Like Kobe Bryant, he is a father of 4 beautiful ladies whom he took care since birth. He is hands on in all aspects including guiding them to the careers where they are now.
He is not just an administator, a pediatrician, a loving husband, but also a caring and supportive dad to his four daughters. The product of your hardwork and guidance to these beautiful ladies says it all that both of you Dr. Neal and Dra. Emy raised them well.
We will miss you Dr. Neal Orteza. Rest in peace, Sir!
GOD put us in a place where we can be of more service to others. You wanted to be a priest as I wanted to be an engineer. You became a doctor as I became a teacher. You were one of those who felt happiness when I finished my masters. You even once pushed me to continue my journey so as to be a doctor in my field. You have been a good classmate, batchmate, playmate, friend, comrade, physician, couz, kuya Mamimiss ko yung biruan natin lagi regarding our age during my birthday.
Thank you, dok. God will lovingly put you in a place where you are going to have eternal rest with Him… You will always be remebered, Ronaldo Madlangbayan Mateo, M.D.
Tribute to a dear friend who fought a good fight, a real hero. Saludo at salamat sa serbisyo. ‘Di pa rin kami makapaniwala, sis Amor Padilla Gatinao, na wala ka na. Sobrang mamimiss ka namin. You are a beautiful woman inside and out. Maraming, maraming salamat sa lahat. ‘Til we see each other again.
Isa na naman pong mabait, magiting at matapang na Filipino nurse ang pumanaw sa London, UK dahil sa kanyang sinumpaan serbisyo. Our deepest sympathy, Pare Boyet Gat and family. Dito lang kami. Our thoughts, love and prayers are with you at this difficult time.
Photo taken from the Facebook page of Err Oggie Villedo
Puso ay nalulumbay, Dahil aking kaibigan; Matatag na lumaban, Upang iba’y mabuhay.
Ika’y hindi nagtago, Sapagkat ang puso; Ay laan sa mga tao, Malasakit ay totoo.
Kapag nababagabag, Kalooban ay matatag; Paglilingkod na ganap, Lubos mong niyakap.
Bokasyong minahal, Buhay mo ay inialay; Ang iyong sinumpaan, Sa puso’y di naparam.
Di mo lang pinagpala, Pasyenteng kinalinga; Pati Diyos na dakila, Ay nabigyang ligaya.
Kapag ika’y kausap ko, Tayo ma’y magkalayo; Kaylapit ng ‘yong puso, Puso ko ay nagdurugo.
Hapdi ma’y malalim, Ang puso ay aaliwin; At aking aalalahanin, Iyong mga itinanim.
O Diyos dalangin ko, Frontliners, ay itago; Sa mga bisig Ninyo, Iligtas silang totoo.
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates March 30, 2020 6:20 PM (10:20 PM, Manila)
I wrote this poem as a tribute to Dr. Janette Dancel Liban, a friend and a faithful member of Knox UMC. Thank you Lord for her life. This poem intends also to appreciate and to pray all the frontliners all over the globe who are very much committed to do their part to battle this COVID 19. Praise God for their lives.
Photo taken from the Facebook page of Janette Dancel Liban
Heavy heart. That’s how it feels like knowing that this caring and compassionate doctor will no longer walk the hallowed corridors of the hospitals, making the rounds for his patients. He was another COVID casualty, but to the countless patients who sought his expertise, he is a great loss.
I first met Dr. Bobby Anastacio more than 3 decades ago, already a prominent cardiologist but showing his sharp, scientific and innovative mind in setting up and running UST Hospital’s Heart Station. Back then, his irreverent humor and wit never failed to elicit a smile or a hearty laugh.
He was the same Dr. Bobby when we met again last January – still warm, still irreverent but for sure, still very caring to his patients. Sis Loudette was supposed to undergo bypass op but I told her I just wanted one final opinion I can accept without reservation – that of Dr. Bobby.
He painstakingly studied every lab result, every test done and reviewed all the CDs. He was amazingly thorough, using an app he developed to view everything in 4D. Yes, he can go on and on about quantum protocols and his extensive studies on this matter as applied to medicine.
Needless to say, my sister is on the road to recovery sans the procedure. He was the one who will call to check on her progress, monitoring all these very thoroughly. Each one of his patients will probably say they are his special ones. He made them feel that way.
And so we say goodbye to Doc Bobby with deep sadness. He is among the rare breed of doctors who give their patients not just caring but respect, as seen in his thorough evaluation; not just another one on the list, but as a human being he made it his mission to tend. He never made medicine his job or his business, he made it his mission and purpose. He was happiest when he saw his patients well again.
In the end, this was his undoing. He cannot leave his patients in the ICU to go through their ordeal alone. He sat with them, until he himself was no longer able to stand up, until he himself had to go, even under the loving care of his doctor-protégées who cared for him and willed him to fight. I can almost see him making his own pain an opportunity for them to learn again. Still the unselfish mentor to the end.
I don’t know but maybe our good Lord might have found it hard to pry him away from his patients in his last moments. God probably had to tell him he had done enough, he had served well and now it’s his time to find comfort in His loving arms.
Rest in that blessed peace, Doc Bobby. You will remain forever in our family’s hearts.
Photo taken from the Facebook page of Alma Jimenez
How should I start? How will I shout to the world how good of a person you are. I cannot remember how we started as friends. What I know since then was that, you are in a way a family. My go to person. My adviser. A brother. A loved one.
April 3, nagchat ka pa! May pictures pa to make me believe that you are just fine. Na anxiety lang. So fast and now you’re gone. And it pains us so much Doc. How can we accept and move on from this? We really don’t know. We lost you in a blink of an eye. Gone to soon and we are not prepared for this very sad and most unfortunate event in our lives.
I don’t want to question God. Why? Why you? But Doc, you really don’t deserve to die this way. In all our trying times, in all our hard times. You were always there to lend a helping hand. You were always there to listen. To guide. Why can’t we do the same way for you right at this very moment. Doc, I am sorry wala kame sa tabi mo. Please know Doc that as much as we want to, we want to stay by your side to let you know that we are one with you in prayer fighting. But Doc sorry wala kame and hindi puwede.
You were telling me all the time, “Mag diet ka na. Stay fit and stay healthy and to always take care”. You even tried to convince me to do everyday jog and yoga. You always run in marathons. But Doc…
Thank you so much Doc for everything. I may have lost a big brother today. But heaven gained another angel. We will miss you so much! Wala na maghahatid sundo sakin sa next vacation ko. Wala na akong kaharutan sa chat. Sabi mo magpapabili ka pa ng set ng gold dito. Sabi mo okay ka lang… pero Doc…
To the bereaved family and lovedones, especially to Haira Limpasan, my sincere condolences Inda. You know kung anu si Doc sa life ko. Sa kung saan at kung ano ako ngayon. Naging malaking parte siya ng lahat ng ito. And I want to take this opportunity to thank your family for sharing Doc’s beautiful life to me. I know, He died happy and fulfilled serving not just his patients but also serving for the Glory and praise for God/Allah. Please and I know you will take good care of Azee. Sending my virtual hugs to you guys.
INNA LILLAHI WA INNA ILAYHI RAJIUN! Keep running up there Doc… I miss you Doc. Your last days may be hard but rest well now Doc. Until we meet again…
Photo taken from the Facebook page of TJ Alexis Aguinaldo
A Tribute to Aracelli (Celi) Buendia Ilagan, RN, BSN, ARNP.
On March 27, 2020, Aracelli (Celi) Buendia Ilagan, RN, BSN, ARNP, a longtime nurse-in-charge of the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) at Jackson Memorial Hospital (JMH) in Miami, Florida succumbed to the COVID-19, a disease caused by SARS-CoV2 virus that she caught while fulfilling her duty as a nurse.
Her death was quick, sudden and tragic, and had left a void among many of us: family, friends, and colleagues.
I had the privilege to know and work with the SICU team at JMH for 15 years, a highlight of my career. I was recruited to the University of Miami in 1998 to lead the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital Heart and Lung Transplant Program. Celi was the nurse in charge of JMH SICU, the unit where we cared for all our heart, lung transplant recipients and all other surgical patients who required intensive care. Over the ensuing 15 years our physician team worked side by side with the nursing staff (lead by Celi) in that unit.
Together we provided the care for the sickest of the sick, for patients with heart, lung transplants, combined heart and lung transplants, combined organ transplants, for patients without their native hearts and for those with two hearts; for patients with left ventricular assist device, biventricular assist devices, with extra-corporal life support (ECMO), with aortic dissection with acute cardiogenic shocks.
Celi had trained, mentored her nursing staff to care for these patients. No patient was too sick and no one was special. We took care of all, regardless their races, sex, sexual orientation or social status. All received the same super quality of care. The skills and dedications of the JMH SICU nurses were unsurpassed. It was not a surprise to us when Healthgrade ranked the UM/JMH heart transplant the best (out of 116 program) in the US for its superior survival statistics.
In life we often cross paths with many people however only a few left a mark in our heart that we would never forget. Celi, you were one of those few individuals who had left an indelible mark in the hearts of your family, friends, colleagues and the entire SICU family at Jackson Memorial Hospital. You had left us physically but you live forever in our hearts. Your legacy will continue.
Dr. Resurreccion, thank you for being a great mentor and inspiration. We lost a truly genuine, compassionate and competent pediatric surgeon. A person with dignity, optimism, and passion for work and life. I’m very fortunate to have trained under your guidance and leadership. I love how you always keep your cool and appreciate the little joys in life, whether it’s biking, a selfie, good wine, or the bacon breakfast in the Philippine Children’s Medical Center canteen.
I won’t forget our hepatectomies and the occasional complicated surgeries. It was a great honor working with you. More importantly, you taught us that we should treat the Filipino children to the best of our ability and knowledge… and that’s what we will do. Doc Resu, maraming maraming salamat po.
Dr Leandro L. Resurreccion III, Pediatric surgery, minimally invasive surgery, Pediatric liver transplant, chairman, father, friend, teacher… inspiration.
Photo taken from the Facebook page of Cherry Anne Sio.
The pain hits home when one of your own falls victim to this pandemic. Please pray for the soul of dearest classmate from UK – Amor Padilla, she mounted a fight and like the many struggles she survived before, we were waiting and rooting for her to once again stand up and live to tell her story.
Our deepest sympathy and prayers goes to her bereaved family.
Rest in peace, my friend “palangga ka gid namon.” You brought us so much joy and happy memories… As you have wanted it, there will be smiles glowing in our faces when we say your name.
Photo taken from the Facebook page of Amor Padilla.
Rest in peace, dear brother nightingale.Thank you for your great sacrifices and unwavering commitment to your duties as a nurse. We are proud of you!
May the Lord bless you and keep you in His embrace. May He watch over your family and all frontliners fighting our unseen and deadly enemy. Our heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family.
Photo taken from the Facebook page of Arvin Pascual
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A Tribute To 