Present for Patients at All Cost

Dr. Shyneth “Shai” Q. Galapia-Batara, MD in her uniform

Dr. Shyneth Q. Galapia-Batara, MD or “Dr. Shai” from Cagayan Valley shared her journey as a health worker at the face of COVID19. 

As someone with unswerving determination and passion, Dr. Shyneth Galapia exemplifies what it means to be altruistic by nature. Dr. Shai is a general practitioner who works at Appari Provincial Hospital, a physician at Charles W. Shelby Memorial Hospital Inc., and runs her own Clinica Galapia in her hometown. Above all, she had been a frontliner attending to patients wherever she’s needed despite the risks of doing so during the COVID19 pandemic. 

It is important for her to make the most out of what she has to serve more people. The lack of PPE or personal protective equipment and medical supplies can be daunting to protect Dr Shai and her teammates while they treat as many patients as they could. Times like these is when she consciously steps back and refocuses, reminding herself why she became a doctor. 

She imparts a few words of inspiration to fellow frontliners, “Let your light shine exceptionally so others may see, through you, what exactly needs to be done.”

She dreamt of being a journalist, yet, she chose the path of being a doctor which her parents wanted. “Through God’s grace, I did both but I realized, I was always meant to be a doctor. This is my calling.”  We hope to meet more dedicated doctors like Dr Shai in this lifetime!

Photography by Jackie T. Batara