Management Committee

Dr. Rumalie A. COrvera

Founding President

Doc Mae is a Family Medicine and Palliative Medicine Specialist and founder of The Ruth Foundation. She advocates Palliative Care in the community level through the foundation. In spite of her busy schedules, and multiple ‘hats’ she wears, she makes sure that her three kids and her husband are happy.

DR. RUTH ORILLAZA-CHI

Director For Research

Ruth is a Family Medicine and Palliative Medicine Specialist who joined the foundation as Palliative Medicine Consultant and mentor. Ruth gives patients her time and expert attention when she visits them with the rest of the team at least once a week.

Dr. djhoanna G. AGUIRRE-pedro

Medical Director for Patient Care

DJ, as she is fondly called, is a Faculty member and consultant in the Department of Family and Community Medicine of the De La Salle Health Sciences Institute College of Medicine. Apart from the work she does for TRF, she is also a volunteer physician and Hospice and Palliative Specialist for Ayala Alabang Hospice and Mission Community Services or MICOS.

Dr. Maricar Sabeniano

Director for Advocacy and Training

Maricar underwent her Palliative Care Fellowship Training at the Philippine General Hospital’s Division of Supportive, Hospice, and Palliative Medicine. She specializes in Family and Community Medicine. She actively participates in patient management and has helped out with our ELNEC Core training, as a speaker.

B-Etta “Babes” Ayon

Director for Resource Management and External Affairs

Babes has had 19 years of experience in administration and management with a foundation based in Alabang. At TRF, she is in charge of providing operational leadership for the foundation’s services and advocacy. She ensures quality and good governances through effective resource use and priority goal setting.

Medical Team

DR. Nenacia Ranali NIrEna ‘Rana” Mendoza

Doc Rana is a Family Medicine Specialist. She has been supporting the Palliative and Hospice advocacy even before then. She and her husband Doc Majo, both work hand in hand, not only with the advocacies of the foundation, but also in ministry at their local church.

Dr. Arabelle Coleen P. Ofina

Dr. Ara shares her energy, time and smiles with our patients and their family members during home visits. She takes the lead in family conferences aside from regular medical consultations. She is currently a visiting consultant at Asian Hospital and Medical Center.

Dr. NANETTE RAMILO-CRUZ

“Nette” is a Family Medicine Specialist and a Supportive, Palliative, and Hospice Care practitioner. In her heart and mind, life becomes more meaningful when caring for patients and their families at home – providing a more personal touch to patient care.

Dr. Marianne JOY Naria-Maritana

Marianne is a pediatrician assigned at the Child Protection Unit and a fellow of the Ambulatory Pediatrics at Philippine General Hospital. In 2014, up to the present, she is the Project Coordinator of KULAY, an organization that provides art and other activities to children in need of medical care, specifically cancer patients. She is also an advocate of pediatric palliative care. Hence, in 2018 she joined TRF as a visiting HCP Physician.

Dr. Mark Joseph “Majo” M. Mendoza

Dr. Majo is a Certified Family Physician and Palliative Care Specialist. He is known to lend a good ear to our patients, and spends additional time in assisting them and their families in coping with their spiritual needs. Though he has a hectic schedule, he still finds time to be active in church ministry.

Staff

Virgie Ignacio-Roldan

Executive & Administrative Assistant

Virgie’s expertise lies in providing administrative and clerical services for the effective and efficient operations of the foundation. Dependable yet unassuming, and a true team player, Virgie is committed to the success of the foundation’s activities and projects.

Jelai Ausan, RN

Palliative Care Nurse

Jelai serves as one of the resident palliative care nurses of the foundation. She helps the rest of the patient care team oversee case assessment and care management. She assists in performing initial visits to newly enrolled patients.

ERIC BASIWA, RN

Palliative Care Nurse

Eric is our full-time nurse. As a provider of hospice and palliative care, his primary responsibility is to address the comprehensive needs of our patients, ensuring the delivery of high-quality care. Additionally, he actively collaborates and contributes as a valuable team player.

EDERLYN TICALA, RSW

Social Worker

Eder is responsible in accomplishing case profiles for all TRF patients, in line with the DSWD Requirements; while coordinating and providing psycho-social support to patients and their families, alongside the multidisciplinary palliative care team.

MARILOU TUPAZ, RN, MSN

External Affairs Associate

Malou is our representative for special events with our partner organizations, and she also helps connect PalCollab patient referrals to care providers appropriate for the patients’ needs.

Communications

Dr. Raymond Oliver A. Cruz

Content Writer a.k.a The Medical Philosopher

Doc Raymond is a Diplomate and Fellow of the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians. He acquired his medical degree from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM) and had his residency training at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH).

SHERYL FLORES-GREGORY

Communications Consultant

With Sheryl’s advertising and marketing experience, she helps oversee the communication efforts of TRF to help raise awareness about our mission to make palliative care accessible to those in need.

Ricky So

Brand Manager

Graphic print and brand identity are Ricky’s specialty. Exuberant, lively and funny, he is in charge of TRF’s visual identity, including its logo, color palette and typefaces. He considers working with TRF one of his most fulfilling projects, and a platform for him to support other non-profit organizations.

MIKEE HAFALLA

Advocacy & Training Associate

Mikee supports TRF’s Training and Advocacy events such as trainings, lectures, and CPD programs. She helps the foundation empower families, healthcare workers and communities to know more about palliative care.

Gielizza marie calzado

Communications Associate

Gielizza is part of the foundation's team that creates content for newsletters and events. She also updates and responds to the foundation's social media pages, which she highly suggests you should be following right now.