Dr. Ma. Amparo ‘Itto’ Agrava’s aspiration to become a physician began with a deeply personal realization: there was no health advocate within her family of lawyers. Today, she brings the same incomparable empathy as Head of the Child Neuroscience Division at the Philippine Children’s Medical Center, making a meaningful difference in the lives of countless Filipino children and their families.
In her leadership role, Dr. Agrava oversees several subspecialties, including child neurology, neurodevelopmental pediatrics, and child and adolescent psychiatry. With Dr. Itto’s wealth of expertise, she also passionately mentors the future generation of healthcare practitioners as part-time faculty at her alma mater Far Eastern University-Dr. Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation’s College of Medicine.
Her decision to specialize in child neurology was shaped by a pivotal family experience when her cousin was diagnosed with epilepsy. Dr. Itto noticed the myths and misconceptions that surround neurological conditions and decided that she wanted to curtail these by advocating for education on how child patients and their families can still thrive and pursue their dreams.
Dr. Itto has always been driven by her desire to care for her patients. Her ability to lead and transform has led her to successfully lobby programs and initiatives, and advocate for community empowerment through health education. Her work clearly demonstrates her willingness to accept challenges, solve problems, and take ownership.
These qualities were nurtured early in her life, particularly during her formative years at Maryknoll College, where she graduated as part of High School Class of 1983. Dr. Agrava recalls how the values of social responsibility and justice were instilled both in theory and in practice, shaping her into a selfless and dedicated individual.
After high school, she went to the University of Santo Tomas for pre-medicine, and later studied medicine at Far Eastern University.
Faith has also kept her grounded throughout her journey. Dr. Itto’s advice for aspiring medical practitioners is to put God at the center of everything, and to be fully committed to caring for patients and their families.
Driven by her foundational values, Dr. Itto believes that a Maryknoll graduate is a person who exudes excellence, is guided by faith, and is a true believer that God is there.
