Global Health
Planetary and Global Health Program
Planetary and global health is about taking care of people you don’t know and places you can’t see,
but you know they were there and were special, just like you and me.
To realize the vision of becoming “global by 2030,” the St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine-William H. Quasha Memorial launches in 2020 its new Planetary and Global Health Program.
Planetary health and global health are two related paradigms that underpin today’s health challenges in the Philippines and around the world. Planetary health refers to the integrated vision for the advancement of health of both people and the planet. Global health is a philosophy of health that acknowledges the global interconnectedness of health in the 21st century – its challenges, outcomes, drivers, and solutions. In planetary and global health, our patients are not just individuals, but also communities, countries, global society, and the entire planet.
Our vision is to become a leading center of planetary and global health education, research, and translation in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia by 2030. We will leverage on our College’s 26 years of leadership and professionalism in medical education and our hospital system’s more than a century of world class excellence in quality healthcare.
The St. Luke’s Planetary and Global Health Program comprises of three arms: Global Health Academy, which is the platform for education and training; Global Health Innovation Lab, which is the space for collaborative research, innovation, and entrepreneurship; and the Global Health Forum, which is the nerve center for knowledge translation into policy and practice through advocacy and community engagement.
Connected to the world
Caring for people & planet
Committed to the future
Ramon Lorenzo Luis (Renzo) R. Guinto, MD DrPH is Associate Professor of the Practice of Global Public Health and Inaugural Director of the Planetary and Global Health Program of the St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine-William H. Quasha Memorial. He is also the Chief Planetary Doctor of PH Lab – a “glo-cal think-and-do tank” for advancing the health of both people and the planet.
An Obama Foundation Asia-Pacific Leader and Aspen Institute New Voices Fellow, Renzo is member of several groups including: Lancet–Chatham House Commission on Improving Population Health post COVID-19 based at the University of Cambridge; Editorial Advisory Board of The Lancet Planetary Health; Advisory Board of Global Health 50/50 based at University College London; Forum on Climate Change and Health of the World Innovation Summit for Health in Qatar; and Lancet One Health Commission based at the University of Oslo. He has served as consultant for various organizations including: World Health Organization; World Bank; USAID; International Organization for Migration; and Philippine Department of Health. Renzo obtained his Doctor of Public Health from Harvard University and Doctor of Medicine from the University of the Philippines Manila. He has traveled to and lectured in nearly 50 countries; published more than 100 articles in scientific journals, books, and popular media; and directed and produced short films that communicate the message of planetary healing to the world.
The St. Luke’s Global Health Academy is the educational arm of the College’s Planetary and Global Health Program. Educational programs that are planned to be offered include: global health modules and electives for Doctor of Medicine and Master of Science in Molecular Medicine students; short, certificate, and executive courses for professionals and researchers; research and visiting fellowships; and a future Master of Global Health program.
In July 2020, the Program launched a new Global Health Elective. This new elective introduces the paradigm of global health to junior and senior interns and allows them to apply global health concepts, frameworks, and skills to analyze and attempt to solve a global health problem related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The four-week elective adopts a 4-D sequence through which students discover the global health thinking hat, diagnose a global health problem, design a global health solution, and drive positive change in global health. This year, 22 junior and senior interns attended the elective and developed nine research projects on a wide array of topics ranging from PPE pollution and migrant health to ‘infodemics’ and mental health.
In 2022, the St. Luke’s Global Health Academy will be offering short courses and executive programs on different global health topics to be delivered by faculty from the Philippines and around the world. Visit the website in late 2021 for updates. Stay tuned!
FACULTY
Ramon Lorenzo Luis (Renzo) R. Guinto, MD DrPH
Associate Professor of the Practice of Global Public Health and Inaugural Director of the Planetary and Global Health Program
Susan Pelea-Nagtalon, MD, MSPH
Dean and Chief Academic Officer
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Malaya Pimentel-Santos, MD, MPH&TM
Professor 2
Associate Dean and Head, Medical Education Unit
Jake Bryan S. Cortez, MD
Associate Professor, Department of Preventive and Community Medicine
Curriculum Innovations Consultant, Medical Education Unit
Heidi L. Sampang, MD MGH
Adjunct Associate Professor, Planetary and Global Health Program
RESEARCHERS
Mara Ysabella M. de los Santos, MA
Research Associate, Planetary Health
Marianne K. Bongcac
Research Assistant, Planetary Health
Carlo A. Limbo, MS
Research Assistant, Global Health Education
Senior Research Technologist, Office for Research Affairs
Rafael Jairah D. Matoy, Jr., MPH, RN
Research Fellow, Implementation Science
Michael B. Salise, MHSS, RND
Research Associate, Implementation Science
STAFF
Mary-Joy A. Brieva
Technical Associate, Planetary and Global Health Program
Administrative Assistant, Medical Education Unit
Charisma D. Cabus, RL
Technical Associate, Planetary and Global Health Program
Librarian I, SLMCCM-WHQM Medical Library
Lourdes D. Elbambo
Technical Associate, Planetary and Global Health Program
Library Staff, SLMCCM-WHQM Medical Library
Global Health Track of the Service Learning Elective (Academic Year 2020-2021)
Cohort 1 (Junior Interns)
Santos, Paula
Tumpalan, Jeriel Jon
Cohort 2 (Senior Interns)
Ona, Gerard Anne April M.
Tanaka, Princess Maureen D.
Cohort 3 (Junior Interns)
Andal, Denise B.
Baltazar, Jamiepritz D.
Casiwan, Claisyl B.
Cunanan, Dianne J.
Daluz, Lennie Jean R.
Cohort 4 (Senior Interns)
Matibag, Kristine Bernadette M.
Paitan, Danielle Rose E.
Cohort 5 (Junior Interns)
De Jesus, Alejandro Martin A.
Domingo, Christian Jay M.
Fuentes, Michelle Joy C.
Guevara, Joan Rezza B.
Ignacio, Richelle Angelika E.
Cohort 6 (Senior Interns)
Diangkinay, Arianna P.
Hanrahan, John Lorenzo
Cohort 7 (Junior Interns)
Mabunay, Mary Deo Luigi J.
Olea, Abbie Grace M.
Cohort 8 (Senior Interns)
Agapito, Mary Eunice D.
Avila, Theo Erl E.
St. Luke’s Global Health Community
YL1
Josh Cahatol
Pamela Dela Cruz
John Labilles
Patricia Felise Perez
YL2
Diana Christine Rei Caga
Sophia II Colendrino
Katrina Feliciano
Kris Yvan Ma-ri Lazaro
Gregoria Ysabel Oracion
Anna Flora Natividad Salazar
Local Institutions
International Institutions
