Beginning with the crisis response

With the mobility restrictions brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, community-based rehabilitation (CBR) services also had to shift modality. The paper 鈥淐ommunity-based rehabilitation in the time of pandemic: Experiences of parents of children with disability鈥� (co-authored by BS Occupational Therapy students Balangue, Chua, Ilagan, Juan, Labaco, and Noh, and academic staff Asst. Prof. Karen S. Sagun) conducted focus groups with parents whose children received CBR and found that they saw the potential of telecoaching to continue availing services, provided that the digital divide and initial doubt on technology can be overcome.

Building on the previous year鈥檚 focus groups, a second study was conducted a year later, focused this time on access of low-income households to community-based telerehabilitation. The paper 鈥淓xploring the accessibility of community-based telerehabilitation for children with disabilities from low-income households鈥� was co-authored by BSOT students Ryanne Nicole H. Alava, Kristine Therese S. Cablay, Katelyn A. Dagdag, Francis Rowelle P. Lagman, Kvaern Edgar S. Nocos, Jamela Y. Quidilla, Nina Mari M. Tan, along with Sagun. It was recently published in the International Journal of Telerehabilitation (Volume 16, Issue 2).

The second study found the need to provide a comprehensive approach to helping low-income households overcome access issues. In particular, affordable technology, family support, and policy advocacy must be provided by a combination of stakeholders: healthcare professionals, policy makers, and family beneficiaries. If the needed support is provided, technological competency and service delivery flexibility as well as telerehabiltation sustainability may be attained.

Transitioning to the blended modality

It was not only classes that transitioned to the blended delivery, as CBR for indigent children with disabilities (CWD) also eventually adopted the blended mode. Dubbed Flexicoaching, the QC Kabahagi Center鈥檚 CBR program was tested for its effectiveness using a quasi-experimental research design that delved into retrospective records review. This the third study conducted by Thomasian researchers, this time by Sagun, along with students Balloon, Defi帽o, Guerrero, Managuelod, Oliva, and Ri帽oza in 2024. The paper, entitled 鈥淓xamining the caregiver鈥檚 perception of occupational performance and satisfaction in community-based rehabilitation using blended online and onsite therapy,鈥� found primary caregivers鈥� perceived occupation performance and CWDs鈥� satisfaction were positive in a blended modality. The program enhanced 鈥渟ocial and educational participation, validating its potential as a sustainable service delivery model for children with disabilities in urban poor communities.鈥�

Scaling the efforts

The fourth paper, entitled 鈥淓ffectiveness of community-based flexicoaching from low socioeconomic background using goal attainment scaling, used pre-test and post-design for the quasi-experimental study alongside the Goal Attainment Scale to measure intervention success for CWDs. The Flexicoaching program was found potentially valuable not just for occupational therapists, but also for physical therapists, and speech therapists, after validating remarkable effectiveness among 88.67% of the participants, who were part of the 406 cases reviewed.

According to QC Kabahagi Center Director and Department of Occupational Therapy academic staff Asst. Prof. Karen S. Sagun, MSOT, MRS, 鈥渢he partnership between UST and QC Government through the Kabahagi Center exemplifies how academe-government collaboration can advance multiple Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in health, education, and reducing inequalities.鈥� The findings of the four studies provided informed evidence-based rehabilitation services that have been made accessible to urban poor communities and thus addressed social disparities.

Sagun added that while the collaboration began as a crisis response by BS Occupational Therapy students to see the effectiveness of Flexicoaching, the partnership has now shown 鈥渃ontinuous development of community-tailored rehabilitation approaches.鈥�

The GCARSIH award, which looked into Filipino-developed programs that targeted an identified priority health need of a community, fetes transformative partnerships that help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals through integrated local governance, health innovation, and academic excellence. Among the selection criteria used were degree of innovativeness, significance, potential for further research and scale, inclusiveness, effectiveness, affordability, and participatory and co-owned nature.

Sagun acknowledged the invaluable support of Quezon City Mayor Hon. Ma. Josefina Belmonte, the QC Kabahagi center staff, UST College of Rehabilitation Sciences Dean Anne Marie C. Asron and Faculty of Medicine and Surgery Dean Ma. Lourdes D. Maglinao, along with the units鈥� officials, academic staff, researchers, and students. Sagun added: 鈥淭his recognition honors the power of collective innovation in healthcare delivery. From dedicated frontline workers of the government to academic partners and the participatory leadership of the city, each stakeholder has contributed to building a sustainable model of inclusive, community-based rehabilitation services. The partnership has become a launchpad for healthcare innovations while nurturing generations of professionals deeply committed to serving vulnerable communities.鈥�

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Faculty of Medicine and Surgery Assistant Dean Prof. Remedios D. Chan, MD, MHPEd, said in her message that the collaboration of the three academic units aimed to produce groundbreaking research works that push the boundaries of knowledge in hopes of paving the way to real-life solutions to society in the field of health sciences.

“When we combine our diverse perspectives and expertise, we are unlocking new possibilities and accelerating discovery,” Dr. Chan said.

RCHS is the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery’s research arm that envisioned itself as a hub for interdisciplinary, collaborative, and socially relevant research in medical education.

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Academic researchers Prof. Agnes Llamasares-Castillo, PhD, Prof. Ross D. Vasquez, PhD, Assoc. Prof. Oliver B. Villaflores, PhD, all from the Faculty of Pharmacy and the Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences, joined co-researchers from Singapore鈥檚 DELIGHTEX PTE LTD., namely Yutaka Kuroki, Aya Wada, Xinyi Zhu, and UST research assistants Kyle Andrei Cabatit, Jonah Joshua Garcia, and Janelan Martin.

The researchers were able to find thirty-nine plants with sleep-enhancing activities, such as Lactuca sativa, Nelumbo nucifera, and Ziziphus jujuba. The authors found that these plants 鈥渄emonstrated consistent efficacy in improving sleep quality through interactions with the GABAergic system.鈥� Though thirty-nine plants were identified in the reviewed studies, the researchers caution that 鈥渕ost studies are still preliminary, with the molecular mechanisms behind their sleep-enhancing effects remaining inconclusive.鈥�

The researchers published on February 27, 2025 the review entitled 鈥溾�� in Phytomedicine Plus, indexed in Elsevier. The study is in line with phase 1 of the project funded by Singapore’s DELIGHTEX PTE LTD.

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The authors indicated that occupational therapy in the Philippine has usually revolved around the four previously mentioned areas. Using cases personally witnessed by the authors, the authors pointed out the 鈥渄rivers that have influenced (and that continue to influence) the current state and future direction of occupational therapy practice in these practice areas.鈥� The authors concluded with mitigation measures to address the threats.

Uy and Guerrero are among the early faculty members of the Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy program in UST, which first offered it in the late 1990s. Her research interests include occupational therapy education and older adult patients. Meanwhile, Espino is among the early graduates of UST鈥檚 BS OT program in 2003. She is also among the first graduates of the new research-focused Doctor of Philosophy in Health Research program of the UST Graduate School. Her area of expertise is on child well-being, screen time, and play.

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Dr. Papa, who leads the three-year project which began in July 2024, said that the project aims to 鈥渋solate bacteriophages infecting various clinical strains of A. baumanni collected from different hospitals and to produce a working prototype of phage formulation鈥攃omposed of characterized bacteriophages that show high viability for therapeutic use.鈥� In particular, the study aims at potential intravenous administration of the treatment using bacteriophages, which are a group of viruses aimed at targeting bacteria.

So far, the team has collaborated with ARSP sentinel sites and tertiary hospitals to collect water samples and doing enrichment set-ups and testing the filtrates. The team also procured necessary equipment, which will be transferred soon to the UST-Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center in Santa Rosa, Laguna.

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The study examines the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies with healthcare, offering a unique perspective rooted in Catholic ethical principles, underscoring the need for AI to improve healthcare outcomes while safeguarding human dignity as well as the integrity and autonomy of medical practice.

In exploring how AI technologies such as machine learning and natural language processing are reshaping healthcare, the article tackles critical concerns such as data privacy, algorithmic biases, transparency, and the moral responsibilities of AI developers and healthcare practitioners. It also emphasizes the importance of preserving patient autonomy and informed consent. Drawing inspiration from Catholic teachings, the authors advocate for a patient-centered vision of care which can be applied in various areas of healthcare practice such as disease diagnosis, personalized treatment planning, robotic-assisted surgeries, and sophisticated health data management.

The article invites healthcare professionals, AI developers, and policymakers to collaborate on creating inclusive, equitable AI healthcare systems that respect the irreplaceable value of every individual person. The authors assert “The Catholic Church鈥檚 core tenet is that all people are endowed with intrinsic dignity by being born in God鈥檚 image and likeness. Therefore, healthcare AI should be developed and implemented in light of this notion. AI systems created with human dignity in mind would meet the demands placed by patients without treating them as less than data points or algorithms.”

The full article is available online in Journal of Religion & Health. To learn more, visit

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The study, co-authored by fr. Austriaco with Mary Chelsea E. Diego and Red Lazaro of the Department of Biological Sciences, Angus White of Providence College – USA, and Allan Paola L. Almajose of the Department of Chemical Engineering, adapted a susceptible-infected-recovered model to help vaccinators administer the needed COVID-19 deterrent and arrest the spread of the disease. The model targeted the National Capital Region as the main focus area of widespread vaccine distribution to mitigate viral transmission, which was high in the capital, while the rest of the archipelago can first focus on medical frontliners, senior citizens, and adults with comorbidities.

The study, entitled 鈥�,鈥� was published in the Philippine Journal of Science and helped the Philippine government in distributing limited vaccine supply to the sectors who needed it most.

The NRCP Gabay Award is given annually to active NRCP members whose research works have resulted or translated to adopted technologies and policies; or have informed local and national policy-making.

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The discussion, moderated by Professor Linfa Wang of Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School and Dr. Lee Fok Kay of Temasek Foundation, Singapore, delved into what it takes to be ready for the next pandemic. Bergantin and her co-panelists stressed the importance of convincing governments and leaders of the ASEAN groups that the knowledge base gained during the COVID-19 pandemic is a vital resource worth sharing to the general public. Bergantin recalled the collaboration between the government and professional associations during the pandemic. A case in point was the preparation of COVID-19 guidelines prepared by the Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, whose inputs helped craft policies during the onslaught of the dreaded virus.

The panel included Indonesia鈥檚 Dr. Darmawali Handoko, Medical Services Deputy Director Prof. Derrick Heng, Thailand鈥檚 Mahidol University Prof. Prassert Auewarakul, and Malaysia鈥檚 Tropical Diseases Research and Education Center Executive Director Prof. Dr. Sazaly bin Abu Bakar.

Bergantin also added that a sound pandemic preparedness policy requires the participation of not just scientists and government leaders, but also economists, vulnerable groups, and community members. In an interview with the Communications Bureau, Bergantin said that: 鈥淚 am just thankful that aside from teaching, I have been included in various clinical practice guideline creation and health technology assessment thus I have first hand experience in policy-making (recommendation), which I have just realized when I was asked to join the panel. I may not hold a degree in public health but working for the Filipinos in my capacity from the academe, together with other specialists from UST who are regularly consulted by the government based on their expertise, the Thomasian spirit of competence, compassion and commitment truly burns bright.鈥�

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Bergantin joined fellow doctors and healthcare professionals in the UST Hospital to save lives amidst the strictest of mobility restrictions. Look at her COVID-19-focused interview with the Communications Bureau here: 

The congress drew over 300 onsite participants and was supported by Temasek Foundation, Singapore.

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This newly published article explores the profound physical and mental suffering endured by COVID-19 patients, contextualized through the spiritual framework of Pope John Paul II’s Salvifici Doloris. The authors examine the intersection of health challenges and spiritual reflection, offering insights into how patients navigated the pandemic’s difficulties by finding redemptive meaning in their experiences. The study emphasizes the importance of pastoral care and the transformative power of suffering when viewed through the lens of Christ鈥檚 own redemptive suffering.

Drawing from medical journals and patient testimonies, it highlights how individuals framed their suffering as divine retribution or punishment. However, through the theological lens of Pope John Paul II’s Salvifici Doloris, the authors propose that suffering can be understood as redemptive鈥攁n invitation to participate in Christ鈥檚 own sufferings, offering a path to spiritual conversion and healing. The study also underscores the importance of providing holistic pastoral care, addressing not only the physical and psychological needs of COVID-19 patients but also their spiritual well-being. Using Pope John XXIII’s See-Judge-Act methodology, the paper calls for an approach to care that integrates medical treatment with spiritual and emotional support, encouraging deeper engagement with the redemptive possibilities of suffering.

This reflective examination provides a unique theological and spiritual perspective on the unprecedented health crisis caused by COVID-19. It contributes to ongoing discussions about the role of faith in times of suffering and encourages deeper engagement with the redemptive potential of human suffering. The article calls for more integrated pastoral care that respects the complexity of physical, psychological, and spiritual pain during illness.

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Leading the new batch of Thomasian licensed physicians are:

#2 – Dr. Rolter Lorenz M. Lee – 89.25%

#5 – Dr. Kiel Christian D. Alday – 88.83%

#10 – Dr. Chelseah Denise H. Torres – 87.67%

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