Negrense Francis Ryan Pabiania, from Isabela town, was among the 14 health advocates across the Philippines recently recognized as Outstanding Volunteers by the Volunteer Youth Leaders for Health (VYLH) Philippines.
The awarding rites, held Sept. 29 at Nature’s Village Resort in Talisay City, honored the awardees’ significant contributions in promoting and advancing the organization’s mission and network for a healthier Philippines.
VYLH is a network of young leaders in the Philippines that mobilizes youth for various health promotion initiatives, particularly in newborn screening.
The organization was formally established through the collaborative efforts of the Institute of Human Genetics of the National Institutes of Health-University of the Philippines Manila, the Department of Health, and The UPLB Genetics Society, a student organization from the University of the Philippines Los Baños.
With Pabiania at the awarding ceremony were Marielle Buscato and Dr. Barbra Charina Cavan, vice president for Visayas and Visayas cluster adviser of VYLH-Philippines, respectively; Florence May Deaño, newborn screening nurse coordinator of the DOH Western Visayas-Center for Health Development; nurse Aster Lynn Sur of the National Institutes of Health-Institutes of Human Genetics; and nurse Maricor Sarmiento, program manager of the Newborn Screening Center Visayas.
Pabiania, in a post Oct. 6, thanked the VYLH Philippines, the DOH, and the Newborn Screening Center Visayas for the recognition, and dedicated the award to his mother and sister, and everyone who has supported him. ||
