There were no capes nor special powers. It was the pureness of his heart and the passion to genuinely serve that made this man a true modern-day hero.
Armed with only a stethoscope and a genuine concern to be of service, Dr. Jonas Del Rosario often fights his battles within the four corners of his clinic, where he took it upon himself to make a difference in the lives of the people seeking aid or a cure. Dr. Del Rosario is an accomplished interventional pediatric cardiologist currently practicing in some of the major hospitals in Metro Manila, and serves as clinical associate professor at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine, where he is teaching students and training young doctors.
“My clinical practice is primarily the diagnosis and treatment of heart diseases from fetal life to young adulthood. As an interventional pediatric cardiologist, I fix heart defects without opening the chest through cardiac catheterization,” Del Rosario said.
A highly respected name in the field of pediatric cardiology, Del Rosario earned his medical degree at the UP College of Medicine in 1991 and trained in the United States for seven years. He returned to the Philippines in 1999 and has been in practice for 15 years now.
TOYM
Along the way, he has earned a number of awards and accolades, including the distinction of being a Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) awardee in the field of Medicine (2004) and a Philippine Heart Association Outstanding Scientist awardee (2008).
This year, Del Rosario earned another recognition, as he was recently named the first My Champion Hero winner by Champion Detergent through its My Own Champion Hero Promo. The said promo was meant to uncover unsung heroes and their own heartwarming and inspiring stories, with much stress and focus on the importance of being tapat. Nominated by Kathrina Mangahas, Del Rosario emerged as this year’s champion hero, and his inspiring story is set to be shown this month on Star Movies.
“To be called a champion hero by my patient and his family means a lot. It was the aunt of my patient who entered me into this contest without my knowledge. I guess I am doing my job well,” Del Rosario stated. “I never expected to be called a champion or a hero. I don’t consider myself one. With the many blessings I received and continue to receive, what I expect from myself is to be able to pay it forward.”
For Del Rosario, the heart of a true champion lies in his or herability to extend assistance and show genuine concern for others. And this is a belief that he took to heart in his profession, one that has allowed him to treat every patient with much care and compassion.
Being a “Champion Hero” does not mean lip service, he stressed, as it should go beyond the set standards, with the end goal of producing life-changing results.
“A champion is someone who is passionate about supporting or defending a person or a cause. As an interventional pediatric cardiologist, I have been an advocate of children with heart diseases. The knowledge and skills I acquired through years of training and practice require perseverance and resilience,” Del Rosario shared.
“The nature of our work as doctors gives us the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others almost immediately. I am sure there are so many Filipino physicians, especially out there in the trenches or barrios, who are far more deserving of this recognition than me. I share this award with all the doctors who have chosen to stay in the Philippines and treat our kababayan,” he noted.
Del Rosario also believed that continuous learning, appreciation for newfound knowledge, and giving value to one’s welfare were all instrumental in nation building.
“I never stop trying to learn new things to keep me updated. But a smart or highly-skilled doctor can only be a hero to his patients if the latter can feel a genuine concern or malasakit from the former. Our consultants have taught us to treat each patient kindly and respectfully. I treat my patients, the kids, as if they were my own. A parent wants what is best for his or her child. The trust and confidence accorded to me and my team is something I value a lot as a doctor,” Del Rosario explained.
‘Tapat’
“As a true champion, it is important to be tapat or honest in one’s intention when doing ‘heroic’ acts of kindness and generosity. There has to be no personal agenda. The best service one can offer is to the people who cannot repay you. The word busilak comes to mind,” he added.
Happily married and now in his 50s, Del Rosario is blessed with three children. His interests lie in basketball, tennis and photography.
As a family man, however, Del Rosario claimed that the times he enjoyed the most are those spent with his family. Such strong family ties, he said, would explain the strong bond and genuine care that he is able to show his patients. And this will be largely brought to the fore in a mini-movie, through which Champion hopes to capture the essence of a man who serves as a true hero and inspiration, not only for his family, but also for his patients and young doctors.
“The mini-movie is a short story of how a doctor can be seen as a hero by his young patient. It is partly based on my relationship with Evan, who was born with congenital heart disease. It is a story of a doctor who finds meaning in his decision not to leave the country,” Del Rosario said.
Through his story, Del Rosario said he is hoping to be able to encourage Filipinos to become champions and tapat individuals. With his ongoing work, he aims to further entice individuals to become better versions of themselves and to find in their hearts the strong desire to do things that could help uplift and improve the lives of their countrymen.
“Filipinos have the biggest of hearts—we are natural champions. We need to tell more stories that inspire and give hope especially to the marginalized segment of our society. We have to use social media to effect a positive change. In our own niches, we can be champion heroes by putting ‘extra’ in the ordinary things we do to benefit others. It starts in our own home and community,” Del Rosario concluded.