lower after the government agreed to remove its import tax.

However, there was another challenge. The hepatitis B vaccine did not get ahead as it was listed on the lowest portion of the Expanded Program on Immunization of the DOH. After several years of going back and forth to explain to lawmakers the importance of the vaccine and how it could prevent deaths, a specific budget was finally allocated. Dr. Domingo and his team have successfully provided a preventive solution to liver cancer through the immunization of newborns against hepatitis B.

Pivotal Network

In the case of Dr. Carmencita Padilla, a pediatrician and clinical geneticist, a network of people who believe in the same cause helped her conceptualize and introduce the newborn screening program to the Philippines.

Dr. Padilla, who undertook a Fellowship in Clinical Genetics at Royal Alexandria Hospital in 1990, recalled a pivotal point in her career.

“Returning, I have to set up many things. I had to be a researcher, a faculty member, nag-iisa lang ako nuon sa genetics eh. I had a one-year-old and I had to do the clinics in PGH. So, the bottom line who’s actually inspired me…Kapag tiningnan n’yo iba-iba ‘yon but there was a supportive administration who allowed me to continue my work, considering when I came home, there was nothing,” Dr. Padilla shared during the forum.

“Then Chancellor Domingo gave me a microscope, and the dean of the college of medicine gave me a refrigerator. That’s really how I started and then my supervisor overseas gave me 14 boxes of old equipment,” she added.

Dr. Padilla, who received the Order of National Scientist for her exemplary work in clinical genetics and newborn screening, also revealed in the forum that she wanted to pursue doctoral studies. It was the late Dr. Perla Santos Ocampo, who was then UP Manila Chancellor, and former UP President Dr. Emil Javier who persuaded her to stay and continue her work in the laboratory. “My role at that time was to set up the genetic services in the country. If I left for my program, you don’t have a newborn screening program right now,” said Dr. Padilla.

Even during the pandemic, it was her network of friends and allies who kept the newborn screening program a success. “I wrote the law (on newborn screening) in 2003 and it was passed in 2004. Legislation is only part of the solution…If you really want to push for a program that would go national, you have to start creating networks in the country to make it inclusive, equitable and that it engages all sectors,” she said.

During the quarantine period, Dr. Padilla said she feared that there might be a drop in the coverage of newborn screening. “We were collecting samples through the courier service and since all borders were closed, I was expecting numbers to drop to less than 50%. But lo and behold, it was close to 90%. If you bring home your message to the ground that they are convinced that your passion is not going to be wasted, they will do their part,” she said. But thanks to the help of firemen, police, navy, military, and other concerned people, the samples were able to reach the laboratory even during the quarantine.

The NIH 26th Anniversary: A Celebration of Success and Discoveries

In her welcome speech, NIH Executive Director Eva Maria C. Cutiongco – De la Paz recounted the inception of the NIH as a National Health Research Center and praised the work of the 17 active study groups of the NIH which connects UP to other health institutions in the country and to the global health research community.

Secretary Renato Solidum, Jr. of the Department of Science and Technology said that the NIH anniversary celebration presents an ideal opportunity to celebrate the remarkable achievements of the scientific community and to look forward to future advancements in the realm of science.

Also in the program, Philippine Council for Health Research and Development Executive Director Jaime Montoya underscored the importance of JEDI: Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in research – the theme of this year’s NIH celebration.

“First is justice, as health researchers and experts, it is our responsibility to advocate for social justice and champion policies that promote equity for all. Next, the equity tool lies at the heart of our mission. By prioritizing equity in our health research efforts, we can strive to create a more just and inclusive healthcare system that leaves no one behind. Third, diversity is also part of our pursuit in advancing health research by fostering a culture of inclusion and diversity… Lastly, inclusion is the cornerstone of our initiatives to ensure that everyone has a seat at the table by centering the needs and perspectives of diverse communities. In each of our initiatives we develop more effective and responsive interventions that address the unique challenges of every Filipino,” Montoya elaborated in detail.

PGH Director Gerardo Legaspi expressed his support for research from a clinical standpoint, “I think it is only time that we give [research] attention because COVID has made us realize that the researchers are very important in making us realize the mistakes that we have committed and the mistakes that you should not commit. The partnership we had during COVID was holy… [T]he true work that needed to be done by researchers and clinicians on the floor, on the ground was really evident.”

UP President Angelo Jimenez congratulated UP Manila’s scientists and researchers and highlighted their role in national development.

“What I find remarkable is the emphasis on population health research in your attempt to zero in on particular health-related issues. You certainly do not want to leave any stone unturned under the guidance of JEDI. Hailing the spirit of inclusivity, you are living up to the real essence of being Iskolar ng Bayan,” he stressed.

For his part, Chancellor Michael L. Tee assured that UP Manila will continuously support NIH and its vision of remaining as the recognized authority in health research and development and as the primordial source of health information for national development.

The NIH 26th anniversary celebration intends to raise awareness on the importance of population health research and assist the public to understand how the work of the NIH benefits the lives of Filipinos.