Foundations to Frontlines

2026 PIDSOG Annual Convention

Fellowship, singing and dancing with co-fellows

 

Qualitative and Mixed Methods Reaearch Training Workshop

Good morning, everyone, and welcome to our qualitative and mixed methods research design training workshop!

First of all, we acknowledge the presence of our OIC Medical Center Chief anf Chief Medical Professional Staff II Dr Reynette Ligaray who so graciously travelled to Sarrosa to be with us this morning.  Thank you po mam!

Second of all, welcome back to Cebu Dr Enrique  Oracion, you have become an honorary member of the VRI as one of our health research mentors.  Thank you for graciously accepting our invitation (and call for help) for this hand-holding protected time for research.

Third of all, I would personally like to thank Mr Reo Fritz Guinipaan for patiently waking me up this morning so I wont be late to welcome our facilitators and research champions. Pag tinanong ako ng "para kanino ka gumigising, alam nyo na po ang sagot jan..."

​We are so glad to have our research champions here today. Thank you for saying YES to research! Let’s keep things simple and straight to the point: research shouldn't feel like a heavy burden or a complicated maze. Our goal is to make the lived experience of doing research a pleasant, engaging, and truly enjoyable journey.

​Through the VSMMC Research Institute (VRI), we are committed to building an enabling environment for research —giving you the right tools, proper support, and a clear path to document our best practices and evaluate the real impact of our programs.

​Over the next two days, let's learn together, collaborate, and bring out the stories behind our hospital’s hard work. Equal parts rigor and enjoyment, because dinhi sa Sotto, kalidad nga serbisyo among garbo!

​Welcome, and let’s make these two days count!

VSMMC-Kyoto University Collaboration

 

Beyond Barriers: Celebrating Fortitude and Excellence

True public service proves its worth during hard times. When resources run low and pressure goes up, real leaders show their true value. They do not quit. They work hard to help the public. 

Why Crisis Tests Service

Stress shows flaws: Weak systems break fast when a crisis hits.
Leaders step up: Good public workers find creative ways to help people.
Trust is built: People remember who helped them when things were bad. 

Key Signs of True Service

Fair help: Giving aid to those who need it most, not just those who ask loudest.
Open truth: Telling the public the real facts without hiding bad news.
Smart use of tools: Making small budgets stretch to cover urgent needs.
Hard work: Working long hours to fix problems on the ground. 

PUSO. Sa bagong Pilipinas, bawat buhay mahalaga!

DANGAL. Ethical clarity when nobody else is watching.  Fortitude to stand tall to perform your duty when crisis strikes.  What prevents turning performance to paralysis. What earns the trust of Filipino people.

GALING.  Excellence that shatters technical limits. Refusal to accept mediocrity.

National Hospital Week in Bohol 2026

 I had always promised my Lola Sising that I would be a good girl!

Bohol Bee Farm may be far from the convenience of city life but they serve a mean salad with fresh greens and microgreens and colorful flowers.

Ms Chona wakes me up early with "wakey wakey Ms Koala..." so instead of a slow morning, we had a hearty breakfast of unique concoctions like cassava fries, squash bread and homemade ham.

Governance toolbox - our annual learning development intervention.

SCALE WHAT WORKS AND STOP WHAT DOESN’T!

 parking this here, when inspirational messages hit a spot!

INSPIRATIONAL MESSAGE

2^nd Quarter Maternal-Perinatal Statistics Conference

July 16, 2026 | 9:00AM | VSMMC Auditorium

·       THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CENTRAL VISAYAS CENTER FOR HEALTH DEVELOPMENT,

·       THE DEPARTMENT OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY OF VICENTE SOTTO MEMORIAL MEDICAL CENTER LED BY DR. MARY BETH NICHELLE DE LOS SANTOS,

·       REPRESENTATIVES FROM OUR PARTNER HOSPITALS AND HEALTHCARE FACILITIES,

·       COLLEAGUES, GUESTS, FRIENDS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, GOOD MORNING.

·       WE GATHER NOT AS SPECTATORS OF NUMBERS BUT AS STEWARDS OF LIVES.

·       EVERY DATA POINT ON OUR DASHBOARDS REPRESENTS A MOTHER WHOSE FUTURE CAN BE DIFFERENT, A NEWBORN WHOSE FIRST BREATH CAN BE SAFER.

·       WHEN WE TREAT STATISTICS AS STORIES AND CHARTS AS CALLS TO ACTION, WE TURN MEASUREMENT INTO MOMENTUM.

·       LEADERS IN PERINATAL QUALITY HAVE REMINDED US THAT PROGRESS DEPENDS ON THREE THINGS: RIGOROUS DATA, STRONGER PARTNERSHIPS, AND RAPID TRANSLATION OF EVIDENCE INTO PRACTICE.

·       THESE ARE NOT ABSTRACT IDEALS — THEY ARE THE PRACTICAL LEVERS THAT MOVE MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY CURVES DOWNWARD.

·       RECENT GATHERINGS IN OUR FIELD HAVE EMPHASIZED NAVIGATING FORWARD THROUGH DATA-DRIVEN INNOVATION AND COLLECTIVE ACTION TO SCALE PROVEN INTERVENTIONS.

·       SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR US, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW?

·       MEASURE WITH PURPOSE.

·       LET EVERY INDICATOR WE TRACK BE TIED TO AN INTERVENTION WE CAN IMPLEMENT, EVALUATE, AND IMPROVE.

·       SHARE WITH HUMILITY.

·       OPEN DATA AND SHARED LEARNING ACCELERATE SOLUTIONS; YOUR LESSONS LEARNED ARE SOMEONE ELSE’S BREAKTHROUGH.

·       ACT WITH URGENCY.

·       EVIDENCE WITHOUT IMPLEMENTATION IS A MISSED OPPORTUNITY; SCALE WHAT WORKS AND STOP WHAT DOESN’T.

·       WE ALSO FACE HARD REALITIES: CONSTRAINED FINANCING, WORKFORCE STRAIN, AND PERSISTENT INEQUITIES THAT SHAPE OUTCOMES LONG BEFORE A WOMAN REACHES A CLINIC.

·       THE GLOBAL CONVERSATION HAS SHIFTED FROM COMMITMENTS TO IMPLEMENTATION, URGING STRONGER DOMESTIC INVESTMENT AND PRACTICAL, CONTEXT‑SENSITIVE SOLUTIONS.

·       OUR STATISTICS MUST THEREFORE INFORM POLICY AND FINANCING DECISIONS AS MUCH AS CLINICAL PRACTICE.

·       TODAY, LET US CHALLENGE ONE ANOTHER TO MAKE THREE CONCRETE PROMISES:

·       ONE DATASET WE WILL CLEAN AND PUBLISH THIS QUARTER SO PARTNERS CAN ACT ON IT.

·       ONE COLLABORATION WE WILL START OR DEEPEN—WITH COMMUNITY LEADERS, DATA SCIENTISTS, OR POLICYMAKERS—TO TRANSLATE NUMBERS INTO PROGRAMS.

·       ONE SMALL, MEASURABLE CHANGE WE WILL TEST IN THE NEXT 90 DAYS AND REPORT BACK AT OUR NEXT MEETING.

·       IF WE KEEP THESE PROMISES, OUR NEXT CONFERENCE WILL BE DIFFERENT NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE SLIDES, BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE FEWER PREVENTABLE TRAGEDIES.

·       LET OUR WORK BE DEFINED BY THE LIVES IMPROVED, NOT THE PAGES OF OUR REPORTS.

·       IN CLOSING: LET US BE BRAVE WITH OUR DATA, GENEROUS WITH OUR LEARNING, AND RELENTLESS IN OUR FOLLOW‑THROUGH.

·       WE HAVE THE TOOLS, THE EVIDENCE, AND THE SHARED WILL—NOW LET US CONVERT STATISTICS INTO SUSTAINED, EQUITABLE SURVIVAL AND THRIVING FOR MOTHERS AND NEWBORNS.

·       WE ARE ALWAYS STANDING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER WITH OUR COLLEAGUES IN THIS ROOM BECAUSE WE BELIEVE IN OUR COLLECTIVE STRENGTH.

·       WE UNDERTAKE THESE ENDEAVORS SUCH AS TODAY KAY DINHI SA SOTTO, KALIDAD NGA SERBISYO, AMONG GARBO.

·       THANK YOU AND PLEASE ENJOY THE REST OF THE DAY.

PATH TO ZERO: Harmonizing Triple Elimination Strategies for HIV, Hepatitis B and Syphilis