ALUMNI of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) were recognized by President Duterte for their heroic act in responding to a fire that erupted inside the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) last month.
Dr. Rodney Dofitas and Nurse Kathrina Bianca Macababbad were conferred the Order of Lapu-Lapu, along with eight others, on June 2 for their quick actions which saved lives of patients in the government-run hospital in Manila. A storage unit on the third floor of the PGH building caught fire on May 15.
Macababbad, who studied at the PLM College of Nursing and her colleague Nurse Jomar Mallari hurried back and forth the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit to transfer 35 babies to safety while carrying emergency medicines and breathing equipment to sustain the newborns through the evacuation.
Meanwhile, Dr. Dofitas, chief of PGH’s Division of Surgical Oncology and a product of PLM’s Master in Business Administration-Top Executive Program, was at the hospital that night. He led coordination efforts to respond to the fire and oversee the evacuation of patients and personnel.
“PLM welcomes the well-deserved recognition given to Dr. Dofitas, Nurse Macababbad and their colleagues for their brave and selfless [acts],” PLM President Emmanuel Leyco said. “May all other frontliners and Filipinos draw inspiration from their excellence and service.”
Apart from the two PLM graduates, other PGH “heroes” recognized were Safety Officer Joel Santiago, Security Officer Ramil Ranoa, Nurse Quintin Bagay Jr., Dr. Alexandra Lee, Dr. Earle Ceo Abrenica, Nurse Phoebe Rose Malabanan and Nurse Esmeralda Ninto.
The Order of Lapu-Lapu is awarded to public servants and private individuals who have provided “invaluable or extraordinary service” to the Filipino people. As a gesture of the nation’s gratitude, the Chief Executive personally handed over the commendations and tokens to the 10 PGH workers during a ceremony held in Malacañang.