In 1987, the Section of Pediatric Nephrology organized the Fellowship Training Program. After 13 years, in 2000, the section was reconstructed as a new separate department from the Adult nephrology.

The Faculty of the Department of Pediatric Nephrology chaired by Dr. Zenaida L. Antonio has 4 consultants: Dr. Myrna B. Rosel, Ofelia de Leon, Ma. Angeles G. Marbella (Training Officer) and Dr. Violeta V. Meneses-Valderrama. The Department continuously endeavors to maintain its utmost standards of excellence through its three-pronged approach of service, training and research. It relentlessly pursues a training program that will give rise to the finest kidney specialists for children. Dr. Ma. Angeles Marbella, the training officer and research coordinator spearheads our objective of academic excellence. The faculty aims to enhance the inquisitive minds of our graduates to produce relevant researches as well.

With the mission to attain medical excellence and share the Department’s expertise nationwide, the successful graduates of the pediatric Nephrology Training Program – NKTI, are strategically situated in Baguio City, Cebu, Iloilo, South Cotobato, Davao, Butuan and the rest in Metro Manila and nearby towns as well as in the United States. With them is the ultimate vision of the Department to provide new perspectives in the field of Pediatric Nephrology.

The Department maintains a 4-bed capacity in the service ward. Its target population in health care delivery is continuously growing to about 5-10% annually. For 2006, a total of 5,144 consultations were seen, of which 3,880 (75%) were from the Out Patient department (OPD), 484 (10%) Emergency room (ER) cases and 780 admissions (15%).

The Department of Pediatric Nephrology is not only medically inclined. A desire to transcend over the physical needs of our patients brought about the birth of Batong Bulilit School in 1994 and was realized in 1996. This informal school won the 1999 Civil Service Commission (CSC) “Pag-asa” Award, a competition for innovative ideas of the government agencies, as part of the CSC’s centennial celebration.

Manulife Philippines, a wholly owned subsidiary of Manulife Financial Canada and Migi’s Corner Foundation donated a playground, inaugurated and blessed last March 4, 2003. Migi’s Garden was named after the four year old son of Mrs. Cathy Babao-Guballa who died of Tetralogy of Fallot. The playground is a 50 square meter lot near our OPD surrounded by flowering bushes with swings; see saw, slides and other paraphernalia. It was designed to provide comfort and solace to 40-50 children every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon.

Manulife Philippines, donated a substantial amount to the Batong Bulilit Child Life Program. This was handed by Ms. Cecile Jacinto, manager of Manulife Philippines to our Executive Director Dr. Enrique T. Ona, with Dr. Aileen Riego-Javier, Deputy Director for Medical Services, Cathy Babao-Guballa, chairman of the Migi’s Corner Foundation and Dr. Myrna B. Rosel, then Chair of the Department of Pediatric Nephrology.

In celebration of the Kidney Month, the Department sponsors the yearly Batong Bulilit Art Contest every June were participants are grouped into three categories according to age interpreting the theme of the art contest.

The last momentous event of the year is its Christmas Party. This event is attended by our chronically ill patients and their relatives participating in games, songs and dances. Every year, this occasion is graced by artists from the two largest television networks in our country, GMA 7 and ABS-CBN rendering them songs and dances. Each child goes home with a ‘loot’ bag and prizes prepared by the Fellows.

The future indeed is bright for the Department whose overwhelming passion is to help our children with kidney ailments. With the plan of the Institution to expand our bed capacity and ultimately have a pediatric ward, all our efforts would have come to fruition.