The collaboration between Rotary Club of Balwyn and Taree Australia as well as Lucena, Quezon Province, the UP Kalilayan and the Philippine American Medical Association of Georgia has been able to create a unique and sustainable partnership between these non profits and the Quezon Provincial Government and the provincial health authorities to help decrease maternal and child morbidity and mortality. This multi pronged project creates a pathway for training healthcare workers all over the province, provides equipment in the hospital for neonatal and maternal care as well as providing a mobile health van with equipment for the care of women. This van will also be equipped such that out reach training for midwives in the barrios will be possible with the Train the trainers program that started several years ago with the collaboration of the same organizations. 

The UP Kalilayan Alumni Association (UPKAA), through the efforts of Dr. Grace Maaño (’89), turned over medical and office equipment to the Provincial Government of Quezon in a ceremony held at the Quezon Medical Center, March 30, 2026.

UPKAA members present during the activity were Cenon Loria (’88), Atty. Sunshine Abcede (’93A), Melvir Buela (’98A), Seth Villafane (’99A), Emerald Ocado (’03A), Honey Hernandez (’04B), Rocky Ursolino (’08A), Jiru Rada (’09A), and Adrian Gutlay (’12A).

The activity was made possible through the support of Dr. Cristine Villena-Amurao (UPKAA 80s) of the Philippine-American Medical Association of Georgia (PAMAG) and the Rotary Club of Lucena.

PAMAG is celebrating its Golden Anniversary this year and with UP Kalilayan on its 50th year as well, it was a momentous project that we started putting together last year and is now bearing witness to our perseverance and dedication to give back to the community. 

The mobile van is already in use and is scheduled to go to different parts of Quezon Province. 

We look forward to the next phase of this project. Mabuhay!

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