Even before COVID-19 posed a severe health risk among senior citizens, pneumonia has already been affecting the elderly.  

In the new normal, pneumonia remains a leading cause of hospitalization and death among the elderly and people living with chronic disease. While the severity of pneumonia can range from mild to life-threatening, it is most severe and fatal for infants and children, adults over 65 years old, immunocompromised individuals, and people living with chronic health problems.

Speakers during the recently held Pandesal Forum (from left to right), Mr. Gerald John A. Paz, Senior Health Program Officer Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, Department of Health (DOH); Dr. Allandale Nacino, Medical Officer IV Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, DOH; Dr. Arthur Dessi E. Roman, Medical Specialist III and Research Institute for Tropical Medicine; Mr. Samir M. Manzanilla, Project Development Officer IV, National Commission of Senior Citizens; Wilson Lee Flores, discussion moderator.

And in spite of the looming threat of COVID-19, pneumonia remained the seventh leading cause of death in the Philippines in 2021.

This is an unfortunate reality, mainly because pneumonia is a vaccine-preventable disease. It threatens Filipino families due to the lack of awareness about the disease, with only a small segment of the population vaccinated against pneumonia.

To address this gap, the national government, the medical community, senior citizen advocates, and the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP), with the support of healthcare company MSD in the Philippines, are working together to spread awareness about pneumonia and various programs available for Filipinos to help prevent the disease.  

Of pneumonia and pandesal 

Pneumonia was the hot topic at the latest Pandesal Forum hosted by Wilson Flores titled, “Bakunado si Lolo at Lola, Iwas Pulmonya”. A distinguished panel of experts discussed the prevailing challenges around pneumonia and shared insights on strategies to prevent and manage this deadly disease. 

The key to averting deaths and complications from pneumonia is better safety and prevention measures, says Dr. Arthur Dessi E. Roman, Medical Specialist III at the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM). One of the most effective ways to stop pneumonia in its tracks is still through pneumococcal vaccination. 

“We have to get over this misconception that vaccines are just an additional expense,” Dr. Roman further explains, especially in light of the free vaccination programs of the national government. He added that pneumonia prevention through vaccination will not only prevent the disease itself, but can also prevent hospital and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admissions. Vaccination safeguards the quality of life of the elderly, added Roman, “It is better not to get the disease at all since even a person survived from pneumonia, we cannot guarantee that they’ll go back to their baseline functionality.” 

“Pneumococcal vaccination is included in the National Immunization Program (NIP) of the DOH,” reminds Dr. Allandale Nacino, Medical Officer IV at the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau (DPCB) of the Department of Health (DOH). 

“The goal of the DOH with the National Immunization Program (NIP) is to cover the pneumococcal vaccination of Filipinos across different life stages—from children, to adults, to the elderly. As such, there are free pneumonia vaccines for infants and seniors alike,” explains Dr. Nacino.  

Dr. Arthur Dessi E. Roman, Medical Specialist III and Research Institute for Tropical Medicine; Mr. Gerald John A. Paz, Senior Health Program Officer Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, Department of Health (DOH); Dr. Allandale Nacino, Medical Officer IV Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, DOH; Mr. Samir M. Manzanilla, Project Development Officer IV, National Commission of Senior Citizens; Wilson Lee Flores, Pandesal Forum moderator.

As part of its advocacy to ensure the effective implementation of various programs and services for senior citizens, the National Commission of Senior Citizens (NCSC) joins the national government and the medical community in this campaign to raise awareness about the urgency of pneumonia vaccination, especially among senior citizens.  

“Access to quality and affordable healthcare is important. As an organization, we are constantly looking for ways to make the well-being of every senior citizen our topmost priority,” says Samir M. Manzanilla, Project Development Officer IV at the NCSC. 

Learning from the experiences of the senior citizens whom they serve, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the NCSC is here “to advocate and raise awareness that vaccines are safe and can save lives,” adds Manzanilla.     

The burden of pneumonia 

There are many myths and misconceptions surrounding pneumonia, which get in the way of preventing and treating the disease. Pneumonia is primarily a lung infection caused by various organisms, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi. As such, you can’t get pneumonia simply from overfatigue, sweating, or getting caught in the rain, which are common misconceptions among Filipinos. 

When the airways of the lungs get infected, fluids or pus fill up the insides of the alveoli, or the tiny air sacs where the lungs and the blood exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide when we breathe in and out. When the alveoli get clogged up due to infection, oxygen cannot properly enter the lungs, causing a host of difficulties and complications.

Since we need to breathe to survive, any infection that affects the lungs can be life-threatening. This is also why pneumonia remains a leading cause of hospitalization and death, especially among the elderly.

Aside from the personal challenge of living with the disease, pneumonia also burdens national health systems. According to data from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), a total of 737,659 people sought medical assistance and claims due to pneumonia in 2019. This translates to around PHP10.64 billion worth of medical aid and claims given to patients and families living with pneumonia.

Pneumonia prevention through vaccination

Pneumococcal vaccines have been around since the 1980s and studies show that they safe and effective to be administered to infants, children, and older adults alike. Despite widespread availability, pneumococcal vaccination coverage in the Philippines is still at around 20% of the total senior population.

When one is immunized against pneumonia, they may experience lower severity of the lung infection, thereby helping to increase the chances of survival from the disease and reducing the likelihood of hospitalization.

Alongside aging comes the rising need for more robust and proactive healthcare protection. However, the elderly are not the only population vulnerable to pneumonia.  

Children who are two years old or younger, individuals with weakened or suppressed immune systems, and people with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and kidney problem, among others, are also at risk of contracting the severe infection. The good news is that pneumococcal vaccination can be safely administered to these individuals. 

For those wary of the side effects of vaccination, pneumococcal vaccines have little to no side effects. In rare instances, side effects may include pain and swelling over the injection area. As vaccines help the body create antibodies to fight off infection, some might experience slight fever and flu-like symptoms after immunization.

Free pneumonia vaccination for senior citizens 

Pursuant to the Department of Health (DOH) Memorandum No. 2020-0384, local government units (LGU) and barangay health centers (BHC) are to provide essential health services to senior citizens amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes continued immunization against influenza, pneumonia, and COVID-19.

Essential health service delivery included a mix of door-to-door (D2D) visitations and fixed-post (FP) stations at health centers, rural health units (RHU), and barangay health stations (BHS).

As per the DOH, all senior citizens aged 60 years old and above must receive the following vaccines for free: one dose of pneumococcal vaccine throughout their lifetime, and one dose of the flu vaccine every year. To ensure safety, all eligible senior citizens must be assessed and interviewed before their immunization to determine any contraindications. 

The national government, through the DOH, is ramping up its immunization programs to help protect the elderly and is encouraging all eligible senior citizens to avail of the free pneumococcal vaccination from their local health centers.

Nacino, appealed to the elderly not to hesitate to visit the nearest health center to inquire about receiving a free pneumococcal jab. “Pwede pong gawin ng ating mga kababayan is pumunta po sa ating mga centers, syempre yung iba malalayo yung mga hospitals so kung ano yung pinakamalapit na health facilities, kung RHU man yan or barangay health stations, they can inquire po the availability of this vaccines.” Adult vaccines, such as pneumococcal vaccines and flu shots, are also now made available in local pharmacies and drugstore chains nationwide and can now be administered by pharmacists.

Meanwhile, a senior citizens group represented by Ciriaco Angeles, President of the Provincial Federation of Senior Citizens Association of Cavite, Inc. (PFSCACI) has expressed its gratitude to health leaders for their commitment to protect the elderly. “We would like to thank the DOH and our local government officials for always taking care of us, and for giving importance to public health programs for senior citizens,” says 

“Pneumonia is no joke, as it remains a leading cause of hospitalization and death among senior citizens. And even if a lot of senior citizens are already online and on social media, many of us still lack vital information about this disease,” adds Angeles. 

Speaking to his fellow senior citizens, Angeles adds, “Huwag mahihiyang magtanong! (Don’t be afraid to ask questions!) Let us strengthen our resolve to learn more about pneumonia and ask our family members, fellow senior citizens, and our local communities about the free pneumonia vaccination in our barangay health centers.”

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer type and the second most common cause of cancer death in women of reproductive age (15–44 years) worldwide. The highest incidence and mortality rates are generally observed in countries with the lowest values of the Human Development Index.

In the Philippines, cervical cancer ranks as the 2nd most frequent cancer among women and the 2nd most frequent cancer among women. The Philippines recorded almost 8,000 new cases of cervical cancer and more than 4,000 deaths in 2020 alone.

Yet cervical cancer is largely preventable through both vaccination and screening for precursor lesions, with appropriate follow-up and treatment.

As the country celebrates Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, healthcare company MSD in the Philippines, reaffirms its unwavering commitment to empower women to be in-charge of their health by strengthening its disease awareness efforts and education campaigns to combat cervical cancer. 

As a company that puts patients at the center of what we do, MSD is committed to playing a leading role in the fight against cervical cancer. They believe that through patient empowerment and health literacy campaigns, alongside a steadfast dedication to prevention, early detection, and treatment, they can eliminate this devastating disease and improve women’s lives worldwide,” said Andreas Riedel, President and Managing Director of MSD.

MSD is also working with national and local stakeholders from both public and private sector to achieve the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global strategy towards eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem. This strategy recommends a comprehensive approach to cervical cancer prevention and control. The recommended actions include interventions across the life course.

The definition of elimination of cervical cancer has been set up as a country reaching the threshold of less than 4 cases of cervical cancer per 100 000 women per year.  To reach this threshold by the end of 21st century, WHO has set up the 90-70-90 targets to be reached by 2030 and to be maintained: 90% of girls fully vaccinated with HPV vaccine by age 15; 70% of women are screened with a high-performance test by 35, and again by 45 years of age; and 90% of women identified with cervical disease receive treatment. 

Step toward cervical cancer control

The Philippine government has implemented several health programs in support of prevention and control of cervical cancer.

One of which is the School-based Immunization Program (SBIP) that aims to protect school-aged children against vaccine-preventable diseases. In 2015, the DOH introduced the HPV vaccination program in public schools nationwide. It has since expanded to benefit female Grade 4 students aged 9 to 13 years old to help protect them against HPV infection, cervical cancer, and other HPV-related diseases. This age group benefits the most from the vaccination program as they are not yet exposed to HPV, which usually results from sexual activity. 

For Academic Year 2022 to 2023, the DOH has procured 1.2 million doses of HPV vaccines, which will benefit 600,000 students nationwide. And with the return to face-to-face classes, it is only timely and prudent to reinstate the HPV vaccination program to help protect our students from HPV infection, cervical cancer, and other diseases caused by HPV. 

The Department of Health has also been promoting the availability of free cervical cancer screening in all trained Rural Health Units, which aims to increase early detection and treatment of cervical cancer. Additionally, the government has ensured the availability of cryotherapy equipment in every province (81 provinces) to provide effective treatment for pre-cancerous lesions.

The DOH has implemented the Cancer Assistance Fund (CAF) which aims to provide support for patients living with cancer and for cancer survivors. implementation of the CAF shall cover outpatient and inpatient services including but not limited to diagnostics, therapeutic procedures, medicines, treatment and management services, and other care-related components of cancer. The CAF is designed to complement existing financial support mechanisms in public and private facilities. Cervical cancer is one of the 8 priority cancer types eligible to be financed by the CAF.

“These initiatives by the government show commitment to addressing the challenges posed by cervical cancer and improving the health outcomes of their citizens. It is important for women to take advantage of these programs and to prioritize their health by seeking early detection and treatment, “ noted Dr. Mary Ann Galang-Escalona, Country Medical Lead.

Beyond Cervical Cancer Awareness Month 

MSD is committed to improving cervical cancer care for Filipino women, from prevention to treatment, and is working with the government and key stakeholders to ensure sustainable funding, broader access, and trust in public-private partnerships for healthcare. 

This includes support in strengthening vaccine confidence through the National Immunization Program. MSD has launched a local campaign called #TimeToTalkAboutHPV, which aims to eliminate the stigma surrounding HPV and emphasize the need for prevention to avoid the physical, emotional, and economic burdens of HPV-related diseases. 

MSD is also working with private and government partners to push for the proper implementation and funding of the National Integrated Cancer Control Act (NICCA) through its cancer advocacy campaign, Hope From Within. 

“At MSD, we believe that every Filipina, regardless of socioeconomic status, should have access to the latest and most innovative medicines, vaccines, and therapies. We are committed to working with healthcare stakeholders and government agencies to ensure equitable access because health equity is essential to building a better, healthier future for all,” emphasized Karlo Paredes, Corporate Affairs and Market Access Director.

Initiatives to raise awareness and empower people to action do not stop on cervical cancer awareness month. In August, MSD will be hosting the 12th HPV Summit which is a platform for engagement for all sectors sharing the goal of battling HPV and cervical cancer in the Philippines. For more than 10 years, it has rallied support for promoting the health of Filipinos of all ages, particularly towards eliminating HPV and HPV-related diseases. This year’s theme “One Community Against HPV” aims to highlight the contribution of various sectors of society in protecting the Filipino population from cervical cancer.

In celebration of World Immunization Week 2023, the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham), in partnership with MSD in the Philippines and the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines (PHAP), mounted a joint committee meeting on “Creating a Disease-Free Society through Immunization” at the Robert Sears Hall, AmCham Office, on April 28, 2023.        

(From L-R: Mr. Martin Crisostomo, Pharmaceutical Committee Co-Chair, AmCham Philippines; Rep. Tony Golez, Vice Chairperson, Committee on Health, House of Representatives; Dr. Romel Lacson, Country Director, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Philippines; Mr. Andreas Riedel, President & Managing Director, Merck Sharp & Dohme Philippines; Mr. Noel Borlongan, Pharmaceutical Committee Co-Chair, AmCham Philippines; and Mr. Ebb Hinchliffe, Executive Director, AmCham Philippines)

Health is high on the agenda of AmCham Philippines, with two sector committees dedicated specifically to developing healthcare systems in the country: the Pharmaceutical Committee, and the Healthcare and Wellness Committee.

The big catch-up on immunization

“The Big Catch-Up,” the theme of this year’s World Immunization Week, highlights the world’s renewed sense of urgency to get routine immunizations back on track. Three years of the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the delivery of vital health services, which include routine immunizations for children and the elderly, especially for vaccine-preventable diseases.

In the Philippines alone, nearly 1.6 million children under two years old failed to receive routine immunizations over the last three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates.

But even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippines already had low coverage on protective vaccines. Routine immunizations for children typically include vaccination against life-threatening diseases such as polio, measles, and tuberculosis. However, according to reports from UNICEF, the Philippines has one million “zero-dose” children, or children who have never received a single dose of their childhood vaccines. 

This puts them at greater risk of contracting vaccine-preventable diseases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles, polio, and diphtheria are rising worldwide. 

But all is not lost; with continued collaboration among the national government, healthcare systems, and the private sector, the Philippines can make a disease-free society possible through immunization.   

“One thing we all learned during the pandemic is the importance of vaccinations,” says Ebb Hinchliffe, Executive Director of AmCham Philippines. “It is AmCham’s role to connect—to connect with people, to connect people and businesses, and to connect businesses to the government. This celebration of World Immunization Week is a perfect time to connect, to see how we can all work together to create a disease-free society through immunization.”

Routine immunizations: The most cost-effective investment in public health

“Routine immunization is, by far, the most cost-effective public health intervention there is,” says Dr. Romel Lacson, Country Director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Philippines. 

Investments in immunization yield high returns: Lacson explains that for every US$1.00 invested in immunization, there is an estimated US$52.00 return in terms of savings on healthcare costs due to diseases prevented over time. “So it’s important that the investment is there,” he adds.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that the Philippines has the capacity to vaccinate,” shares Lacson. As such, COVID-19 and routine immunization services can be further integrated, so that the same level of urgency and investment directed towards COVID-19 vaccination can also be given to routine immunization for children. “Saving adults from COVID-19 should not come at the cost of children not getting their routine immunizations,” he adds. 

Public-private partnerships: The key to a whole-of-society approach to immunization

A panel discussion on how to create a disease-free society through immunization

Seeing firsthand the devastating effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the impact of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases in communities, Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, who heads the Senate Committee on Health and Demography, shares that they have been working on several measures and initiatives to promote immunization.

One such measure is the filing of Senate Bill No. 2155, also known as the “Virology Science and Technology Institute of the Philippines (VIP) Act of 2021”. Once passed into law, the bill will establish VIP as the country’s principal laboratory for conducting virology investigations, research, and technical coordination of the entire network of virologists nationwide.

“The overall goal of the VIP is to help develop vaccines against highly pathogenic emerging viruses,” shares Go. “I am confident that this bill, along with other initiatives that we are pursuing, will help promote the importance of immunization and encourage people to get vaccinated.”

“But we cannot do this alone,” adds Go. “We need the support of all sectors of society, including the private sector, to achieve our goal of creating a disease-free society through immunization.” 

Congressman Anthony Rolando “Tony” Golez, Jr., Vice Chairperson of the Committee on Health at the House of Representatives, echoes this sentiment. “We are past the need to prioritize routine immunization—we need more investments in the manufacturing and production of vaccines to make it more available locally at a lower cost,” explains Golez.

This presents a golden opportunity for the private sector, especially vaccine manufacturers like MSD in the Philippines. Golez proposes creating a consortium of local and international pharmaceutical companies to create a robust ecosystem for vaccine manufacturing in the Philippines.          

Golez is also one of the principal authors of Republic Act No. 10606, also known as the “Universal Health Care (UHC) Act”, which aimed to ensure that all Filipinos will secure health insurance coverage from the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth). 

A former rural physician, Golez also filed House Bill No. 5452, also known as the “Service to Country of Physicians Act”, which requires new doctors to render six months of medical services in the countryside as a pre-requisite to getting a medical license. This will also help increase human resources for health in local government units (LGUs) to improve service delivery, supervision, monitoring, and evaluation.

Mr. Andreas Riedel, President and Managing Director of MSD in the Philippines talks about the importance of collaboration in addressing gaps in immunization

“At MSD in the Philippines, our focus is to collaborate and raise awareness about the importance of vaccination,” says Riedel. “We want to emphasize the importance of collaboration between the private and the public sector, and, indeed, we have many opportunities to collaborate.”

“It’s also an invitation for the members of AmCham and the media to continue to partner with different stakeholders to be an effective channel to educate the population and counteract misinformation around vaccination,” adds Riedel.

At MSD, employees are encouraged to find ways to give back to the community. Through the global volunteerism and skills share program dubbed MSD Gives Back, employees take an active role in giving back to their communities through participation in a variety of programs offered to promote a healthier society, advance education, foster the arts, address the welfare of animals and preserve the environment.

In the Philippines, MSD employees have engaged in various face-to-face volunteerism activities that improve the health and well-being of communities for more than 25 years. In 2021, amidst the pandemic, the company decided to shift its approach in enabling employees to continue supporting the great work their partner patient advocacy groups are doing through virtual volunteerism.

As a continuation of MSD’s 25^th anniversary celebration, MSD in the Philippines launched 5×5: MSD Gives Back, a programdesigned to give employees an opportunity to extend their support to patients, caregivers and the broader health care community within a span of 5 months.

MSD employees’ virtual volunteerism

The coronavirus pandemic is increasing anxiety and insecurity in many people diagnosed with cancer, as well as their loved ones. In 2021, MSD collaborated with Kythe Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides care to children with cancer, and the Cancer Resource and Wellness (Carewell) Community, a nonprofit foundation that provides support, education, and hope to persons with cancer and their loved ones.

“Amidst the pandemic, we believe patients can benefit from a strong sense of community support, to help them get through the challenges brought by these uncertain times,” said Michael Blanch, Corporate Affairs and Market Access Director.

“We are honored to work with Kythe Foundation and Carewell Foundation, two organizations that are dedicated to the health and well-being of patients and carers, throughout their cancer journey.”

MSD Gives Back to Kythe 

MSD employees collaborated with Kythe Foundation to support its mission of helping address the fears of children who are going through their cancer journey.  MSD employees hosted a series of 5 activities over 5 months, focused on reaching pediatric cancer patients across the country.

In July, MSD employees organized an art party for the Philippine Children’s Medical Center called “Sining Eskwela” featuring popular TV personality and artist Robert Alejandro for the benefit of pediatric cancer patients.

This was followed by a session for the National Children’s Hospital where MSD employees took the Kythe participants around the Philippines on a virtual tour in its “Tara na! Byahe Tayo!” program. Even if they could not go out and travel in-person, the children enjoyed sceneries and tourist spots like Iligan City’s Maria Cristina Falls and Bohol’s Chocolate Hills through an interactive virtual Lakad. They also participated in trivia games while they demonstrated their creativity through a bag painting activity. MSD employees gave out prizes and awards at the end of the program.

In time for Halloween, the kids of Kythe from Philippine Children’s Medical Center were given the opportunity to showcase their most creative costumes for the virtual event “Magical Costume Party”. The kids also demonstrated their knowledge of Filipino riddles, talents in music and dance, and skills in arts and craft. There was a virtual storytelling session to engage the kids in creative study and play. Winners of the costume party, virtual talent show and other games received special prizes and awards.

In November, to support Kythe’s Play Advocacy Week, MSD employees developed activity kits, “Spark Joy and Empower” for 60 kids in Cebu and Tarlac, which included art sets and stuffed toys to encourage hope and bravery throughout their journeys.

The holidays came early to the kids of Kythe in Philippine Orthopedic Center, Quirino Memorial Medical Center and  AFPHealth Service, when the MSD team organized a fun and interactive party entitled, “Tis the Season to be Jolly”. During the two-hour virtual program, the kids played games, participated in the storytelling activity, showcased their creativity and talent, and celebrated the joyful season with their ates and kuyas.

Kythe Executive Director Fatima “Girlie” Lorenzo said “We at Kythe believe that children with cancer can better cope with their challenges- especially during the pandemic- when they are surrounded by a caring community. As an organization, we inspire hope to the children and their families. Despite the limitations of COVID-19, we are thankful for MSD’s efforts to spend time with our Kythe Kids and prepare gifts for them.”

She added that “MSD has demonstrated a long-term commitment to addressing children’s fears by providing them with opportunities to learn, play, and grow even virtually.”

MSD Gives Back to Carewell

Meanwhile, for the Carewell community, MSD hosted a series of talks that aimed to enable cancer patients and carers to stay healthy and better navigate the new normal brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In September, MSD volunteers organized a health and wellness webinar dubbed “Talk to Doc”to support patients and carers from the Carewell Community. The community viewed a video featuring an A to Z guide to health and wellness. This was followed by a live Q&A session where attendees were able to ask questions to physicians regarding cancer-related medication, treatment options and healthcare access.

This was followed in November by the TechTalk webinar, hosted by the Digital Acceleration and Culture and Branding teams of MSD in the Philippines.  During the program, volunteers explained the role of telemedicine in helping patients navigate their treatment and care during the pandemic. Participants learned about the different apps  that may be useful as they navigate the new normal, while protecting their data privacy and keeping their information secure online.

“There was a lot of health misinformation and disinformation spread over the Internet. It can be a source of anxiety for patients with cancer and their families. Our goal at Carewell is to ensure that cancer patients and their loved ones feel that they are not alone in facing the challenges of the disease. Through our programs, we aim to provide access to factual, accurate information, science-based medical opinions and resources,” Carewell Managing Director Oliver Calasanz explained.

“We thank MSD in the Philippines for lending much-valuedexpertise through their skills-share program. . The health, financial and techtalk webinars hosted by MSD proved to be beneficial in helping patients navigate the pandemic.” Calasanz said.

‘Empowered to give back’

At MSD, employees are empowered to give back and help build healthier communities by engaging in activities where they are able to share their skills, time and resources, for the benefit of others.

“Giving is core to MSD’s culture. Our employees’ passion, collaboration, and commitment to the communities we serve persist despite challenges of the pandemic. Continuing MSD’s more than 25 years of service legacy, it’s all-hands-on-deck for the Filipino patient,” said MSD’s Human Resource Lead, Ms. Marese de Vera.