Zharlah Gulmatico-Flores (蔡慧蓮) of CKS high school batch 1994 is a professor at the Department of Biochemistry of Our Lady of Fatima University since 2010 and at the Metropolitan Medical Center - College of Medicine since 2015. She is also the Training Officer at the Department of Dermatology of the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center, where she has served as an active consultant since 2012. Her job as the Training Officer is to teach, assist, and oversee the dermatology resident doctors during their three years of residency training. She is also the Assistant Program Director of the Dermatologic Surgery Unit in the same institution; overseeing, managing, and treating skin cancer patients.

With the suspension of out-patient services at the Jose Reyes Hospital and the temporary closure of her private clinic due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she and her peers at the Department of Dermatology launched the Teledermatology, “Sakit sa Balat? Huwag Mangamba! Isang Tawag Lang, Pwedeng Ikonsulta.” This is a free online dermatology consult which aims to provide safety, while still attending to the dermatological needs of patients, by minimizing their unneccesary exposure during this pandemic. Doc Zharlah takes an active role in this program by making herself available for online consultations on medical issues related to skin, hair, and nail diseases.

In addition, she spearheaded calls for donations to help Jose R. Reyes Memorial Center raise funds for Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) of frontliners, to which she is endlessly grateful that several friends, classmates, and parents from CKS College positively heeded her plea.

Doc Zharlah still reports to the hospital for administrative work and observes all necessary precautions to avoid getting infected, whether in the hospital and at home.

During off-duty and as resources are available, Doc Zharlah and her family prepare and cook meals for fellow frontliners. To-date, they have delivered personally-prepared packed meals to four different hospitals and also to military soldiers and police officers. With the consent of donors, she and her husband has turned-over numerous PPEs to different hospitals.

Doc Zharlah treasures her basic education from CKS College, which she said molded her to be enduring and to be resilient during these difficult times, to become resourceful, to find ways to give back to the community, and to see the positive in things amidst these tough circumstances.

She urges everyone to take positive action in changing our current situation, rather than just complain at how miserable life has become due to this pandemic or being anxious on what the future might bring. Only then, she says, that we will find solace and happiness despite the crisis we are in.

Thank you, Dr. Zharlah Gulmatico-Flores. Your alma mater is not only proud of your CKSian spirit, but also your selfless service reminds us of your two aunties who served with dedication and loyalty as our teachers, Mrs. Belinda dela Cruz and the late Mrs. Eleanor Tumanan.

A full-time Medical Technologist I of the government since 2015, Rafaelle Angelica A. Raspado (李玉鑽) of CKS high school batch 2009 receives referral samples of Persons Under Investigation (PUI) at San Lazaro Hospital, which is one of the newly-designated subnational laboratory for COVID-19 testing in the Philippines.

As a medical technologist, she ensures that samples received are fit for testing to avoid inaccurate results. She also decontaminates samples received from wards and referred samples, prior to sending them to analyzing departments, and also to prevent contamination of work areas and avoid infection through fomites. As part of standard operating procedures, med-techs like her observe the same precautionary measures done by doctors and nurses.

Being a girl scout for most of her CKS student life, Rafaelle learned to be selfless, to work efficiently, to manage time wisely, to be a team player, and to be more of service. These life habits proved really helpful during these challenging times.

While Rafaelle worries about the prevailing working environment of medical frontliners like her, she firmly believes she should professionally fulfill her commitment and responsibilities. She also doesn't want to overwork her colleagues by reporting to work irregularly, especially nowadays when laboratory manpower is getting scarce due to transportation restrictions.

In ending, Rafaelle expresses her appreciation for the overwhelming support to frontliners and she also hopes that everyone follows the rules of the quarantine, with the hope that life can become normal again in the soonest time.

Kevin Robert L. So (莊啟明) of CKS high school batch 2006 and Bachelor of Science in Nursing, college batch 2011 has been working as a Triage nurse at the Hoag Medical Group in Irvine, California since 2017. As a COVID medical frontliner, his main role is to triage phone calls for patients who have symptoms and determine urgency in terms of the patients' condition. Aside from that, he also makes recommendations for escalation of patients' care and provides medical advice in treating symptoms. He also sees patients in the office for follow-up purposes.

Nowadays, the biggest challenge of his job is the sudden surge in the volume of sick patients who wanted to be seen and tested, and the increasing number of anxious patients needing some form of reassurance.

As a practitioner of the medical industry in the United States, Kevin strictly follows safety guidelines set forth by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including hand washing for at least 20 seconds, using hand sanitizers with at least 60% alcohol in case water and soap is not available, not touching his eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, and physical distancing of at least six feet away from other people. Lastly, he stays at home as much possible and only goes out for work or groceries.

Though already an American citizen, Kevin still misses life in the Philippines, mainly because of good times spent with his friends and schoolmates at CKS College, where he reminisce the sense of belongingness, and learned important values such as equality for all and compassion.

Continue doing your best, Kevin Robert L. So. Your CKS College family is proud of your continuing journey!

Retired swim team coach Enrico Sy (施能斌), his wife Saw Kwan Wong (王秀君), and their children who are all CKS high school alumni, Newton Gan (施純誠) of batch 1999, current swimming coach Lawton Sy (施純發) of batch 2002, and Barton Sy, Ph.D. (施純達) of batch 2005, through their family business Tat Sing Group, and in partnership with Kelvin C. Chan (陳垠誠) of batch 2011, chairman of YCO Holdings, donated to the city of Manila two (2) high-pressure misting cannon e-trike system, which is currently well-used by the city government in its disinfection operations all around Manila. They also turned-over 10 units of 20-liter 100% isopropyl alcohol.

The group is also launching their Bayanihan project “Para sa Kapakanan, Kalusugan ng Kapwa Pilipino”. This KKK-themed project will result in the donation of six (6) units of fully-equipped portable COVID-19 testing booth, which will be very useful in combatting the pandemic in the city of Manila and can be deployed to various barangays and quarantine sites. Each testing booth is made from sturdy alloy 6061 main body frame with 10mm tempered glass enclosures. In addition, each unit is set at negative pressure ventilation system with UV-C light disinfectant to ensure the safety of the health workers.

To the SY family and Kelvin Chan, you are shining examples of living with the true CKSian spirit!

Dr. Regina Lim Chua (蔡金金) of CKS high school batch 1995 is an OB-GYN and Lactation consultant at the Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center since 2007.

Since the community quarantine was enforced, she has not been able to hold private clinic inside and outside the hospital, and consultations have been coursed through facebook messenger and viber. Related to it, there is a difficulty monitoring the course of pregnancy of her patients through virtual means, since most required laboratory and diagnostic workups are delayed, sometimes even not facilitated.

But still, she reports to Chinese General Hospital to deliver newborn babies, while wearing PPEs, avoiding skin contact, and observing proper hand hygiene all the time to avoid getting herself, her patients and their babies infected with all forms of viruses.

Doc Regina is thankful to CKS College for nurturing her to be patient and persevering, and to be composed, calm, and orderly in everything she does. These traits have so far kept her and her family safe from harm.

Meticulous as it may seem, Doc Regina disinfects herself and her clothing immediately before she alights from her vehicle. She disinfects again before entering her home, bathes with antiseptic wash, and maintains distance from her loved ones, no matter how hard it is especially with her little kids.

While she can always hibernate from work for now as an OB-GYN due to the risks of COVID-19, but being a professional that she is, Doc Regina finds it difficult to say no, be it to her old and new patients, to her colleagues who ask for help, and to other people who ask for virtual consultations.

She believes that during crucial times like this, everyone - not only doctors but whatever profession they embark on, must always maintain good morals, professionalism, patience, and perseverance.

Dr.Regina Lim Chua, your CKS College is truly proud of you!

Going to six different hospitals as part of a physician's work schedule is definitely not an easy thing to do, but Dr. Mark Lester Santos Sy (李輝鏞) of CKS high school batch 2002 just does that, amidst these times when COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Metro Manila.

Doc Mark specializes in Internal Medicine, Gastroenterology, and Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy, and is an active consultant at the Asian Hospital and Medical Center, the Perpetual Help Medical Center, Alabang Medical Center, Las Pinas General Hospital, The MegaClinic, and a visiting consultant at the East Avenue Medical Center.

Nowadays, one of the difficulties encountered by Doc Mark is the much heavier workload than what is usual, since a lot of doctors and hospital staff are undergoing quarantine. The responsibility of checking and seeing the patients rest on those who are not quarantined and, of course, that involves leaving home earlier and coming home much later than usual. With the community quarantine, all clinic appointments are cancelled and it becomes harder for patients to do follow-ups. Because of this, Doc Mark ends up doing phone consultations, which is different from being able to examine the patients face-to-face and on a more personal level.

At the moment, Doc Mark treats every new patient as if they’re already infected with the COVID virus until they tested otherwise, so he always wears the proper PPE, stick to infection control protocol, and exercise effective hand hygiene. And since out-patient clinics and elective endoscopy procedures are cancelled, he still wears complete PPEs to make sure he is protected effectively if he needs to do emergency endoscopy procedures.

He also points out to the difficulty of wearing PPEs, how it really takes time to put on, take off, and properly disinfect. This adds up to more time allotted for each patient compared to before.

Doc Mark recalls the long road to his field of specialization. After high school, it took him 8 years to just complete a Doctor of Medicine degree, plus another 8 years to finish specialty training and one more year of international training to be an expert in the field. He attributes CKS College for equpping him with the wisdom and determination to finish it all and be the man he is today.

He proudly stated: "Especially during these trying times, my alma mater prepared me with the perseverance and courage to keep going on. And despite the health risks, a sense of responsibility and service to my patients is what always comes first – and these are traits and values that were instilled and developed in me that I attribute to my time in Chiang Kai Shek College.

When asked how he feels about the current situation, he said: "I always believe that character counts when duty calls. Needless to say, I am worried about my personal health and my family’s health, who wouldn’t be, especially knowing that some of my colleagues already got infected or even worse. But all the years of studying, the blood, sweat, and tears that we have put into this profession have led us here. This is what we healthcare professionals have trained and signed up for. Yes, the risks and the danger of serving are there, but if not us, then who will?"

In parting, Doc Mark is requesting CKSians and concerned citizens to continue showing support to the medical frontliners by donating much-needed PPEs or food, for which he left his mobile number (+63917-5958782) publicly to those who would like to share.

He ended by saying: "This pandemic proves that you can have a positive impact on the community no matter who you are or where you’re from. As I do my duty as a physician, please also do your part by following social distancing guidelines, community quarantine implementation, and proper hand hygiene. Together, we can overcome COVID-19!"

Our knight in shining armour, Dr. Mark Lester Sy. Your CKS College family is truly proud of you!