Ateneo School of Government holds health hackathon and culminating activities for MPM-HG cohort 2023C

The Ateneo School of Government (ASoG) successfully held the culminating activities of the ASoG Master in Public Management Health Governance (MPM-HG) cohort 2023C, otherwise known as the Doctors to the Barrios (DTTB) Batch 39 from 18 to 22 February and 25 February to 01 March 2025 at Luxent Hotel, Quezon City.

In partnership with the Department of Health (DOH), the ASoG delivered the MPM-HG program to the DTTB Batch 39, who joined ASoG in 2023. A total of 106 students participated in a week-long event featuring a Health Hackathon and the closing of their mentoring program. Conducted in two weekly batches, the event marked the students' transition from the program and their readiness to contribute to the Philippine health sector.

Dr Kenneth Y Hartigan-Go, ASoG’s Program Director for Leadership and Innovation, led the Health Design Thinking Competition, through a Health Hackathon; while Dr Ruth Rosario D Gerochi, ASoG's Program Director/Lead Mentor for the Mentoring Program, facilitated the Mentoring Program Capstone and Closing Ceremonies.

These activities were founded on Ateneo’s Ignatian commitment to fostering a sense of community. The DTTBs were challenged to develop innovative solutions for various wicked problems in health that they encountered in their communities. Meanwhile, the Mentoring Program Capstone activities on the final day served as a poignant reflection on their personal and professional growth throughout their journey not only as an MPM student, but as a rural physician as well.

In his message during the opening program, Dr Hartigan-Go emphasized how given the changing needs and environments of the communities that the DTTBs serve, they are not just being called and bred for health leadership, but to lead these communities. Aside from introducing the program and competition, Dr Hartigan-Go also encouraged the participants to expand their Health Hackathon entries into research papers that they can either publish or use to join competitions in the future.

Health Hackathon 2025 Inspires Innovation in DTTB 39

For the Health Hackathon, the students were grouped and challenged to identify problems in the health sector, surface the patterns and structures that have led to these problems, and create solutions that may possibly address these issues. The prototype solutions were presented via an elevator pitch to the panel of judges for the competition.

ASoG Professors and selected individuals in governance, information technology, health administration, and other fields to serve as judges. 

A total of 22 teams composed of DTTBs under the MPM-HG Track presented ideas and solutions in response to the complex problems in the Philippine health sector, especially in the rural and urban poor areas to which they are assigned. The following presentations won this year’s Health Hackathon:

• Batch 1, 19 Feb: PCFAST (Janel Romasanta, Deborah Lea A Cauilan, Franciz Lianne M Ramos, Christine S Lactaoen, Katrina L Magbojos) - PCFAST focuses on addressing inadequate Accredited Primary Care Facilities (PCF) in the country. Part of the proposal included the creation of a PCF licensing council at the provincial level to be headed by the Provincial Health Office. PCFAST is a portal that makes PCF accreditation easier and faster, hopefully with a long-term outcome goal of at least 95% accredited PCF within 5-10 years.
• Batch 1, 20 Feb: Your Energy Sounds Familiar (Pamela P Daniel, Dioscoro D Caulian Jr, Adam Gray F Ayak, Hanz Angelo P Rivera, Yc A Pasion) - The proposal aims to harness sound energy through piezoelectric technology along the noisy corridors of the EDSA railway system in Metro Manila, which involves the strategic installation of piezoelectric sensors inside the MRT stations and sides of rail tracks. These sensors will capture acoustic energy and transform it into electricity. The project can help decrease electricity costs, which can potentially reduce train fares and encourage higher public train usage. This will not only enhance profitability but also contribute to reducing traffic congestion and lower pollution levels, improving urban living conditions.
• Batch 2, 27 & 28 Feb: BAI-Care (Jamir Rasheed K Abas, Sahed Arvin M Sukarno, Fathma Sokura M Hadji Socor, Sittie Mayha S Anarig)  - BAI-Care is a 24/7 digital healthcare navigation companion, connecting citizens to medical facilities across BARMM. Making healthcare access simpler, faster, and culturally attuned. Named after “Bai,” a term of respect and guidance in Maguindanaon, BAI-Care is a proposed chatbot designed to help patients find healthcare facilities, access emergency services, and get information about financial assistance for medical care in the Maguindanao area. The chatbot will operate in English, Tagalog, and Maguindanaon, ensuring cultural relevance and accessibility across BARMM's diverse population, significantly reducing barriers to healthcare information that disproportionately affect marginalized communities.

The winners of the Health Hackathon will be given the opportunity to expand on their startup ideas and submit them as an entry to the 12th Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition, organized by the Singapore Management University Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

2023C Mentoring Program Culminates in Inspiring Reflections

The Mentoring Program on the last day of each batch’s culminating activities encouraged the DTTBs to explore and look back on their journeys. Through various activities and memoir writing, the participants were able to meditate on their purpose as healthcare professionals. The program was also accompanied by a closing ritual that helped foster community and gratitude in the DTTBs towards each other as they finished their shared experience under the MPM-HG. 

In his closing remarks, former DOH USec Mario Villaverde shared his own experiences with the community as a young doctor and compared it with the journey of the current DTTBs. He said, “This is not the end of your journey; this is just a step in a long, long way. (...) I hope that you have learned so many things here in ASOG. We have given you, I think, what is the best we can offer with the limited time that you’re engaged with us. You learned a lot from us, but I think we also learned from you.”

In his closing remarks, ASoG Dean Philip Arnold Tuaño noted how the students’ completion of the DOH DTTB experience and the ASoG MPM-HG Program stands as a testament to the DTTBs’ unwavering dedication, resilience, and commitment to develop themselves in order to continue serving our nation’s most underserved communities. He added, “Throughout this program you have navigated a complex tapestry of roles and expectations: balancing academic rigor, adhering to DOH policies, meeting the unique needs of your communities, fulfilling local government health mandates, and aligning with your personal and professional aspirations.” He finished with a message of hope for the students, saying, “It is our hope that this journey has not only deepened your understanding, but has also laid a robust foundation for an ongoing self-reflection and personal development in the years to come.”

The ASoG MPM-HG Program for the DTTBs is a partnership of the DOH and ASoG, in the pursuit of the School’s broader goal of inspiring reform in the country. Through its flagship degree program, Master in Public Management, the Ateneo School of Government continues its contribution to the nation in shaping leaders who are committed to innovation, sustainability, social transformation, and ethical public service.