By Jason B. Neola

 

NAGA CITY, Philippines — Mayor Leni Robredo expressed the heartfelt gratitude of the City Government of Naga and its people to the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints (LDS) with LDS Naga-Philippine Stake President Michael Diaz for donating P8 million worth of medical equipment intended for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the Naga City General Hospital (NCGH).

Robredo said the city is grateful not only for the essential medical apparatuses but also for the enduring legacy of compassion and service that LDS members continue to share with communities across the country.

“What is highly commendable is the act of genuine generosity and compassion, which bring hope and inspiration, especially to those who are downtrodden and destitute,” the mayor said.

During the turnover and acceptance ceremony, the mayor recalled the Church’s vital partnership with the Angat Buhay Foundation during her tenure as congresswoman of Camarines Sur’s third district—a collaboration that continues today with her leadership in Naga City.

In her Saturday morning radio program “Oras ni Mayor” over DWIZ, Robredo also thanked NCGH chief of hospital Dr. Joseph Sanchez and assistant chief Dr. Jamela Mangente, who led the hospital’s efforts to secure the specialized NICU equipment.

The donated items are essential in providing life-saving care for premature and critically ill newborns. These include:

• Radiant warmers (5 units), which provide controlled heat to keep newborns warm immediately after birth or during procedures while allowing easy access for medical staff.
• Incubators (3 units), enclosed and temperature-regulated chambers that maintain body heat and humidity for premature or sick infants who need stable environmental support.
• Neonatal patient monitors (8 units) that continuously track vital signs—heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and blood pressure—and alert staff when readings fall outside safe levels.
• A central monitor (1 unit), enabling nurses and physicians to view and integrate vital signs from multiple infants at once, allowing faster response to emergencies.
• Phototherapy lamps (3 units), which emit blue-spectrum light to break down excess bilirubin in infants with jaundice, making it easier for their bodies to eliminate.
• Kangaroo care phototherapy blankets (2 units), flexible light-emitting pads that allow babies to receive jaundice treatment while being held in comforting skin-to-skin contact with their parents.
• Suction machines (9 units), which clear mucus and secretions from a newborn’s airway to prevent obstruction and support easier breathing.

Robredo said the equipment will significantly improve the NCGH’s ability to care for its tiniest and most vulnerable patients, describing the donation as a “blessing that will save lives and uplift families for many years to come.”