Former UP Baguio professor is outstanding Baguio citizen for 2025

Retired University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB) Professor of Management Dr. Erlinda Castro Palaganas was among this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Citizen of Baguio award in ceremonies held at the Baguio Convention and Cultural Center on September 1, the city’s Charter Day anniversary.

Dr. Palaganas was honored along with two other Baguio women leaders—Dr. Donnabel Panes, chief of the City Epidemiological and Surveillance Unit (CESU), and city librarian Ester Wahayna-Pablo.

Dr. Palaganas was recognized for her lifelong commitment to service, education, and community health. As an academic, she taught at the College of Social Sciences’ Institute of Management handling research courses among others. As a nursing professional, her intensive research outputs included indigenous health knowledge and practices, gender studies, health policy studies, and health program assessment and evaluation studies.

She graduated cum laude with a degree in Nursing from the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center. She completed her master’s degree in public health from the University of the Philippines Manila. Her doctorate degree in Nursing was conferred by the University of Sydney in North South Wales, Australia.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Palaganas helped establish the Cordillera Nurses Binnadang, a network of nurse volunteers that helped organize supplies provisions as well as health education during the duration of the health crisis.

Aside from being a full professor, Dr. Palaganas was also UP Scientist 1 until her retirement from UP Baguio in September 18, 2022. She was also a former director of Student Affairs Services.