PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte recognized two alumni of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila for their heroic act in responding to a fire that razed the Philippine General Hospital last month.

Duterte handed over the commendations and tokens to10 PGH personnel, including Dr. Rodney Dofitas and Nurse Kathrina Bianca Macababbad, both alumni of PLM, in a ceremony held in Malacañang as a gesture of gratitude.

Macababbad, who studied at the PLM College of Nursing, and her colleague Nurse Jomar Mallari ran back and forth in the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit to transfer 35 babies to safety while carrying emergency medicines and breathing equipment to sustain them through the evacuation, PLM said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Dofitas, chief of PGH’s Division of Surgical Oncology and a product of PLM’s Master in Business Administration-Top Executive Program, was at the hospital the same night and led coordination efforts to respond to the fire and oversee the evacuation of patients and personnel.

The Order of Lapu-Lapu is awarded to public servants and private individuals who provided ‘invaluable or extraordinary service’ to the Filipino people.

PLM President Emmanuel Leyco said the recognition was a well-deserved one.

“PLM welcomes the well-deserved recognition given to Dr. Dofitas and Nurse Macababbad and their colleagues for their brave and selfless act. May all other frontliners and Filipinos draw inspiration from their excellence and service,” he said.