The Ugnayan ng Pahinungod of UP Manila (Pahinungod-Manila), the only surviving institutionalized volunteer service program among the UP campuses, was recently conferred the 1st Bayani ng Kalusugan Award by the Department of Health in rites held at the Manila Hotel on 23 June 2016. President Benigno S. Aquino III, assisted by Secretary Janette Garin and other DOH officials, handed the  trophies and cash prizes to the awardees. The event is one of the highlights of the DOH’s 118th anniversary.

The Bayani ng Kalusugan Award was established to honor individuals and organizations that have rendered time and effort in meaningful contributions to move the country closer to the achievement of Universal Health Care (UHC) or Kalusugan Pangkalahatan (KP).  It seeks to honor and celebrate excellence in work-–consistent display of work that meets the highest standards of quality and provides satisfaction to clients; commitment and innovation-–dedication, loyalty to effective service, and achievement of results, above and beyond the call of duty; and leadership-–change leaders who steer growth and development of the health sector.

Like the other awardees, Ugnayan ng Pahinungod-Manila fit these requirements to a ‘T’. Created in 1994 during the presidency of Dr. Emil Javier, PahinungodManila’s staff and volunteers from the faculty, nonteaching personnel, students, and alumni undertake a wide variety of programs and services that uplift and empower the quality of life in remote and underserved communities in the Philippines. The programs are health trainings/health education, tutorials, immersion services, medical missions, street children, teacher development, hospice care, and ER volunteers.

During the past 22 years, a total of 137,000 Filipinos from 33 provinces have benefitted from the services rendered by the institution. From November 2014- December 2015, Pahinungod-Manila’s programs accomplished the following:

• ER Volunteers Program – 2,400 PGH ER patients assisted by 483 volunteers (46 from UP; 437 non-UP)

• Hospice Care Program-Hospice and Palliative Medicine – 60 volunteers (1 UP; 59 non-UP)

• Immersion Services Program – beneficiaries are 100 families of an Agta community in Napagtipunan, Quirino Province; 7 volunteers from UP

• Tutorial Services Program – 25 student beneficiaries from elementary public schools; 10 volunteers from UP

• Teachers Development Program – 410 beneficiaries from Sultan Kudarat and Quezon; 32 volunteers (31 from UP; 1 non-UP)

• Health Missions Program – sole or combinations of surgical, dental, medical missions: 8,043 beneficiaries; 186 volunteers

• Health Training/Health Education Program – 13 HTs, 20 HEPs; 1,525 beneficiaries; 150 volunteers

• Advocacy Program – 5 programs held in 2015; no indication on number of beneficiaries or volunteers.

The other institutional awardees of the Bayani ng Kalusugan are the Community Based Health Program of the Diocese of Ipil, Region IX; Davao Children’s Cancer Fund Inc, Region XI; Marikina City Health Office in the NCR; and Philippine Accessible Deaf Services, Inc, Region VII.

Of the 15 individual awardees, two are also from UP Manila: Dr. Jaime Galvez-Tan (former DOH Secretary; former UP Manila Vice Chancellor for Research and National Institutes of Health Executive Director) and Dr. Esperanza Cabral (former Health Secretary and UP Manila medical alumna). The others are Dr. Rickson Balalio, a municipal health officer in Nueva Era, Ilocos Norte; Virginia Cadano, a midwife in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao; Edwin Candido, an antituberculosis volunteer in Region IV; Dr. Agnes Centino, an assistant city health officer in Gingoog City; Sr. Eloise David, a nun and nurse in Region VIII; Dr. Penelope Domogo, a provincial health officer in the Mt. Province; Dr. Egidio Elio, a private medical doctor in Region VI; Sr. Eva Fidela Maamo, a nun and doctor at the National Capital Region (NCR); Paciano Madlay, a barangay health worker in Region IVB; Irenea Ordinario, a barangay health worker in Region VII; Concepcion Petalino, a barangay health worker in Region VII; Melchor Petracorta, incoming vice mayor of Limasawa, Southern Leyte; and Rosalinda Tanguamos, a midwife and barangay health worker in Region IX.

Cynthia Villamor | Published in UP Manila Newsletter May – June 2016