DR. BEN VALDEZ

Dr. Ben Valdez // On the Frontline of Healthcare - 1.0

Please welcome Dr. Ben Valdez, trauma surgeon trained in Manila and Israel, with 18 years of practice, to the stage.  Dr. Valdez is one among the pioneers of the 911 service in the city of Davao, Philippines and the first emergency medicine training program in Mindanao (Philippines).  He has performed ENT surgeries on thousands of cleft lip/palate patients, as well as general surgeries, mostly charitable. Dr. Valdez has conducted over 120 major medical missions and established three cleft referral centers, with 45 major partner hospitals throughout the Philippines. 

Awards: 

  • Rafi Exemplary Individual National Award
  • Most outstanding physician in the Philippines Evelyn tamtanco-gusi National Award
  • Bayaning Doctor Award 
  • TV5 National Award 
  • Laong laan Award for Volunteerism
  • Most Outstanding Volunteer Award 
  • Neda A National Award Regional
  • Most Outstanding Alumnus of the University

Dr. Ben Valdez // fueled by choice.

Dr. Ben Valdez

What drove you to pursue such a demanding career?  

I am completely fulfilled by helping others.  Having come from a poor socioeconomic status, and single parent home, my life calling is to help the poor and nameless. 

Why do you choose to get out of bed every morning (or afternoon/night) to come into work?  

Our life is not ours.  We are here to promote a better well-being for others.  I have an opportunity to serve on a daily basis, and seeing a smile and hearing a thank you from any patient is a success for me.

What message would you like to project to anyone reading this? 

Life is short and giving your all may be heaven to your patients.  The people that you help along the way in your career will never forget you.  You can be someone's miracle.  

Amidst the current pandemic, you've been placed in a lot of challenging situations while caring for patients.  Can you discuss a positive experience that you've had?  

Having established the emergency medicine system in Davao, I've been able to organize a COVID-19 response initiative, and I've already helped a lot of people.  That feeling is great. Pandemics occur so infrequently, but we will (hopefully) be armed with a foolproof system.

What mantra do you want the world to remember you by?

To all health care people in the world, this is what we are made of, and making such a big sacrifice will be written in the hearts of people whom you treated and helped along the way.  
What you do today will make a difference in the future.

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