By Manny Regalado Alcalde
Active doctors and practitioners rarely would find time to dedicate themselves to an advocacy to share studies, skills and expertise to the community they dwell. Rather, they would opt to stay in their clinics or conduct hospital rounds to treat their patients.
But to a pioneering pulmonologist and clinician-scientist, recognized as the first interventional bronchoscopist in Iloilo City, it is but rewarding to every medical specialist to engage themselves in community activities especially during Better Health Campaign Programs, and those attending will be informed of care and prevention rather than cure after they were already infected.
Dr. Rollin Palermo Tabuena, a DOST Most Outstanding Young Scientist in 2006 who introduced the Transbronchial Needle Aspiration Biopsy and the 60-minute TB-LAMP Diagnsotic Test in Iloilo which shortened tuberculosis diagnosis and improved patient outcomes has availed himself in a chance interview. “You know, it is but proper that we place ourselves under regular check-up, medication and care so we can have the early diagnosis of our health conditions. Prevention from making it worse will follow, undergoing treatment and then cure. However, if you don’t care about this, then you come out risking yourselves to these very dangerous outcomes,” said Dr. Tabuena.
Tabuena is the President and Medical Director of ‘Asclepsius Drugstore Medical Laboratory and allied Services Corporation’ (ADMLASC) based in Iloilo City since 2006.
“Well I guess I was blessed in my career and it is but timely that I will continue this journey to share this blessing to our brothers in the field in whatever way I could be able to reach them,” added Tabuena.
Tabuena was recently approached by the Nmax Club of the Philippines (NCP) Iloilo Chapter for a proposed collaboration in the regular charitable projects conducted in the barangays through medical missions and the former, gave his positive response. The specific roles and schedules will be determined in May or April, this year, to realize the plans of action.
As founder of the movement ‘Dancing Doctors of Iloilo’, which integrated lifestyle, preventive health education and cultural engagement, Tabuena, along with his wife Dra. Daisy Tabuena, has proven that such innovation could reach more people and engage the public in health promotion.
Tabuena is a member of several professional medical organizations, with local and international affiliations, and is a respected medical consultant to almost all hospitals in Iloilo City in Internal Medicine, Pulmonology and Interventional Bronchoscopy.
