31/03/2026
A Life Well Lived: Remembering Dr. Cornelio G. Banaag, Jr.
With deep sorrow and gratitude, the University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine mourns the passing of Dr. Cornelio G. Banaag, Jr.
To the Philippines, Dr. Banaag was a founding light of psychiatry and was widely regarded as the Father of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in the Philippines. To us in the department, he was a mentor, colleague, inspiration, and above all, a teacher who helped shape generations of psychiatrists.
His contributions to the field and to our department are deeply woven into our history. In 1978, he established the Section of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in our department, laying the groundwork for a field that would grow to become an essential part of psychiatric care in the Philippines. In the years that followed, he continued to help guide the department as it expanded its work in community psychiatry, research, and behavioral medicine. Much of what our department has become today bears the mark of his vision and dedication.
Yet beyond these milestones—and beyond the title of Professor Emeritus—those who knew him remember something even more enduring: his kindness and humanity.
Dr. Banaag taught with unmistakable joy. Whether in lectures, supervision, or quiet conversations with trainees, he shared his knowledge generously and with genuine delight. His lessons were never only about theory or diagnosis. He reminded us that psychiatry is, at its heart, about understanding people—their struggles, their resilience, and the hope that can emerge when someone is truly heard.
Many of us remember how his gentle guidance shaped us not only into better clinicians, but into more compassionate human beings. Even long after formal training had ended, he continued to offer his wisdom and encouragement, remaining a steady presence in the lives of those he had taught.
Through him, many of us learned that competence and compassion must always go hand in hand.
In his own reflection on life, Dr. Banaag once wrote about reaching Erik Erikson’s stage of Integrity versus Despair, choosing to stand firmly on the side of integrity—looking back on his journey with gratitude rather than regret. It was, as he described it, a life well lived.
As we grieve his passing, we also celebrate the life he lived and the countless lives he shaped—including ours. His legacy lives on in every student he mentored, every patient whose life he touched, and every act of compassion he inspired in those who follow in his path.
Thank you, Dr. Banaag, for your wisdom, generosity, and the humanity you brought to the practice of psychiatry.
Your life was truly a life well lived.
Heaven has gained a teacher whose kindness and wisdom shaped generations.
Rest in peace, Sir.
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