President Duterte has conferred the Order of Lapu-Lapu to two alumni of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) who were instrumental in the rescue of patients and newborn babies when the state-run Philippine General Hospital (PGH) was hit by fire last month.
PLM President Emmanuel Leyco welcomed President Duterte’s gesture of gratitude to Dr. Rodney Dofitas and Nurse Kathrina Bianca Macababbad who were given the national order of merit for their heroic deeds, along with eight other health workers on Wednesday, June 2.
“PLM welcomes the well-deserved recognition given to Dr. Dofitas and Nurse Macababbad and their colleagues for their brave and selfless act. May all other frontliners and Filipinos draw inspiration from their excellence and service,” she said in a statement issued Friday, June 4.
A storage unit on the third floor of the PGH building was hit by fire on May 16.
"Macababbad, who studied at the PLM College of Nursing, and her colleague Nurse Jomar Mallari ran 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 them through the evacuation,” the PLM said.
"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 and led coordination efforts to respond to the fire and oversee the evacuation of patients and personnel,” it noted.
The 10 PGH personnel received commendations and tokens in a ceremony held in Malacañang on June 2.
The Order of Lapu-Lapu is given to officials and personnel of the government and private individuals in recognition of their “invaluable or extraordinary service in relation to a campaign or advocacy of the President.”
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 were also recognized during the Palace-initiated event.