FELLOWSHIP

The Next Generation One Health Philippines (NGOHP) Fellowship Program is a project under the Planetary and Global Health Program (PGHP) of St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine-William H. Quasha Memorial (SLMCCM-WHQM) to enhance the domestic capacity of the Philippines for One Health transdisciplinary research and knowledge translation to effectively tackle wildlife trade and biodiversity loss as drivers of infectious disease emergence, with the purpose of preventing future zoonotic spillovers in the next 50 years.
 

WHAT

1 year-program combining knowledge, research, and policy translation

WHO

Fifteen early-career scholars and practitioners from diverse backgrounds

WHY

Address issues at the nexus of wildlife trade and emerging diseases.

With the Next Generation One Health Fellowship Program, we also aim to establish a network of One Health practitioners to lead the Philippines towards the future of public health and pandemic prevention.

People

FACULTY
Ramon Lorenzo Luis Guinto, MD, DrPH
Ramon Lorenzo Luis Guinto, MD, DrPH

ABOUT

Director, Planetary and Global Health Program - St. Luke's Medical Center College of Medicine

Dr. Renzo Guinto is the 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. He obtained his Doctor of Public Health from Harvard University and Doctor of Medicine from the University of the Philippines Manila. He has lectured in multiple universities across the world and published numerous reports and articles in scientific journals, books, and popular media.

Ronald Allan Cruz, Ph.D.
Ronald Allan Cruz, Ph.D.

ABOUT

Research Area/Specialization: Biodiversity, Animal Trade, Wildlife Trafficking, Health Research Ethics

Dr. Ronald Cruz is a biologist with a Masters in Marine Science and a doctoral degree in Biology. He is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Biology at the Ateneo de Manila University and also serves as the Director of the University Research Ethics Office. Dr. Cruz has worked as a resource person for GMA-7’s “Born to be Wild,” UNTv’s feature on biodiversity, and NET25’s “Taumbahay.” 

John Jamir Aruta, Ph.D.
John Jamir Aruta, Ph.D.

ABOUT

Research Area/Specialization: Environmental and Cultural Psychology, Culture and Mental Health, Mental Health During the COVID-19 Crisis, Cross-cultural Psychology

Dr. John Aruta has a masters degree in Guidance and Counseling from the Philippine Normal University, and a doctorate degree in Counseling Psychology from the De La Salle University Manila. He was a former assistant professorial lecturer at the Counseling and Educational Psychology Department of the De La Salle University Manila and a former Senior Lecturer at the Department of Psychology of the Sunway University in Selangor, Malaysia.

Phillip Alviola, MS
Phillip Alviola, MS

ABOUT

Research Area/Specialization: Bat Pathogens, Biodiversity Monitoring, Taxonomy

Professor Phillip Alviola was awarded the Outstanding Young Scientist of the Philippines for Wildlife Biology by the DOST in 2017, selected as a member of the 28-country WHO Scientific Advisory Group on Origins of Novel Pathogens last November 2021, and was among the Top 100  Asian Scientist for 2018. Currently, he is taking a doctorate degree in Forest Biological Sciences at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. His papers include bat pathogens research, biodiversity monitoring, taxonomy, general mammalian studies, herpetology, and IUCN Red List assessments.

Emilia Lastica-Ternura, DVM, MS
Emilia Lastica-Ternura, DVM, MS

ABOUT

Research Area/Specialization: Wildlife Management and Medicine, Wildlife Conservation, Conservation Medicine

Dr. Emilia Lastica-Ternura is a veterinarian with a Diploma in Endangered Species Management from Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and University of Kent at Canterbury, and a Masters in Wildlife Studies from University of the Philippines, Los Baños. She currently serves as the Assistant Professor and also the former department chair of the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences of the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).

Vachel Gay Paller, D.Sc.
Vachel Gay Paller, D.Sc.

ABOUT

Research Area/Specialization: Parasite Ecology and Public Health (Parasitology)

Dr. Vachel Gay Paller earned her Doctor of Science in 2008 at the Graduate School of Health Sciences at the Kobe University in Japan specializing in parasite ecology. She is currently an affiliate professor in the School of Environmental Science and Management at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. Dr. Paller has an on-going research project, the ZooTRIP, under the Newton Fund, and another entitled, “Detection of Cryptosporidium and Giardia as a Tool for Source Tracking of Pathogen Contamination in Agriculture.”

Nicolo Paolo Ludovice, Ph.D.
Nicolo Paolo Ludovice, Ph.D.

ABOUT

Research Area/Specialization: Animal History, Science, Technology and Medicine Studies, and Southeast Asian Studies

Dr. Nicolo Paolo Ludovice finished his PhD in History at the University of Hong Kong. He is currently a lecturer at the Ateneo de Manila University (Health Sciences Program, School of Science and Engineering) and the University of Hong Kong (Department of History, Faculty of Arts). He was also a Historical Content Consultant at the Consulate of the Philippines in Hong Kong in 2018.

Maria Victoria Ortega-Espaldon, Ph.D.
Maria Victoria Ortega-Espaldon, Ph.D.

ABOUT

Research Area/Specialization: Environmental Science and Management, Environmental Analysis and Participatory, Human Dimensions of Environmental Change

Prof. Maria Victoria Ortega-Espaldon a Professor 12 and UP Scientist III at the School of Environmental Science and Management, University of the Philippines Los Banos. She earned her PhD in Geography at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.  She was also the former dean of the School of Environmental Science and Management in UPLB and the former Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension.

Maria Elena Regpala, MA
Maria Elena Regpala, MA

ABOUT

Research Area/Specialization: Indigenous Studies

Ms. Maria Elena Regpala earned her masters in Anthropology from the University of the Philippines Diliman. She served for many years as a Research and Advocacy staff under the  Project on Indigenous Peoples & the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity of Tebtebba Foundation (Indigenous Peoples’ International Center for Policy Research and Education). Currently, she works as the Consultant for networking for Partners for Indigenous Knowledge Philippines Inc. (PIKP), a network of organizations in the Cordillera that advocates and strengthens indigenous knowledge. 

Pamela Cajilig, MA
Pamela Cajilig, MA

ABOUT

Research Area/Specialization: Cultural Anthropology, Design Research, and Strategic Communications Planning

Pamela Cajilig earned her masters degree in anthropology from the University of the Philippines and is currently a PhD candidate in Architecture and Design at the School of Architecture and Urban Design of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University in Australia.  She specializes in cultural anthropology, design research, and strategic communications planning to which she applies in different fields like post-disaster recovery, women’s rights and education, community architecture, human-centered design, and urban design.

Pablo Castello, Ph.D.
Pablo Castello, Ph.D.

ABOUT

Research Area/Specialization: Zoodemocracy, Ecofeminism, Postcolonialism, Disability Studies, and Critical Race Theory

Pablo P. Castelló is the 2022-2024 Postdoctoral Fellow in Animal Studies at the Department of Philosophy, Queen’s University. He completed his PhD on “The Language of Zoodemocracy” at Royal Holloway University in London in 2022, and has worked as a Research Assistant at the Cambridge Centre for Animal Rights Law. Pablo’s project at Queen’s develops his theory of “zoodemocracy” – focusing on (i) how animals tell us about the infrastructure they want, the fundamental legal rights they demand, and the common good they co-author; and (ii) the institutional mechanisms for translating animals’ political agency into concrete policies, and law. His publication record includes several philosophy, conservation, and law review articles in journals such as Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy, Animal Studies Journal, and the Journal of International Wildlife Law and Policy. His research also engages with ecofeminism, postcolonialism, disability studies, and critical race theory.

Mikael Angelo Francisco
Mikael Angelo Francisco

ABOUT

Specialization/Interest: Science Communication, Media Literacy

Mikael Angelo Francisco is a multi-awarded science communicator. He is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of FlipScience.ph, a Philippine-based science news, features, and trivia website. He is also the host of Ask Theory, a weekly podcast that features Filipino scientists. He has written and published books about media literacy, Filipino scientists, and science trivia, and conducts lectures and workshops on science communication and writing. His main objectives as a science communicator are to create easy-to-understand science content for Filipino audiences and to provide platforms for communicating science in a manner that can easily be appreciated by the public.

Timothy James M. Dimacali, MS
Timothy James M. Dimacali, MS

ABOUT

Specialization/Interest: Science Communication

Timothy James M. Dimacali, MS is a science journalist, communicator, and fictionist. He received his MS in Science Writing from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on a Fulbright scholarship and his BA English degree in Creative Writing from the University of the Philippines. He is also an alumnus of the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers’ Workshop under the Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination. He is the founding editor of GMA News Online's Science and Technology Section, and currently heads the University of the Philippines - Diliman Science Communication Team.

FELLOWS
Jackielyn Abela
Jackielyn Abela

ABOUT

Research Interests: Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices on Health/Well-Being, Palawan Studies

Jackie earned her BA Social Science (Social Anthropology) degree at the University of the Philippines Baguio and is currently an MA Anthropology candidate at the Ateneo de Manila University. She is currently a senior faculty member teaching major courses in the Philippines Studies program. Her work on research implementations include collaborations with cultural institutions and communities as well as health institutions.

Madeiline Aloria, MDE
Madeiline Aloria, MDE

ABOUT

Research Interests: Fiscal Policy Research, Reform Advocacy

Madeiline earned her BS in Business Economics degree and Master in Development Economics degree from the University of the Philippines Diliman. She has worked as a policy researcher and reform advocate on issues lying at the nexus of fiscal policy and development. She has engaged with stakeholders and drafted technical briefers for the deliberations on various aspects of the Covid-19 pandemic and later championed relevant bills and higher funding for health human resource, impact mitigation efforts, and science and technology (S&T) and research, among others.

Emmanuelle Angeles, MD
Emmanuelle Angeles, MD

ABOUT

Research Interests: Marine Turtle Conservation, Zoonotic Diseases, Wildlife Trafficking

Emmanuelle finished his Doctor of Medicine degree at the West Visayas State University, Iloilo City and finished his Bachelor's degree in Biology at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. He was involved in various health-related activities such as medical missions and education series. He also co-founded an initiative to strengthen the mental health status of Ilonggo youth during the pandemic through a holistic psychosocial intervention. He founded a project that mapped marine turtle nesting sites in Cavite Coast Line and developed a module for Marine Turtle Hatchery Management Training for the youth.

Jay Mark Balbosa, JD
Jay Mark Balbosa, JD

ABOUT

Research Interests: Environmental Protection and Conservation, Environmental Law

Atty. Jay Mark earned his Juris Doctor degree from Andres Bonifacio College, Dipolog City and his bachelor's degree in Environmental Science from the Mindanao State University-Buug Campus, Buug Zamboanga Sibugay. He is currently working as a Forest Technician, holding various designations for environmental protection and conservation in Mindanao. Being an environmentalist at heart and a biodiversity sentinel, Jay Mark is a member of various non-governmental organizations across the Philippines championing environmental protection and conservation. He plans to further his advocacy by being a lawyer who specializes in environmental laws.

Al John Cabanas, MS
Al John Cabanas, MS

ABOUT

Research Interests: Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Human-Wildlife Interaction

Al John received his Master of Science in Wildlife Studies minor in Animal Studies from the University of the Philippines Los Baños. He is currently a college instructor and a wildlife researcher who focuses on camera trapping and studying human-wildlife conflict. His current projects include the occurrence and distribution of the Philippine warty pig in Mt. Banahaw de Tayabas and the population estimate and crop-raiding behavior of the Philippine warty pig in Mt. Banahaw Protected Landscape.

Jamaica Ann Caras, MS
Jamaica Ann Caras, MS

ABOUT

Research Interests: One Health, Microbiology, Policies and Regulations

Jamaica earned her Master's degree in Environmental Science at the University of the Philippines Diliman and her Bachelor's degree in Biology major in Microbiology at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. She has handled multiple projects relating to microbiology and research on cetacean health in accordance to the principles of One Health. During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, she has also dedicated her time as a volunteer molecular biologist.

Jose Emmanuel De Luna, MS
Jose Emmanuel De Luna, MS

ABOUT

Research Interests: Insecticide Toxicology, Urban Pest Management, Medical and Veterinary Entomology

Jose obtained his MS degree in Entomology (Insecticide Toxicology) and BS degree in Agriculture (Entomology) from the University of the Philippines Los Baños. He obtained 10th place in the Licensure Examination for Agriculturists last November 2017. In the field of research, he was involved in different projects related to the study of bio-ecology of insect pests, biological control agents, and their management of different crops. His interest is mainly on the study of bio-ecology and management of insects with zoonotic/medical importance.

Von Carlo Dela Torre, MS
Von Carlo Dela Torre, MS

ABOUT

Research Interests: Terrestrial Biodiversity and Conservation, Systematics (Taxonomy), Zoonotic Diseases

Von earned his Master of Science in Biology degree from the Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology and is currently an instructor teaching Biology. He has also handled multiple research projects relating to biodiversity assessments of various ecosystems located in Mindanao. His research interests include Wildlife, Ecology and Conservation, Biodiversity, Systematics (Taxonomy), Microbiology, and Zoonotic Diseases.

Jabez Joshua Flores, Ph.D.
Jabez Joshua Flores, Ph.D.

ABOUT

Research Interests: Environmental Science, Landscape Ecology, Agroecology

Jabez is an Environmental and GIS Specialist with a doctorate degree in Environmental Science from the University of the Philippines Los Baños. He has also taken intensive landscape ecology courses at the International Association for Landscape Ecology in Italy. With landscape ecology as his primary lens, he spent most of his scientific career studying the complex and diverse landscape structures of permaculture - a sustainable and regenerative design philosophy used in agriculture, biodiversity conservation, and environmental management.

Carah Lyn Lo, MD, MS
Carah Lyn Lo, MD, MS

ABOUT

Research Interests: Wildlife Medicine and Conservation, Human Medicine

Dr. Carah obtained her Doctor of Medicine degree from De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute and did her post-graduate internship at the Department of Health - Philippine Centers for Specialized Health Care. She is currently practicing in several hospitals nowadays as a specialist. She also holds a Master of Science degree in Wildlife Studies (Minor in Veterinary Medicine) from the University of the Philippines Los Baños and recently published a paper on the diet, parasites, and other pathogens of Sunda leopard cats (Prionailurus javanensis Desmarest 1816) in Aborlan, Palawan Island, Philippines.

Carlo Lumangaya
Carlo Lumangaya

ABOUT

Research Interests: Infectious Diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance, Qualitative Research

Carlo finished his Bachelor's degree in Public Health at the University of the Philippines Manila. He has a background in public health and neglected tropical diseases and has had experience working with both the national and regional public health communities through different projects. He has been involved in the management and implementation of projects across different disciplines including medical parasitology, medical anthropology, environmental health, and infectious diseases, among others.

Sheina Macy Manalo, DVM, MZOH
Sheina Macy Manalo, DVM, MZOH

ABOUT

Research Interests: Zoonosis, Public Health, Food Hygiene

Sheina is a licensed veterinarian from Los Baños Laguna. She finished her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the University of the Philippines Los Baños and accomplished her specialization in conservation medicine at the Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic. Recently, she completed her Masters in Zoonoses and One Health at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain. After working as a part-time veterinarian in a small animal clinic, she worked as a University Research Associate handling research on zoonotic transmissions of intestinal parasites.

Jayvee Moltio, RN, MS
Jayvee Moltio, RN, MS

ABOUT

Research Interests: Indigenous Health, Health Risk Communication, Mental Health

Jayvee is a nurse by profession and is currently working as a public health practitioner specializing in health promotion. He is a registered nurse who also has a Master's degree in Public Health from the Saint Louis University, Baguio. Currently, he is taking his Ph.D. in Indigenous Studies at UP Baguio focusing on Indigenous Health and Spirituality. As an indigenous person belonging to the Ibaloi-Kankana-ey of Benguet Province, he was exposed early on in his life to the spiritual aspects of his culture's deep connection to their ancestral land and his professional training as a nurse and public health practitioner did not totally erase his indigenous worldviews especially in the aspect of health and the environment.

Ryan John Pascual, MSc
Ryan John Pascual, MSc

ABOUT

Research Interests: Aquatic Health Management, Local Governance, One Health Policies

Ryan Pascual works as a Science Research Specialist who conducts science policy-related activities. In 2019, he received his MSc Aquaculture degree from Ghent University as a VLIR-UOS scholar and is also finishing his second master's degree in Sustainable Leadership and Governance at the De La Salle University, Dasmariñas. He aims to understand and study the practices of the aquaculture industry, particularly aquatic health management, and their regulation and monitoring at a local level while learning about One Health policies and implementation of the local government units.

Bai Syrah Laila Sangid, RPsy, RPm, MS
Bai Syrah Laila Sangid, RPsy, RPm, MS

ABOUT

Research Interests: Environmental Psychology, Climate Change Actions, Public Health

Laila is a registered Psychologist and Psychometrician who both earned her Master's in Clinical Psychology and BA in Psychology degree at the Ateneo de Davao University. She currently works as a public servant who generates project proposals for outreach programs for the Muslim communities and assists in their implementation. As a Muslim, Laila hopes to incorporate the practices of Halal, which goes beyond just food consumption, as a means to address One Health concerns, such as the health of humans and sustainable usage of our natural resources. She is also currently a Mental Health Youth Coach.

TEAM
Ramon Lorenzo Luis Guinto, MD, DrPH
Ramon Lorenzo Luis Guinto, MD, DrPH

ABOUT

Director

Dr. Renzo Guinto is the 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. He obtained his Doctor of Public Health from Harvard University and Doctor of Medicine from the University of the Philippines Manila. He has lectured in multiple universities across the world and published numerous reports and articles in scientific journals, books, and popular media.

Gail Co, MD, MBA
Gail Co, MD, MBA

ABOUT

Project Coordinator

Dr. Gail Co graduated from the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health with a Doctor of Medicine and Masters in Business Administration. She currently serves as a research fellow under the St. Luke's College of Medicine Planetary and Global Health Program, and is concurrently leading the Next Generation One Health Philippines Fellowship Program along with its director.

Louella Abigail Asuncion
Louella Abigail Asuncion

ABOUT

Project Associate (Science and Education)

Ella is a licensed medical technologist and college instructor who teaches health science subjects. She is also currently finishing her master’s degree in Public Health (Environmental Health) at UP Manila.

Carlo Frances Luayon
Carlo Frances Luayon

ABOUT

Communications Consultant

Carlo is a communication and media studies graduate from the University of the Philippines and works in the field of science and health communication. He is currently finishing his master’s degree in Journalism at UP Diliman.

NAY