Employees from the various departments and offices of Saint Louis University (SLU) attended the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) seminar, organized by the Human Resources Department (HRD) in partnership with the Campus Planning, Maintenance and Security Department (CPMSD), on 19 March 2026 at the Fr. Theophile Verbist Hall, Saint Louis University (SLU) – Sacred Heart Medical Center (SHMC).
To formally open the seminar, Vice President for Administration, Atty. Shellah Yzanne Merced, shared a message where she highlighted the importance of occupational safety and employee health to SLU in promoting holistic wellness of employees. Atty. Merced also expressed her gratitude to the HRD and CPMSD for holding the event as it provided insights on these necessary topics, aiding in the boost of morale and productivity in the offices.
As the first speaker, SLU – SHMC Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory Section Consultant-in Charge, Dr. Helenne Joie Brown delivered her talk on “Cardiovascular Disease and its Correlation with Workplace Stress.” Her topic focused on identifying how chronic stress in the workplace is linked to cardiovascular disease.
Dr. Brown explained the primary causes of chronic stress in the workplace: high job strain, long working hours, performance pressure, organizational factors, insecure employment and the nature of the job. She offered different strategies for the offices on how to encourage increased physical activity, healthy food options, proper nutrition education and routine health screenings. Dr. Brown ended her talk with a short but insightful reminder by saying, “Cardiovascular health is a shared responsibility between the clinician, worker and employer.”
Following the short health break, CPMSD Assistant Director, Laurence Oliver Navalta, RN (in the morning session) and CPMSD Safety Officer Billy Lanto (in the afternoon session) began the second talk on “Workplace Emergency Preparedness.” The lecture emphasized the importance of safety and laws that enforce workplace emergency preparedness, namely, RA 11058-OSH Law and DOLE Labor Advisory No.15-2025.
Moreover, the ways of preventing and managing emergencies in the workplace were discussed. Mr. Navalta and Mr. Lanto also outlined the University’s different strategies and the emergency response groups present in the University that are responsible for the management of each crisis. Offices were reminded of their responsibility in informing their employees of their roles in upholding workplace safety and the proper protocols in the case of emergency.
After each key discussion, question-and-answer sessions were held, allowing participants to delve deeper into the topics and engage with the speakers.
To conclude the OSH seminar, the Director of the Human Resource Department, Mr. Jeremy Lee Dela Cruz, gave his closing remarks underscoring the importance of continuous learning in occupational health and safety to reinforce quality work practices.
The OSH seminar was another successful initiative in further promoting workplace health in the University, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 of Promoting Good Health and Well-Being. (Article by Kassandra Marie Lucero, UIO intern / Photos by Mariam Qatarina Santos and Zen Aundri Carreon, UIO interns)
