In "Pinay's Ciudad: GMEA 2016 Mindanao FINALIST

It is always so interesting for me to be experiencing things outside of my original passion which is MEDICINE! 

Thus, being a GMEA 2016 FINALIST for SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR as a BLOGGER and part of the TOP THREE and joining this for the first time is (personally) indeed amazing!  

And more amazing since the Winner for the same category, Davao Eagle Online is an internet publication and a community blog!

Congratulations most especially to ULYSSES JOHN ALMOCERA, Finalist for Blogger of the Year, also from Zamboanga City!

I think it is the first time for Zamboanga City to join GMEA and UJ and I are the ONLY finalists from Zamboanga City... and both of us from the Social Media Division.

Being part of the GMEA 2016 shortlist (89 out of 444) is an honor in itself and thus, I would like to congratulate my friends, RG Antonet Go and to the many reporters in E-Media, Rey Bayoging, Gil Climaco, Frederick Atilano, Gino Torres, Jonathan Jalon and Joe Rebollos for their very worthwhile entries!

 It is great to meet other Zamboanga delegates there, with Edgardo Lorenzo Vano (Judge), Jose Maria "Bong" Bue (Screener) and UJ Amocera. Nice to know you, Rod Acuzar..... till we meet again!

Zamboanga Team, Judge Ed Vano, Screener Jose Maria Bue, Finalist UJ Almocera, friends Rod Acuzar and Leizel De Sosa,  together with PR Works, Mafe and Van!

And to PR Works: Doris Mongaya, Mafe Barcelo and Van Minoza, thanks for the invitation to join GMEA 2016 and the coordination and the new friendship!

I had this photo with Globe's SVP for Corporate Communications, Ms. Yoly Crisanta.

And so glad to meet again, Ms. Kiss Basillote Ekong of GLOBE Southern Mindanao! 

Plus the presence of CITO BELTRAN as special guest and keynote speaker with his very inspiring speech!

The GMEA 2016 is dedicated to Ciudad Medical Zamboanga (and the whole CMZ workforce) since this institution has given me so many reasons to share a story, with all the innovative initiatives we have, especially, the CMZ BRA Campaign Project plus the CMZ STEPH and so many other activities! As we continue to serve, there will be more tales to tell.

Attending the GMEA 2016 Awards night is an eye-opener, a venue to meet new friends and a happy learning experience... a look into a different world!

Thanks to Leizel De Sosa for being there and for being my photographer!

Congratulations to all the GLOBE MEDIA EXCELLENCE AWARDS winners from the SHORTLIST to the FINALISTS and to those who bagged the TOP SPOT!

P.S. I never realized how much I love telling stories and writing until 2011 when Charm Dalguntas, CMZ FO and Juvee Calica, CMZ HR​ urged me to start blogging... with all hesitation! Now, the rest is history.

Again, I would like to thank all my teachers in STC Cebu and UP College Cebu for teaching us ENGLISH and communication very well...  it all started there!!!

January 1, 2016 Blessing 4: CMZ BRA Christmas Tree

Blessing 4: CMZ BRA Christmas Tree

Thanks so much to ALL who took the time and effort to LIKE the CMZ B.R.A. (Bra to Raise Awareness) Christmas Tree at the Robinsons Galleria Facebook Page amidst the Christmas and new Year high!

We appreciate this so much!! And more so, for our dear friends who took the Time for their selfies with the BRA Tree! We are so touched and we pray for abundance of blessings for YOU and YOUR LOVE ONES as we journey through 2016!!! 

January 1, 2016 Blessing 3: CMZ RADIOLOGY

Blessing No. 3: CMZ RADIOLOGY

It is a blessing that even when the workforce is on duty on New Year's Day, they find ways to make their duty hours happy!

... with lots of food as shared by everyone!

... with camaraderie ... and lots of love!

... with music (or should I say noise?), too !

... AND THE SERVICE GOES ON !!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

New Year's Eve: Blessing 1 CMZ ER

Blessing No. 1: CMZ Emergency Room

The blessing of my family as we spent New Year's Eve until New Year morning at the Ciudad Medical Zamboanga Emergency Room for "service to humanity"!

Thanks to these beautiful and competent Emergency Room people who made the duty "fun" and with a little less stress!

And these are the ER guys who came the next day to continue the love!

 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

CMZ BRA ART 4: B.R.A.LENTINE WALL @ FEBRUARY 2015

Ciudad Medical Zamboanga's fourth CMZ BRA ART created for the CMZ B.R.A. (Bra to Raise Awareness) Campaign Project is the the CMZ B.R.A. (Bra to Raise Awareness) lentine Wall and Photo Booth!

with the Ateneo De Zamboanga's Psych Students in CMZ: on Valentins's Day after distributing the goodies for all patients! 

It is now Valentine's month and Valentine's Day being a festive and happy season was an ideal time for another BRA Art Project!

Thanks to Ms. Cristina Bolo and Ms. Charlene Francisco who spearheaded the creation of the BRA Heart together with the CMZ Maintenance Team and the CMZ Radiology Team, upon the instruction of the CMZ BRA Campaign Project Head, Dr. Filipinas Rojo!
Here are scenes from the making of the BRA Heart!

January 2015: AO Ruby Puzon and Cristina segregating the pink bras

Tin and Cha gluing the bras in place

RG Antonet was there while we were making this!

And of course, the first BRAlentine selfie!

This CMZ B.R.A.lentine Wall was put up at the front parking lot of Ciudad Medical Zamboanga close to the Pharmacy from February 1 to 28, 2015. 

The CMZ B.R.A.lentine Wall and Photo Booth was a very happy scene although others were a bit shy to have their selfies there!

For Valentine's Month 2015:

Give your LOVE the gift of wellness... Give her an Annual Breast Exam! 
Love your breasts, Have them checked!!
Have a Selfie or a Groufie at this Photo Booth and win prizes by visiting the CMZ Breast Wellness Center!!!

Have you thought of these things, too?
A healthy lifestyle decreases the risk of Breast Cancer!

CMZ Breast Wellness slogan for 2012-2013:m

Have you been checked?

CMZ Breast Wellness slogan for 2014:

Love Your Breasts

Have Them Checked!

CMZ B.R.A. Campaign Project slogan:

Bra to Raise Awareness Campaign

The Awareness starts with us!

CMZ BRA ART 2: CMZ B.R.A. VINTA

Ciudad Medical Zamboanga's second CMZ BRA ART created for the CMZ B.R.A. (Bra to Raise Awareness) Campaign Project is the the CMZ B.R.A. (Bra to Raise Awareness) VINTA!

Unveiling of the B.R.A. Vinta with City Councilor, Myra Paz Abubakar and the CMZ Execom... see the lighted CIUDAD BREAST at the background .

It was Fiesta Pilar as well as Breast Cancer Awareness month! It dawned to us, of course, there should be a B.R.A. Vinta as the vinta is considered as Zamboanga City's icon!

Thanks to Ms. Cristina Bolo who spearheaded the creation of the BRA Vinta together with the CMZ Maintenance Team and the CMZ Radiology Team, upon the instruction of the CMZ BRA Campaign Project Head, Dr. Filipinas Rojo!

This B.R.A. VINTA installation art was unveiled at the Paseo Del Mar during the CMZ BREAST WELLNESS FAIR last October 28, 2014 by City Councilor, Hon. Myra Paz Abubakar and the CMZ Execom, headed by Chairman Edwin To and President Joven Monsanto. The BRA Vinta stayed at the Paseo Del Mar from October 2014 to January 2015. Due to the open air at the Paseo Del Mar, the sail of the vinta is sometimes hit by the wind.

The B.R.A. Vinta was moved to the E-Media Productions Building at Divisoria, Zamboanga City from January 16, 2015 to June 30,  2015 just before the launching of the CMZ BRAngay Project which is an offshoot of the CMZ BRA Campaign Project in relation to the education part of the campaign!

Last March, the vinta colours are now darker
after a second coat of more vivid spray paint.

B.R.A. (Bra to Raise Awareness) Vinta of the CMZ BRA Campaign Project is now at the E-Media at Divisoria as it reaches out to the barangays. E-Media is one of our main partners and supporters for the CMZ BRAngay Project.

The B.R.A. Vinta marks the barangays in Zamboanga City and a symbol of our CMZ BRAngay project meaning BReast Awareness for Neighborhoods, Groups, Associations and the Youth.

Have you thought of these things, too?
A healthy lifestyle decreases the risk of Breast Cancer!

CMZ Breast Wellness slogan for 2012-2013:m

Have you been checked?

CMZ Breast Wellness slogan for 2014:

Love Your Breasts

Have Them Checked!

CMZ B.R.A. Campaign Project slogan:

Bra to Raise Awareness Campaign

The Awareness starts with us!

CMZ BRA ART 1: CIUDAD B.R.E.A.S.T. INSTALLATION ART

Ciudad Medical Zamboanga's first Installation Art created for the CMZ B.R.A. (Bra to Raise Awareness) Campaign Project is the Ciudad De Zamboanga B.R.E.A.S.T. (Bra to Raise Early Awareness for Screening and Treatment) Installation Art.

CIUDAD B.R.E.A.S.T as conceptualized by Rameer Tawasil and
the individual bras are made by CMZ workforce and
partners and friends from the Zamboanga City community!

The size of the giant bra installation art was 16 feet width x 8 feet depth x 14 feet height. 

During the transfer of the Ciudad BREAST to Paseo Del Mar!

See this to appreciate the size!

On the little posts are Advocacy words on Breast Cancer Awareness!

putting up the larger posters of the CMZ B.R.A. (Bra to Raise Awareness) Campaign Project!

The Ciudad BREAST was on display at the front parking of Ciudad Medical Zamboanga from March 21, 2014 to May 13, 2014 and moved to Zamboanga City's main public park, Paseo Del Mar from May 14, 2015 to February 7, 2015!

Rameer Tawasil conceptualized the idea as we (Rameer, Dante Corteza and Dr. Filipinas Rojo) were discussing about Art in advocacy during the judging of the CMZ Art Contest on SOCIAL HEALING after the Zamboanga siege in 2013.

The use of Bra is indeed a novel idea and jokingly, I told Rameer, "The policemen might arrest us!" 

We also floated the idea to our staunch Breast Wellness supporter, Hon. Myra Paz Abubakar, Zamboanga City Councilor and she said, "We might need a consultative meeting with women's groups and religious groups."

There were skeptical comments when we started such as "Women would never give up their bras up to the time they are tattered."

But I was so excited with the idea and so decided to make a GO of this initiative, although, really wondering how we can come up with this Installation Art.
... how to gather so many bras for the artwork?
... who would give bras?

BUT, this is what the Philippine Quality Award calls INNOVATION!
I always wondered how we can ever come up with something innovative... and, if there is such a thing!
When this came up, I knew "THIS IS IT!"

So much has happened since our early discussions on how to use bras in our Advocacy for Breast Cancer Awareness and coming up with more Installation Art with the help of our own staff and contributions from the Zamboanga City community and our friends from abroad is really heartwarming!

Thank you so much to the City Government of Zamboanga for allowing us to present the Ciudad BREAST to the Zamboanga City community and the visitors for 9 months! You really helped us in our Breast Wellness and Breast Cancer Awareness advocacy! 

I remember a middle aged woman commenting, "This is such an insult to womanhood!" (Insulto ito sa kababaihan! in Filipino).
Fortunately, our maintenance guy was there fixing the Art and was brave enough to share that this Artwork represents advocacy in Breast Cancer Awareness and he showed her the little Infographics (posters) which she read... then, she asked, "Can we still give Bras?"

This is just the beginning but the campaign is growing and hopefully, very soon, we may touch more and more women in Zamboanga City!!!

NOTE: An installation art is a temporary 3D art structure and artist, Rameer Tawasil (main artist) was expecting it to stay at the Paseo Del Mar for about 2-3 months... so 9 months is really awesome!!!


Have you thought of these things, too?
A healthy lifestyle decreases the risk of Breast Cancer!

CMZ Breast Wellness slogan for 2012-2013:

Have you been checked?

CMZ Breast Wellness slogan for 2014:

Love Your Breasts

Have Them Checked!

CMZ B.R.A. Campaign Project slogan:

Bra to Raise Awareness Campaign

The Awareness starts with us!

ZAMBOANGA CRISIS 2013: HASTA CUANDO

It is now Day 9...

It has been too long...

Everyone is asking "HASTA CUANDO?"





P.S. This unedited sunset was seen from the back part of Ciudad Medical Zamboanga on Day 2.

REBLOG: NO, I CAN'T ATTEND THE H.M.A. 2013 BANGKOK!

The Chief Executive Officer, the Medical Director and the Human Resource Manager in our institution are given the wonderful opportunity to attend the Hospital Management Asia 2013 in Bangkok!

However, with the ongoing Zamboanga Crisis, the inbound and outbound flights to and from Zamboanga City are cancelled for the past three days and including tomorrow... and indefinitely!

Though, we are so excited about the trip, it seems it really isn't meant to be!

We have been wondering why we couldn't leave... there must be a reason...BUT WHAT?

I thought that today would be a standstill... then, suddenly, we heard firing shots in the Canelar area, which sounded just as if it was at our backs. Interesting, that today is also September 11, better known as 9/11!

This definitely, created panic among the people in the hospital, who dropped down to the floor to take cover and also to the people in the area, who ran and sought temporary refuge in the hospital. 

A doctor commented: "Now I can absolutely relate to people living in Syria and iraq. Bombs exploding, rapid gunfire and helicopter flying just above us. God have mercy on us...".

Pres. Dr. Joven, CEO Atty. Jhi, CFO Charm, AO Ruby Puzon and HRM Juvee were around to facilitate things, though, I could imagine how hard they tried to keep their cool... and to try to keep the rest of the workforce and patients/relatives from panic!

Now, we understand why we couldn't leave...  we would have felt we abandoned CMZ...and... how heavy our hearts would be with what happened to Ciudad Medical Zamboanga today if we were far away!

 Very soon, it is the Feast of Our Lady of the Pillar, Zamboanga City's patroness...

With her intercession, we know the crisis would end very soon and Zamboanga City will continue to be blessed! 

Let us continue to pray for Zamboanga City!

REBLOG: CMZ SCENES ON THE DAYS OF THE ZAMBOANGA CRISIS SEPTEMBER 9, 2013

REBLOG from In Pinay's Footsteps
http://inpinaysfootsteps.blogspot.com/2013/09/cmz-scenes-on-days-of-zamboanga-crisis.html

I wrote this down because I strongly felt how my family and friends worried about us with all the news about the Zamboanga Crisis this September 9, 10 and still ongoing! 

My first message to reassure everyone went this way...

For our family and friends, don't worry about us...we are okay. However, Zamboanga City is not in a good situation and it enters our minds that there are some people around who want to divert the issue of the Pork Barrel scam and using ZC in the process! But yes, we do need prayers!!!

This message gathered about a 110 likes and about 50 comments. So, I felt I had to be more clear in what I meant by saying OKAY and so I shared this album in Facebook and indeed, I wrote the status in CAPITAL LETTERS... maybe, to emphasize how I felt and maybe, to express our heightened emotions at this time of adversity.

Sharing photos is my way of making visual "how okay we are"... but as my friend Mercy said, "stay safe. we worry about you just the same. everyone is praying".

My Facebook message goes this way:

FAMILY AND FRIENDS...THANK YOU FOR ALL THE PRAYERS AND THE CONCERN... I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THESE PHOTOS SO YOU KNOW HOW WE ARE. DON'T WORRY ABOUT US! ZAMBOANGA CITY, HOWEVER, IS NOT AS FORTUNATE WITH THE ONGOING CRISIS, WITH THE ENCOUNTERS, VICTIMS, EVACUEES, EVACUATED ZCMC (GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL MOVED TO THE WMSU GYM WHERE GEORGE IS ALSO SERVING!), NO BUSINESSES, NO FLIGHTS! THIS IS A DARK NIGHT FOR Z.C. BUT THIS IS MEANT TO PURIFY US (according to Sr. Mary) ... WE MAY NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS HAPPENING TO US, BUT I KNOW, THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING GREATER THAT WILL COME UPON US. AS EARLY AS NOW, CMZ LEADERS AND WORKFORCE HAVE EXUDED PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE AND THE VALUES THAT CMZ STANDS FOR... Competence... Integrity... Unity... Dynamism...  Accountability... Driven by Results!... AND WE ARE TOUCHED THAT MEGA-POSITIVE VIBES ARE FELT IN SUCH AN ULTRA-NEGATIVE SITUATION! LET US CONTINUE TO KEEP OUR FAITH... AND REMAIN UNITED FOR A UNITED ZAMBOANGA CITY!

The stream of photos and collages still show the Ciudad Medical Zamboanga family with beaming faces... apprehensive... but ever willing to serve... with preparations now ready to be put in action. 

Our only limitation is that the hospital census is already full in the first place! We can accommodate treatment for those who need immediate care, but we have a limitation to the possibility of admissions.

There are no gruesome pictures in this set. We are "far", but since Zamboanga City is small, far is just about a kilometer away! We are fortunate not to be in the center of things, but we worry for our staff who live in the areas concerned.

Senior Leaders (with President Dr. Joven Monsanto and CEO, Atty. Jhihann Hairun-Natividad at the helm)
Situation...Updates...Further planning...READY!!!

Calls flood in....

outside Emergency Room... as we provide service, scene needs to be safe! 

Because we have been preparing for so long ... we can afford to smile at the height of the crisis... we are ready!!!

At the lobby, everyone was listening intently to the LED TV...what is really happening in Zamboanga City? 

just outside the ER, healthcare staff and soldiers ...READY!!!

Emergency Room ...READY!!! Although, there were six injured in the early morning of the Zamboanga Crisis, the patients not related to the disaster still continue to come...

Triaging at the lobby... with our giraffe portable Siemens X-ray!

Radiology... READY!

CT and MRI ... READY!

Laboratory ... READY!

Intensive Care Unit...READY! One of the crisis victims is in ICU...

Wards ... READY!

OR/DR ... READY! 
If you think about it, our first admission (after the six injured) was a pregnant patient because she could not be accommodated at the government hospital which is located in the affected area!

Food is available to all the workforce, including the support staff and security forces! Thanks to Seafood House for being available considering the difficulty in resources the whole community is in...

Linen and laundry... ready!

Cardio-Pulmo, Security, Central Supply, Maintenance and Physicians... READY!

from afar... effect of the blast and fire in Sta. Barbara!

We thank the whole workforce and support staff for the competence, the positive attitude and the willingness to serve = = Execom!

I am proud of the Ciudad Medical Zamboanga family. We are ongoing with our efforts for the PQA and this, I believe is one of the reasons for the streamlined preparations and efforts. We hope we can further develop these and more so, sustain these for PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE!

P.S. 1
Inasmuch as we are fortunate in this side of the City, we feel for our brothers and sisters who are indeed suffering... the mental torture... the fear for the unknown... the emotional surge... the real physical injuries... the reality of danger...so much the loss! 

Especially, our own staff who live in these affected places, we have heard their plight of evacuating from their areas through the muddy fishponds and mangroves. We pray for their safety!

We also salute our colleagues and friends from the Zamboanga City Medical Center (ZCMC), (including Dr. George Rojo), who is in a most unusual situation since ZCMC's location is in the center of the skirmishes.

Never in our wildest thoughts could we imagine the evacuation of a very large institution, who we depend upon to take care of patients from mass casualties and in times of crisis.

Over a hundred patients are moved to the SATELLITE HOSPITAL at the Western Mindanao Medical Center (WMSU) gym! 

P.S. 2
So proud to hear CMZ Chairman, Mr. Edwin To in the radio for their support to the City Government as the representative of the Business Community.

P.S. 3
With this Crisis, the bid of CMZ for the PQA is even in jeopardy since who would want to come to Zamboanga City in this kind of security status! But, we are still hopeful that the circumstances improve very soon so things fall back in place and life goes back to normal!

We pray so hard that the Zamboanga Crisis would be solved immediately...THANK YOU for joining us in our PRAYERS!!!