G/F Nurses’ Home, Philippine General Hospital Compound Taft Avenue, Manila 1000 Philippines Tel: (02) 554-8400 local 3061, (02) 567-4272 Newsletter Telefax: (02) 536-2874 Website: www.pghmedfoundation.com Email: [email protected] Volume II, Issue 2 April-June2011 A quarterly publication of PGHMFI PGHMFI HOLDS 8th ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING PGHMFI held its 8 th annual meeting last March 25, 2011 at the Alvior Hall, UP Col- lege of Medicine. Dr. Gregorio T. Alvior, Jr., foundation president took the opportunity to report on the gains and accomplishments for the year 2010; where it continued to conduct its regu- lar programs such as the pro- vision of medicines and labo- ratory procedures for the needy patients of the hospital through the Charity Patients Medical Fund (CPMF). PGHMFI New Members (L-R) Mr. John Pallasigue – a businessman/art collector, Dr. Gerardo It succeeded in addressing the Legaspi – PGH-DPPS Chairman, Dr. Maria Cristina Estrada –PGH Dept. of Dentistry Chairman, Ms. request of the Dept. of OB- Marina Laroya – Businesswoman/Civic Leader, Mrs. Adelaida E. Lopez – Civic Leader and wife of the Gyn for the much needed former Ambassador and UP President Salvador Lopez, Dr. Ester Saguil – PGH-DOPS Chairman,, facility to serve the medical Mrs. Helen Massab – Businesswoman/PR Consultant, and Dr. Gregorio MS Azores – PGH needs of Filipino women, Coordinator for Special Projects being inducted by PGH Director Dr. Jose C. Gonzales particularly for normal deliv- ery cases which it has not new members and delivered been able to sufficiently sat- the closing remarks where he UPCM Class ‘ 60 Donates to PGHMFI isfy because of the limited said that he aims his incum- hospital facility. Aside from bency to be characterized with serving the maternal need of good governance – efficiency these women, it would also and innovation. He commits create sufficient cases for to streamline hospital proce- training of students of the UP dures, particularly the hospital Colleges of Medicine and income generating units with Nursing and the UP Manila the object of improving the Extension Program in Baler, hospital’s financial capability. Aurora. The fund for the He ventured to add that he has construction of the two-storey tapped the people to assist him structure was donated by the in this endeavor who he is Ortoll family through the confident are competent and diligent effort of the committed to do the job with PGHMFI. him. In closing, he challenged The foundation also inducted the alumni of the UP College eight new members who are of Medicine to give their sig- prominent civic leaders and nificant share in giving back to entrepreneurs. Several chair- their Alma Mater. He finally persons of PGH department extended his gratitude to the The UP Medicine Class 1960 donated US$ 10,000 through Dr. also decided to join as regular officers and members of the Aurora Recto. This is earmarked for the Charity Patient Medical members. PGHMFI for their relentless Fund and for a one year stipend of a renal fellow at the Dept. of effort and service to the hospi- Medicine. PGH Director Jose Gonzales tal and its various clientele. inducted the Newsletter From the President THE WIND BENEATH OUR WINGS PGHMFI is the lead organizer of a forum OUR OFFICER: Dr. Merle Odi is one of those who could on giving back which will be held on May be greatly credited for the revival of the 31, 2011 at the Buenafe Hall of the UP PGHMFI from its moribund state in College of Medicine. This event was in- 2002. Being then the Chairperson of the spired by the valedictory lecture of Prof. Resource Generation Committee of the Solita Monsod to her class at UP Diliman PGH during Dr. Nañagas’ directorship, and was uploaded through youtube. Since she was well aware of the need to seek then it started a debate among UP alumni, additional funding to assist the PGH in among whom is UPCM alumnus Dr. Pon- fulfilling its mission of providing the ciano D. Cruz, Jr. who is based in the US. health requirements of the marginal- He communicated with Dr. Verallo – UP Dr. Merle dela Cruz—Odi ized Filipinos. This was when the Class ’62 and suggested a forum on giv- Dr. Telesforo E. Gana, Jr. idea to resurrect an existing entity Dr. Greg Alvior, Jr. Vice-President/Chairman BOT ing back. The PGHMFI was asked to be which had been precisely created for the purpose was initi- the main organizer. Several other groups of UP College of ated. With the assistance and cooperation of the original incorpo- Medicine and PGH got involved which are: UPCM Faculty rators they amended the foundation’s Article of Incorporators that Association, PGH Physician Association, Mu Sigma Phi Fra- paved the way for it to achieve its current status. ternity and Sorority, Phi Kappa Mu Fraternity and Phi Lambda A 1968 graduate of the UP College of Medicine, she did her fel- Delta Sorority. DOH Sec. Enrique Ona of UPCM Class ’62 lowship training in Anesthesiology at the University of Copenha- was kind enough to contribute. gen in Denmark and holds a graduate diploma in Anesthesiology Even in the past, there were discussions among alumni regard- at the same university. ing our philanthropic activities for our Alma Mater. There is a Upon her return to her Alma Mater in 1971, she became a faculty general feeling that UP alumni are less-giving compared to the at the Anesthesiology Center in Western Pacific, a center estab- alumni of other institutions. Many reasons have been given to lished and supported by the University of the Philippines, World explain this. The subject is debatable and I do not intend to Health Organization, China Medical Board and the Departments dwell on it in this forum. However, I would like to offer an of Health and Defense, tasked with the training of anesthesiolo- observation that we do have alumni who give back, but we gists in the Western Pacific Area.. She initially held the position certainly need more of them. I feel that for every alumnus who of Asst. Professor in 1974 until her appointment as Professor XII gives back, there are thousands who are in the position to do upon her retirement from the Department of Anesthesiology of the same but do not. Institutions of high learning prosper and the Philippine General Hospital in 2008. (Cont. on Page 3) flourish because of alumni philanthropy. One can only men- tion the following; Harvard University, Yale University, Stan- ford University, etc. OUR MEMBER: She belongs to a profession that deals with people relationships. Ms. Linda The UP System suffers all these years through inadequate Cambia heads the Human Resource funding from our government, and we are in danger of being Development and Performance Evalua- relegated to be second best because of insufficient funding for tion and Monitoring Section our programs such as; research, faculty development, infra- (HRDEPMS) of the Human Resource structure renovations, etc. The alumni can do their part by Development Division (HRDD) of giving back and may I remind that UP students are “Iskolar ng PGH, where her duties involve the de- Bayan” whose schooling at UP are partially subsidized by velopment of the administrative em- “Juan dela Cruz” ployees’ functional behavior and work Let us start a revolution of giving Ms. Linda Cambia attitude required in the effective per- formance of the job. back. A holder of a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Government Management degrees from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, she has served the PGH for the past 30 years. Her service to the PGH, however, extends beyond its employees when she opted to join the advocacy of the PGHMFI in 2007 where she is one of its active members. She has consistently as- sisted in the foundation’s fund-raising campaigns and one of those who could be relied upon in soliciting the much needed fund to achieve its mandate. The foundation is co-sponsoring a forum on “Giving Back” on May 31, 2011 9:30 AM at the Buenafe Hall, UP College of Linda, a gentle and unassuming lady has mastered the art of hu- Medicine, Ermita Manila. This forum is for UP students, faculty man relations which she demonstrates (Cont. on Page 3) and alumni Page 2 Volume II, Issue 2 Our Officer—From Page 2 TAN YAN KEE FOUNDATION, Inc. donates LINENS to PGH While being an active member of Charity Patients through the PGHMFI the foundation’s Board of Trus- tees she also devoted her time as (L-R) Ma. Teresa Chairperson of her specialty at the Bascara—PGH U.P. College of Medicine, Philip- ORSA Dept. Head pine General Hospital and subse- Nurse, Ms. Flora quently The Medical City and a Lim—Tan Yan Kee member of the faculty at the Foundation, Inc. Ateneo University School of Medi- (TYKI) Volunteer, cine and Public Health. Her quest Dr. Gregorio T. for knowledge knew no bounds as Alvior, Jr.— she pursued a Masters degree in PGHMFI President, Business Administration at the Ms. Elizabeth Ateneo University Graduate Alba—TYKI School of Business. Executive Assistant Endowed likewise with a natural talent for singing, she is a trained mezzo soprano which she now wishes to express and share, as she MISS WORLD LTD. THE PGHMFI GAINS TWO MORE prepares for a concert where she CORPORATE MEMBERS will perform as the sole artist. SPONSORS CHILD With time being a rarity and the HEART SURGERY Coca Cola Philippines, represented by Atty. Jose Bayani physical remoteness of PGH, she Baylon and Tracsom Builders, Inc. owned and operated by has reluctantly signified to detach Miss World Ltd.