In December 1971, Dr. Ronald Pagela Guzman, a medical doctor, established the Holy Infant Clinic, a 15-bed capacity health care facility situated at Centro Uno, Tuao, Cagayan. This was his way of serving the people of Tuao, where he was born and where he and his wife, Wilma Roa, a nurse, resided for quite some time after graduating from college.

It was a community hospital with a family-centered care setup. Patients brought their own linens and other necessities without paying for accommodation fees. A detached kitchen was available where patients’ nutrition was prepared by family members. The clinic rendered services from birth to death.

Geographically, Tuao at that time had no link to the rest of the municipalities, as it was surrounded by the Chico River, a tributary of the Cagayan River. During the rainy season, the river would overflow, making it impossible for motorboats to cross. As a result, appendectomies and caesarean sections had to be done in emergency cases at the Tuao Emergency Hospital.

Dr. Guzman trained a community worker to perform embalming services to help community members honor their departed loved ones. House calls and home visits were done for those unable to come to the clinic. Tuberculosis was prevalent, and management was carried out during home visits following initial assessment and diagnosis at the clinic.

The Holy Infant Clinic in Tuao operated as a satellite facility when a 35-bed capacity Holy Infant Clinic in Tuguegarao was established on July 7, 1980. Dr. Evelyn Duque served as the resident physician, while Grace and Filomena Roa led the group of nurses and caregivers who continued caring for the community.

This setup continued for two years, allowing Tuao to eventually produce its own doctors, ensuring continuity of care from private practitioners. Dr. and Mrs. Ronald P. Guzman also spent two years in Nigeria, where they worked at Bendel State Hospital in Benin City, Bendel State.

Upon their return to the Philippines, Holy Infant Clinic Tuguegarao was re-established. Over the years, it prospered and expanded its hospital services with the addition of the Medical, Surgical, Pediatric, and OB-GYNE Departments. It was also complemented by the addition of diagnostic services such as X-ray, ultrasound, laboratory services with drug testing facilities, and a pharmacy.

In 1994, Dr. Ronald envisioned that education is the antidote to ignorance, poverty, and disease. With this advocacy, he established the Medical Colleges of Northern Philippines (MCNP), which eventually led to the founding in 1998 of another school, the International School of Asia and the Pacific (ISAP), offering relevant and responsive courses to local, national, and global demands.

Through the years, MCNP and ISAP earned reputations as two of the most prestigious and top-performing schools in the country, producing global professionals. On March 18, 2008, MCNP was granted an Award of Recognition as a Category A(t), Mature Teaching Institution under the Institutional Monitoring and Evaluation for Quality Assurance (IQUAME), making it one of only three higher education institutions assessed nationwide and the only HEI in Region 2.

Today, Dr. Christopher Mark R. Guzman, an orthopedic surgeon; Dr. Charles Ronald R. Guzman, an internist and lung specialist; Dr. Aileen, a pediatrician; along with Atty. Cristina Guzman and Atty. Olivia Olalia-Guzman, children of the founders, serve as the second generation of medical practitioners and legal counsels for the institutions.

In October 2010, the humble beginnings of Holy Infant Clinic culminated in the emergence of the Dr. Ronald P. Guzman Medical Center—a 250-bed capacity tertiary hospital. It boasts state-of-the-art facilities including MRI, CT scans, ultrasound, X-ray, dialysis, and the latest in patient care, trauma, and diagnostics, all manned by specialists.

The hospital includes a 150-bed PhilHealth department—the first in the region—to serve the disadvantaged and marginalized sectors of society, in line with the founders’ principle of preferential option for the poor.

Over the past 15 years, the two schools have produced a total of ____ board topnotchers and have consistently ranked at the top in licensure examinations, both regionally and nationally. The schools have grown rapidly, now holding the second-largest tertiary-level enrollment in the region.

The dynamism of Dr. and Mrs. Guzman and their generosity is further demonstrated by their scholarship and financial support programs, which benefit 32% of the student population—primarily composed of children from poor families. The school also provides assistance to special groups such as student orphans, indigenous peoples, honor students, children of teachers, children of rebel returnees, members of the PNP and AFP, and other groups in need.