Alumni of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila were recognized by President Rodrigo Duterte for their heroic act in responding to a fire that erupted inside the Philippine General Hospital last month.
Dr. Rodney Dofitas and Nurse Kathrina Bianca Macababbad were conferred the Order of Lapu-Lapu along with 8 others on Wednesday, June 2, for their quick action that saved the 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, 2021. 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.
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.
“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,” PLM President Emmanuel Leyco said.
President Duterte personally handed over the commendations and tokens to the 10 PGH personnel in a ceremony held in Malacañang as a gesture of gratitude. The Order of Lapu-Lapu is awarded to public servants and private individuals who have provided “invaluable or extraordinary service” to the Filipino people.
Apart from them, 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.
