NCH & TWCC Strengthen Global Partnerships to Advance Paediatric Palliative Care in the Philippines

By Maria Liza T. Naranjo, M.D. and Rhea Angelica P. Jayma, M.D.

In November 2025, Manila became the epicentre of global conversations on children’s palliative care as the International Children’s Palliative Care Network (ICPCN) Conference convened experts, practitioners, and advocates from around the world. Amid this historic gathering, the National Children’s Hospital Paediatric Palliative Care Centre (NCH PPC) marked a defining moment in its ongoing journey: the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding with the Two Worlds Cancer Collaboration (TWCC), formalizing a strengthened alliance to advance paediatric palliative care in the Philippines.

The MOU was signed by Dr. Megan Doherty representing TWCC and Dr. Philip Morales, Medical Director of the National Children’s Hospital. This agreement deepens long-standing collaboration between the two institutions and affirms shared commitments in training, faculty development, research, and service innovation. TWCC has accompanied NCH PPC since 2020, supporting hybrid fellowship training programs, interprofessional development initiatives, and faculty mentorship through the Collaborative Online Medical Education Training (COMET) program. The new MOU builds upon these foundations and positions both organizations to help shape the country’s first Paediatric Palliative Care Fellowship Training Program.

The significance of the partnership was underscored by an accompanying institutional visit to NCH by an exceptional assembly of global PPC leaders. The delegation included representatives from TWCC, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the University of Ottawa, and palliative care experts from Hyderabad, India. Their presence not only highlighted the international confidence in NCH PPC’s work, but also served as an affirmation of the Centre’s readiness to anchor a national training initiative. Visitors were able to meet the interprofessional PPC team, learn about the Centre’s expanding services, and observe its commitment to culturally grounded, family-centred care.

These milestones unfolded alongside the vibrant program of the 2025 ICPCN Conference, made possible through the leadership of Dr. Julia Downing, Chief Executive of the International Children’s Palliative Care Network, and Dr. Mae Corvera, founding President of the Ruth Foundation. Their collaboration—together with key international and Philippine partners —brought the global PPC community to Manila and created a platform for shared learning, solidarity, and local capacity-building. For the NCH PPC team, the conference marked a celebration of five years of growth and international partnership, with the team’s presence strongly felt across the event: team members developed and co-facilitated the November 12, 2025 pre-conference workshop and participated as speakers, moderators, and oral and poster presenters throughout the main sessions. This active involvement showcased not only the team’s technical expertise, but also the emergence of NCH PPC as a developing leader within the regional paediatric palliative care landscape.

Equally meaningful was the active presence of the Philippine Paediatric Society (PPS), represented by Dr. Edwin Rodriguez, PPS Secretary, who contributed valuable insights during discussions on paediatric palliative care education and training. PPS’s engagement reflects a growing national recognition of the importance of PPC within paediatric practice and signals the broader readiness of the paediatric community to strengthen PPC competencies. This alignment is a crucial development as the country advances toward establishing formal training pathways and integrating palliative care more meaningfully into paediatric health systems.

Together, these events signify more than a series of achievements; they represent a transformative convergence of local leadership, global partnership, and shared purpose. The strengthened alliance between NCH and TWCC, combined with the energy of the ICPCN Conference and the support of national stakeholders, marks a new chapter in the Philippines’ journey to expand access to high-quality paediatric palliative care. The momentum generated this November brings the country closer to a future where every Filipino child with serious illness can receive compassionate, competent, and culturally responsive palliative care.

November 13, 2025 MOU signing between Two World’s Cancer Collaboration (TWCC) and the National Children’s Hospital