October 31, 2021 — “Regularly reflect on your actions, give back and pay forward what you’ve been afforded by maximizing your God-given talents and [allow] more people to benefit from it.” Department of Health Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire shared this advice during the College of Allied Medical Professions’ virtual recognition ceremony held on Oct. 1. A total of 73 graduates comprised Batch 2021, 10 Masters of Clinical Audiology, 2 Master of Rehabilitation Science (Speech Pathology), 12 BS Occupational Therapy, 17 BS Physical Therapy, and 32 BS Speech Pathology.

The DOH undersecretary and spokesperson also urged the graduates to “stick to what is true,” as she stressed the state of health illiteracy in the country that worsened during the pandemic due to massive misinformation. She hoped that the graduates will develop the ability to assess quality evidence necessary for public policies and the skill to communicate this to the public with integrity.

She encouraged the honorees to maintain a “collaborative and adaptive attitude” as this is needed in facing and overcoming societal changes. She cited the current collaboration among public and private sectors in the country to gather COVID-19 statistics. James Pierce V. Briones, CAMP student, responded “Because things are always in flux – pandemic or no pandemic – our ability to adapt needs to go hand in hand with our openness to collaborate.”

Vergeire apprised the students of the country’s dire need for more healthcare workers as the DOH perseveres to attain a system that is responsive to the health needs of the Filipinos. She called on them to respond to this need through joining those in the forefront of rebuilding the nation’s healthcare system.

In the same ceremony, graduates Keith Nowell R. Rivera, BSOT: Arielle Joanna G. Yu, BSPT; and Clarisse Anne T. Lim, BSSP received the Outstanding Student Clinician Award with Yu also bagging the Outstanding Student Leader Award. James Pierce V. Briones, CAMP student, responded on behalf of the graduates. And then Ken Kristoffer Tort led the graduates’ induction to the CAMP Alumni Association.

Francis Nicole Maga

Published in UP Manila Healthscape Issue No. 32, 31 October 2021