MANILA, Philippines — A Filipina won the Aster Guardians Global Nursing Award 2024 at a ceremony held in Bengaluru, India on Thursday.
Col. Maria Victoria Juan, who worked as a consultant in the Philippine Army, and is now retired, was among 10 nominees that included nurses from the United States, Kenya, Uganda, Papua New Guinea, India, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates.
“Maria Victoria’s nursing leadership in the Armed Forces of the Philippines is marked by groundbreaking initiatives like spearheading the first aeromedical evacuation system. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she organized a mega swabbing center and mobilized troops to conduct nearly 500,000 tests, significantly contributing to virus control. Her unwavering dedication to public service and disaster response makes her a leader among nurses, profoundly impacting healthcare delivery in her country,” Astra Guardians’ description of Juan wrote.
“Maria Victoria’s leadership in environmental nursing includes implementing vetiver grass technology to address soil erosion and water pollution at the Philippines Army Headquarters. Projects like the pontoon water billboard in Mandaue City and the Tanay, Rizal river slope stabilisation benefited from this initiative. Her commitment to preventive medicine and health promotion distinguishes her as a visionary leader in the nursing community,” they added.
Aside from Juan, there were also two Filipino expats who were nominated, namely Philippine Nurses Association of New York president Laarni Florencio and UAE-based Filipino nurse Nelson Bautista.
Juan was given the cash prize of US$250,000 for her award.
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