Inside USTH Community

Profiles of people who form part of our institution. Get to know your doctors, nurses, hospital administration and staff and other co-workers.

Eduardo Vicente S. Caguioa Head, Office of the Graduate Medical Education Dr. Vic is strict, organized, and disciplined in his ways, making sure that everything is in order and that all interns and fellows get the quality education and training from his proud institution. He works fast, talks fast and looks like he takes mental note of time. He is GME head, a cardiologist, and an educator. He shuffles from the GME office to his clinic to the Heart Station.

For him, discipline is the key, and time management is a must, concepts he learned from childhood.

Dr. Vic says what he means and means what he says. Tardiness and being ignorant of set guidelines irk him, and he will not mince words to let you know that. But he is not an unforgiving man. He listens to reason and looks within so that he can initiate corrections.

After his fellowship in Cardiology in UST, he married charming colleague Priscilla, and they took off to US. While she was working on her specialization in medical oncology, he went to Harvard and finished his Fellowship in Cardiology with subspecialty in non-invasive procedures. Back at home in 1994, Dr. Vic entered as Faculty of the Department of Pharmacology and the Department od Medicine and Surgery. In 1995, he became the Training Officer of Residents in the Department of Medicine, concurrently the Training Officer of Fellows in Cardiology and Head of Echocardiology. Then, from 2003 to present, Dr. Vic became the head of GME, managing the training of all interns and fellows in the UST Hospital.

Leonila S. Gutierrez Supervisor Credit And Collection Tough on policy. Tender with words. That's Lolly of Credit and Collection for you. Behind the strong and hard-hitting woman is a heart of gold. That's why she is the Ate Lolly of the Hospital. The person behind the moniker lives it.

She is the tireless Ate on whose shoulders her colleagues and friends cry on, ask help from, and seek advice.

Lolly talks about the difficult life of her farmer father and vendor mother in Gapan, Nueva Ecija and eventually her working there for a few years in a trading firm. Then, she followed her dream to work in the UST Hospital over two decades ago. But our Ate Lolly remained the ever family-oriented and loyal friend that we have always known her to be.

Life was never easy, but Lolly was determined and hopeful. She would not wish to change anything in the past because her experiences have molded her.

Lolly is a happy, approachable, and level-headed woman. She lets go of all non-essentials in life - hate, anger and cynicism. Being prayerful allows her a healthy balance in attitude, word and deed.

Joel P. Zita Philhealth Clerk He never fails to get back a smile from anyone he meets as he briskly walk around the Hospital. People call out loud in jest, "Piolo!" He chuckles and quickly shoots back, "It's Bernard!" This exchange is a regular joke each time he passes the hallways. Ironically, he emphasizes that he is actually a shy guy. Every Christmas, he makes people roll in laughter with his dancing. And even if he danced with a group,

the audience would somehow focus on his unabashed wiggling. Best part of his being funny bones is that he never intended to be so. He insists he never imagined or intended to be comical.

Joel's parents were market vendors in Pampanga. After high school, a kind aunt from baguio invited and supported him throughout his stay in St. Louis University. Homesick, the young Joel would cry himself to sleep during holidays when he could not go home to pampanga. After finishing his course in Political Science, he went to a big mall chain as merchandiser, got married and moved to another job, this time in the UST Hospital where he felt he belonged. Still, life was not easy especially that he had a growing family and aging parents. They were both important. In his frist year in the Hospital, Joel scrimped on everything, worked as part time vendor after office hours in Divisoria market to save on rent, and drove the tricycle in Pampanga on Sundays. He rationalized that life would get better. His great optimism despite the odds can astound and inspire those who know him. And we are confident taht Joel's hard work will pay off.