The Philippine Army is very lucky to have Colonel Maria Victoria “Mimi” Juan as the Army Chief Nurse. Her exemplary performances in various and important roles during all the stages of her military nursing career has earned her a respectable service reputation. Being well-known as a mover and shaker, Col Mimi has etched her name in the annals of the Philippine Army Health Service, resulting from a well-executed capability simulation of battle casualty treatment scenario in the field utilizing sophisticated medical equipment critical in saving a soldier’s life, tasked as the scenario director and leading planner of PA Health Service Support Capability Display on the occasion of the 122nd Philippine Army Founding Anniversary last March 2019. Her commendable discharge of duty secured the Philippine Army funding for Forward Medical Treatment Facility (Field Hospital), amounting to 400 million pesos from the President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Roa Duterte. The Army Chief Nurse is also instrumental in providing a comprehensive Lessons Learned from Marawi Siege Report to The Deputy Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of the Philippines related to the AFP health service support capability gaps and shortfalls. Hence the crafting and subsequent publication of SOP Nr 3 and inclusion of Health Service capability Enhancement in AFP Modernization Horizon 2 and the formulation of the AFP Health Service Doctrine. This is the first time Health Service has become a part of the AFP Modernization Program.
    As a well-rounded nurse leader, Col Mimi is also an advocate of Continuous Education and Training of Nursing Service Personnel. Her incessant aspiration for professional nursing service resulted in accreditation of the Office of the Army Chief Nurse as Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Provider by the Professional Regulation Commission. Among the various programs she conceptualized are the Nurse Manager Certification Program and Nurse Executive Certification Program, which prepare nurses to assume leadership and management roles. She also created the Basic Operating Room Nursing Experience (BORNE) for company-grade Nurse Corps Officers. This program increased the pool of Operating Room-trained nurses as surgical teams deployed in various military hospitals in Mindanao. Col Mimi was also able to send one civilian staff nurse to a foreign training in Haifa, Israel, last June 2018, completing the International Course on Developing and Organizing a Trauma System and Mass Casualty System. With having a subject matter expert on board, the Trauma Nurse Coordinator Certification Program was later conceptualized to help increase the capability of the Philippine Army Emergency Room units to be trauma and mass casualty capable. Col Juan is also influential in making Public Health Center one of the major operating units of the AFP Health Service Command. The intent is to have a health unit that can provide focus on conserving the fighting strength by increasing medical readiness of the AFP forces by assessing, identifying current and emerging health threats, as well as developing and communicating solutions/interventions against these threats. It includes disease and injury surveillance and creating health programs for the whole AFP. With a high regard for the welfare of nursing service personnel, Col Juan pushed for the enhancement of personnel management of Nursing Service. She championed the institutionalization of the career ladder as well as the institutionalization of selection of civilian nurses in AFP Medical Center. These endeavors resulted in the creation of relevant positions for civilian nursing personnel in alignment with their career progression. Having a distinguished and inspiring leader like Col Maria Victoria P Juan, the image of professional Philippine Army Nursing Service gains more admiration from Army leadership, making nurses more significant members of the organization. In gratitude and to recognize the legacies that have sustained and shaped the heritage of nursing in the Philippine Army, Col Mimi Juan deserves to be honored by the DAISY Lifetime Achievement Award.