Outstanding New York doctor, a Dagupeño

By Gerry Garcia

THIS  was the insulting remark made by American actress Teri Hatcher playing the role of one of the Desperate Housewives (TV series) when she was being examined by a doctor: “Can I see those diplomas ‘coz I just want to make sure that they are not from some medical school in the Philippines”.

That comment, unwittingly made or not, was an incisive slash on the pride of hundreds of thousands of Pinoy doctors, including nurses working both in the US mainland and here in the country.

It was seen as a deliberate racial slur since it could not have been part of the script.

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Particularly bearing the brunt of this embarrassing insult are the Pinoy doctors in the US mainland whose years of unremitting service and care have won the gratitude and appreciation of their American clients.

One of these Pinoy doctors is a Dagupeño in New York, Dr. Blas O. Rayos, a son of the late UP-based educator and founder of the University of Pangasinan, Dr. Blas F. Rayos, Sr.

Blas Jr., whom we used to call “Benny” since he had been this writer’s contemporary here in his father’s Dagupan Institute (fore-runner of both Dagupan Junior Colleges and University of Pangasinan) from the early 30s up to the time when we were still buddies at the University of Santo Tomas, with him at the College of Medicine and this writer at the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters.

Benny, married to an American nurse Bernice, migrated to North America after graduation from the UST school of medicine, lived and worked in New York City. Now retired, all  his 5 kids are  flourishing professionals in journalism, Electrical Engineering and daughter Candace Alys, the youngest, is a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the  Georgetown Law Center in Washington, D.C.

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Among Benny’s accomplishments as medical urologist: (1) Benny’s name Dr. Blas O. Rayos, Jr., was included in the 2000-20001 Millennium Edition of Strathmore’s WHO’S WHO of New York.

(2) Benny’s biography has been selected to be included in the 2002-2003 Edition of America’s Registry of Outstanding Professionals of New York.

(3) Benny was awarded, as member of UST Medicine Class 1952 his LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD in recognition of his outstanding contributions in the field of medicine for the past 50 years, as golden Jubillarian given by the USTMAAA on July 5, 2002 at the Wyndham Palace Resort and Spa in Orlando, Florida.

This writer has two brothers, both doctors, who have been living and practicing their professions in the USA for the last many decades. They are Dr. Rafael E. Garcia, (now deceased), neurological psychiatrist in Vermont. Dr. Ruben E. Garcia, surgeon, has a wife Lourdes who is also a doctor of medicine. Both reside in Athens, Georgia. They have a son, Ruben, Jr., who is also a doctor.

There was one achievement gained by Ruben, Sr., which won front-page publicity in Athen’s leading Newspaper. That was when, some decades ago, he performed a risky caesarian job of delivering a baby from the womb of a dying mother. The baby was saved.

There are many other stories of Pinoy doctors’ successes in their respective fields of specialization which could not have failed to catch the attention of that witless whistle -blowing actress who spoiled the day for millions of Pinoys here and in the land of milk and honey.

(For past columns, click http://sundaypunch.prepys.com/archives/category/opinion/here-and-there/)