MANILA, Philippines - There are some doctors who do the bare minimum required by their job, and there are some doctors who go the extra mile, showing genuine compassion and concern to every person they come across and leaving a lasting legacy through the younger physicians they mentor. Dr. Constantino P. Manahan, one of the founding fathers of leading health institution Makati Medical Center, falls into the latter group; and this month, the Hospital with a Heart commemorates this unforgettable healer’s birth anniversary by revisiting his life, vision, and passion for service.
Aptly dubbed a “life-giver,” Dr. Manahan was one of the foremost obstetrician-gynecologists in the country who committed himself to the mantra “Health for all regardless of race, creed or economic status.” A graduate of the University of the Philippines’ College of Medicine (recognized by the College as the most outstanding alumnus in 1986), he was also honored as “Physician of the Year” by the Professional Regulations Commission in 1983.
During his residency at the prestigious Johns Hopkins Hospital, Dr. Manahan achieved two of his career’s most prominent milestones: First, he became the only doctor in the history of the hospital to reach senior residency in the departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology; and second, he became the first Filipino diplomate of this specific field in the United States.
So impressive were his accomplishments that he was invited to become chairman of and professor at Emery College’s Obstetrics Department in Virginia. However, fueled by love for his own country, he chose to return to the Philippines to serve and make a difference among his countrymen. It was then that he joined former President Sergio Osmeña’s office as an adviser on hospitals, and, in the process, helped set up the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society (eventually becoming its second president).
Soon after the inception of MakatiMed (which was done together with co-founding fathers Dr. Mariano Alimurung, Drs. JY and Raul Fores, Dr. Romeo Gustilo, Dr. Manuel Fernandez Sr., and Dr. Carlos Sevilla), his personal passion to reach out to the Filipino community led him to establish the Makati Indigent Program (MIP). Together with his colleagues, they offered their services for free to the less fortunate, touching the lives of many Filipinos who had limited or no access to quality health care.
Up until his death, Dr. Manahan served as MakatiMed’s chairman and medical director, Research and Development Division director and head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department. A natural and well-respected leader, he was also president of the Philippine Cancer Society and remained in the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society as chairman of the Advisory Council.
He is also known for having trained some of the country’s best obstetricians and gynecologists, thanks to his stay at the UP College of Medicine as professor emeritus of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Furthermore, MakatiMed’s new delivery and operating suites are named after him in honor of his achievements and contributions to Philippine health care and the local community.
At the end of the day, there is only so much that can be said about a thorough list of accomplishments, titles, and accolades because impressive as these may be, what ultimately matters is the driving force behind these achievements. Physician, professor, hospital administrator, director, president, founder, writer, researcher, Dr. Manahan was known for many things, but above all, it was his huge heart for the poor that will be remembered and honored the most.
MakatiMed calls on all Manahan-born babies to contact telephone number 870-3000 or e-mail lifematters@makatimed.net.ph.