After the successful launch of the City Association in Pampanga and Laguna On May 2022, TBpeople
Philippines set its foot in our 3rd location. Our Country’s Capital; Manila City. We have visited community leaders and met friendly and welcoming Health Centers Nurses and Health Workers in Tondo, Manila. The goals were to Introduce the TBPeople PH organization and Manila City Association President Niño Magpusao and Vice President Danica Pastorpedi Duran both DRTB Survivors residing in Tondo, Manila.

Our first location is in Barangay 30, Zone 2, District 1 Tondo Manila. Special Thanks to Chairman Dennis Noviza, Kagawad Eugene Duran, Kagawad Nancy Erispe, and Barangay Health Worker Beatriz A. Dorable for providing us a very warm welcome and a very interesting discussion about our objectives and our advocacy. After this meeting, both groups agreed that this advocacy is something that would have a positive impact on his jurisdiction.

Our next location is in the Baranggay Fugoso Health Center and Lying-in Clinic and Dona Aurora Quezon Health Center and Lying-in Clinic Health Centers Nurses and Health Workers also gave us a warm welcome and we were able to provide a quick overview of who we are and the advocacy we have.

On July 29, 2022, TBpeoplePH Team coordinated with the MSWD, MHD, and DILG offices. We are thankful for their time and for allowing us to introduce our organization and for listening to our objectives and advocacy in the fight against Tuberculosis.

Our next stop is to visit the Manila Health Department (MHD) to meet and greet Dr. Arnold “Poks” Pangan – City Health Officer and Manila Department of Social Welfare Director Ma. Asuncion “RE” Fugoso.

Ending our day, TBPeople PH also received a warm welcome during our first visit and meeting at the Manila Barangay Bureau. We are well accommodated by their MBB Director Diosdado “Boroboy” Santiago who expressed his support for TBPeople Philippines Organization Inc. right away, their office commented that they are ready to provide all that our community officers need for the advocacy activity that we are promoting for the Manileños. We felt their astounding support when Director Boroboy Santiago confirmed that his department will cooperate with the activities that we are planning to do in the 897 Barangays in the City of Manila.

On August 8, 2022, our team formally introduce ourselves; TBPeople Philippines Organization Inc., to the Officer in Charge of the Office of TB Control and Prevention – Manila Health Department Dr. Maria Julieta Casillano-Recidoro with her team Dr. Richard Castro, Ma’am Raquel Calixtro, and Ma’am Chachi Panuelos Veleña. We discussed our proposal of partnership and collaboration in helping each other in promoting the TB program, raising awareness, and educating our fellow Manileños about the TB disease; This is by sharing our own personal experiences as TB Survivors as this has been proven to be effective in communicating with PWTBs (persons with TB). Both TBPeople Philippines Organization Inc.
and Manila Health Department’s Division knows the great outcome that this can provide in motivating and encouraging people who might have lost hope because of the dreaded TB disease and also other affected population that maybe having a hard time in dealing with the effects and impact of Tuberculosis.

And FINALLY, last September 1, 2022, We launched our City Association Creation TBpeoplePH Discipleship – the City of Manila with the support of StopTB Partnership under the Challenge Facility for Civil Society Round 10, headed by our founder and President, Ms. Louie Zepeda-Teng.

Celebrating this momentous event are special guest and partners such as: Manila Barangay Bureau (MBB), Manila DSW and PDAO, Philippine Tuberculosis Society Inc. (PTSI), Médecins Sans Frontiéres (MSF), USAID, J&J, Tropical Disease Foundation (TDF), Arugaan ng may Kapansanan ng Maynila, Inc., Tinig at Lakas ng mga PWD ng Maynila (TILAK PWD Manila), Barangay Council, SK Federation, Senyas Sanay, Philippine Federation of the Deaf, Pinoy Deaf Rainbow, Philippine Blind Union, NOVEL Philippines, Bigkis Ng Pwd Association Inc-Bipa and Las Pinas Federation.
 
After this successful launch, our next step is to meet up with the City Mayor. We have high hopes of receiving the same pledge of support similar to the City Mayors in San Fernando, Pampanga, and Calamba, Laguna from Manila City Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan. We are excited to work with District 1 – 6 captains with the support of the Manila Barangay Bureau (MBB) for our TB Literacy activity.

Our Team is looking forward to other City Mayors supporting the initiative of TB Advocacy and strengthening the movement in having a well-informed and well-aware citizen in their respective municipalities regarding the dreaded communicable disease, Tuberculosis.
 
For more updates about TBpeoplePH Discipleship Manila, stay tuned and follow us online! Thank you