Arugaproject.com is a website which aims to give children with cancer, caregivers and other healthcare providers access to information, services and experts related to pediatric palliative care. It has these features: (1) A telemedicine system in which online consultations for pediatric palliative patients can be done remotely to help ease the burden of children and their families; (2) two learning management systems which house online training courses on pediatric palliative care for health professionals and information resources for primary caregivers who want to  learn more about caring for pediatric patients with cancer; and (3) Pediatric Cancer Registry which contains national statistics on pediatric cancer – information that can help in creating a general picture of the health status of pediatric patients in the country, and in planning the development of future health programs and policies.

The features of the website, which are still undergoing pilot testing, resulted from the research program “Aruga sa Batang May Cancer (ABC) Initiative: A Web-based Pediatric Palliative Care Service Provider in the Philippines,” which was initiated in 2018 by the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) in collaboration with the Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) and with funding from DOST -- Philippine Council for Health Research & Development (PCHRD).  

Partners

	UP Open University. Established on 23 February 1995, the University of the Philippines – Open University (UPOU) pioneered online teaching and learning in the Philippines and is the leader in the study and practice of open learning and distance education in the country. In keeping with its mission of equipping Filipinos everywhere with the knowledge and skills they need for life and work in the 21st century, UPOU is the Philippines’ most comprehensive distance education institution, offering three undergraduate programs, nine post-baccalaureate certificate and diploma programs, 11 Master’s programs, two doctoral programs, and nine non-formal courses.  The Faculty of Management & Development Studies (FMDS), one of the university’s three degree granting faculties, offers graduate programs in management, development, and health sciences.
	Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC) is a government-owned and controlled corporate National Center for Specialized Health Care under the Department of Health offering pediatric care, training programs, and a center in clinical research. PCMC participated as one of the data collection sites for the situational analysis and needs assessment. PCMC also participates in the implementation of the learning management systems, telemedicine and cancer registry components of the project.
	The Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) is the national coordinating body for health research which provides direction, leadership and coordination of health science and technology in order to foster healthier and more productive lives among the Filipinos through health research and development. The ABC Initiative is made possible through the funding grant of DOST PCHRD.
	The Department of Health (DOH) is the principal health agency in the Philippines. It is responsible for ensuring access to basic public health services to all Filipinos through the provision of quality health care and regulation of providers of health goods and services. The DOH will host the Pediatric Cancer Registry for the project.
	Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital. The passage of Republic Act 8501 in 1994 converted the hospital services of the Albay Provincial Health Office to the national government and upgraded it into a tertiary regional training and teaching hospital which was called the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital (BRTTH). As one of the cooperating agencies, BRTTH participates as one of the data collection sites for the situational analysis and needs assessment, and the implementation of the learning management systems, telemedicine and cancer registry components of the project.
	Cebu Doctors' University Hospital (CDUH), is a leading tertiary level healthcare provider in the Southern Philippines territory in Metropolitan Cebu since the past 37 years. Cebu Doctors' Hospital is a comprehensive medical education and research complex. CDUH is one of the data collection sites for the situational analysis and needs assessment of the Aruga sa Batang may Cancer Initiative program.
	Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) is a general tertiary medical center teaching training medical facility owned by the Philippine Government. The Southern Philippines Medical Center is committed to provide its clients with excellent, sustainable and accessible health care services delivered in a timely manner by competent and compassionate staff through the full implementation of sound quality management systems. SPMC, as a cooperating agency, participates in the situational analysis and needs assessment, and implementation of the learning management systems, telemedicine and cancer registry components of the project.
	Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) is a general tertiary medical center and teaching training medical facility owned by the Philippine Government. It aims to provide health care services that are available, affordable, accessible and acceptable to all regardless of social status. VSMMC participated as one of the data collection sites for the situational analysis and needs assessment. It also participates in the implementation of the learning management systems, telemedicine and cancer registry components of the project.
	The Ruth Foundation for Palliative Care offers community-based opportunities for service in the care of the homebound elderly and those with life-limiting illness alongside education and training in Palliative and Hospice Care, for nurses, volunteers and other community-based health professionals. For the Aruga sa Batang May Cancer Initiative, The Ruth Foundation will provide home care services to the pediatric patients upon referral of specialists from the partner hospitals.
	Kythe Foundation Inc is a non-profit, non-stock organization aimed towards improving the quality of life among hospitalized children with cancer and other chronic illness. It is a group of trained professionals providing the Child Life Program. Kythe Foundation, Inc. participated in the review of learning materials on pediatric palliative care for cancer patients to ensure content validity.
	John Wayne Cancer Institute is a leader in surgical oncology education and in the fields of translational research, treatment of solid tumors including immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiation. The Institute conducts multidisciplinary basic, clinical and translational research on many complex cancer problems, focusing in particular on melanoma, breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, neuroendocrine cancer, gastro-intestinal cancer and sarcoma. For the Aruga sa Batang May Cancer Initiative, the John Wayne Cancer Institute will participate as a provider of fellowship program for nurses and as a referral center for clinical trial cases.
	Dr. Ardith Doorenbos from the Palliative Care Training Center of the University of Washington will participate in the review of learning materials on pediatric palliative care for cancer patients to ensure content validity.