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| A Story Worth Sharing... |
| Dr. Herminio Mercado is the only Medical Doctor born and raised in Calantas who migrated and practiced his career in Hawaii and has decided to go back home to give something back to the community by providing free medical services and to the neighboring communities. As such is a shining good example for which, also, the dream and aspiration of Calantas Young Dreamers Foundation, Inc. to see its SCHOLARS go back home and contribute to the healthy growth/development of their land of birth: Calantas, a farming community in the town of Floridablanca, Pampanga. The story of Dr. Mercado is a shining example of how a young person could excel in life and would dare to dream and go where one could possibly dare not go but confronted the many challenges of his life as he struggled to seek for a brighter future and in search for his destiny. Apparently, he found his future and destiny with his own family in Hawaii where he practiced his medical career until he decided "it's time to go home and share something back to the land of his birth, Calantas! Indeed, there is no better place like home! |
| "The following story of Dr. Herminio Mercado was published in the CYDF Newsletter, Vol. 1, Issue 3 (2004 August 2005) and is being reprinted to showcase empowerment among the Filipino youth in rural communities like Calantas/Nabuclod" |
Tony, when you asked me to write the story of my struggles and success, I thought it was
going to be easy, so I accepted non-chalantly without hesitation. As I sat down to write,
believe me when I say my mind completely blank and had no idea of what to write. I was
hoping you will send someone to interview me, so that, that someone can write my story
instead of me. Since you did not do what I hoped for, so here I am to tell you my own story.
As you know, I was born very poor and came from a family of farmers who could hardly
subsist from the income generated from farming. I was one of 10 surviving children in a
family of 12 siblings. You can imagine how difficult it must have been for my parents to feed,
clothe, shelter 10 children and to top it all, to educate all of them. I cannot say if you have
literally seen a family who lived in a mouth-to-mouth existence that was us. We never starved
but we practically lived on rice and very little "ulam" (food that goes with rice, such as fish,
meat, etc.). If we get chicken, pork or any form of meat, it was a big bonanza or feast for all
of us children. During those days, I never heard any complaints from anyone of us. We were
just thankful we were surviving and still have a chance to go to school. I still remember
vividly during my elementary education, I had to wear one set of clothes for the whole week
without ever changing it to have it cleaned or washed. Looking back those days, I can imagine
now how my deskmates must have suffered from my ignominious state. As we grew older
and bigger, each of us children had to assume our respective duties and chores to make life
easier and bearable for our parents. At 9-10 years of age, I started helping in pasturing the
carabaos (beast of burden). Often times, I had to wake up as early as 2:00 o'clock in the
morning to do this chore. This was really no respite for each of us. If we were not studying
or doing our homework, we were working in the field helping our parents. Occasional play
was, indeed, a luxury for us during those days.
The years during WW-II really hit us hard. Not only did we work so hard to survive
starvation, but we were deprived of our schooling. We never went to school and toiled almost
everyday of the week. Life then was so dull and suffocating and often times I mused, "is this
all what life is all about?". Yet in spite of this gloomy existence, all of us survived and stayed
with our sanity intact.
1946 was a major break tho' for me. In one of the lunch breaks while working in the field, my
dear father talked me into going back to school. I will never forget what he said that day. He
said to me, "Son, it is about time you go back to school," out of the blue. "You know" he
continued, "I have nothing to leave you in this world because I am a very poor man. But
deep in my heart, if I send you back to school it will be the best legacy I can bestow
upon you". From this time on, these words of my dearly beloved father became my guiding
light and inspiration to make something of myself. I really burned the midnight oil and
studied harder in order to achieve my quest for knowledge.
After high school, I elected to become a Medical Doctor for I believe I could do most good
and help people suffering from diseases by being a doctor. I chose to go to the University
of the Philippines because at that time, I believe it was the best place to get an education. I
enrolled at U.P. as an entrance scholar. In spite of hard work and long hours of studies, it
was "touch and go" for me at U.P. I realized and discovered college life was fraught with
difficulties and hardships. I survived the long eight years through medical school and obtained
my medical degree with same number of years as prescribed by the curriculum. Those eight
years of pain, diligence, struggles and learning shaped the foundations of what I have
accomplished in life and what I am today. I thanked the Lord, my parents, especially my dear
father and all my relatives, brothers and sisters who sacrificed themselves to put me through
to be able to achieve this segment of my existence.
Right after medical school in April, 1959, I took the medical board which I passed
successfully. A few months later I decided to to go abroad (USA) to specialize further my
medical education. Because of my intention of going back home, I had decided to specialize in
general surgery. As soon as I finished my surgical training in June 1966, I joined the Kaiser
Permanente Medical in Honolulu, Hawaii.
A few years later, I went to private practice with other Filipino doctors in the suburbs of
Honolulu, Hi. I must admit those were some of the best and happiest years of my life because
I was content and happy of what I was doing and beginning to reap the fruits of my hard
work as manifested by living comfortably and watching my three children grow into young
boys and girl to adulthood. I am so proud of them they were able to pass those turbulent years
of their lives without any problems with the law:"to me, this is the most important gauge
of accomplishments in parenting seeing his/her children grow to be happy and useful
human beings and good citizens and not, breaking any law".
After I left the Kaiser Permanente Medical Group, I continued to practice my Medical
Profession for another 34 -1/2 years. I finally retired December 22, 2003, from my medical
practice. To most doctors who go to retirement, most do just sit around, play golf, or do
travelling around the world. For me, I made up my mind long before retirement. I am grateful
my dearly departed father and mother gave me chance to get an education. Although I spent
most of my life in my adopted country (USA), I thought and honestly believe that it is fair and
humane to spend the last segment of my life in the country of my birth by doing medical
mission in Calantas, Floridablanca. I intend to help especially the poor people who cannot
afford to see a medical doctor because of the lack of resources and maybe, improve their
perspective, cognizance and education. For me and my wife, Philippines is our home now. We
will do our best to try what we can do to fulfill our mission in Calantas. For whatever we can
do to help the people of Calantas and its surrounding environment, we dedicate the fruits of
our goal to our beloved parents, my wife's and mine, altogether.
going to be easy, so I accepted non-chalantly without hesitation. As I sat down to write,
believe me when I say my mind completely blank and had no idea of what to write. I was
hoping you will send someone to interview me, so that, that someone can write my story
instead of me. Since you did not do what I hoped for, so here I am to tell you my own story.
As you know, I was born very poor and came from a family of farmers who could hardly
subsist from the income generated from farming. I was one of 10 surviving children in a
family of 12 siblings. You can imagine how difficult it must have been for my parents to feed,
clothe, shelter 10 children and to top it all, to educate all of them. I cannot say if you have
literally seen a family who lived in a mouth-to-mouth existence that was us. We never starved
but we practically lived on rice and very little "ulam" (food that goes with rice, such as fish,
meat, etc.). If we get chicken, pork or any form of meat, it was a big bonanza or feast for all
of us children. During those days, I never heard any complaints from anyone of us. We were
just thankful we were surviving and still have a chance to go to school. I still remember
vividly during my elementary education, I had to wear one set of clothes for the whole week
without ever changing it to have it cleaned or washed. Looking back those days, I can imagine
now how my deskmates must have suffered from my ignominious state. As we grew older
and bigger, each of us children had to assume our respective duties and chores to make life
easier and bearable for our parents. At 9-10 years of age, I started helping in pasturing the
carabaos (beast of burden). Often times, I had to wake up as early as 2:00 o'clock in the
morning to do this chore. This was really no respite for each of us. If we were not studying
or doing our homework, we were working in the field helping our parents. Occasional play
was, indeed, a luxury for us during those days.
The years during WW-II really hit us hard. Not only did we work so hard to survive
starvation, but we were deprived of our schooling. We never went to school and toiled almost
everyday of the week. Life then was so dull and suffocating and often times I mused, "is this
all what life is all about?". Yet in spite of this gloomy existence, all of us survived and stayed
with our sanity intact.
1946 was a major break tho' for me. In one of the lunch breaks while working in the field, my
dear father talked me into going back to school. I will never forget what he said that day. He
said to me, "Son, it is about time you go back to school," out of the blue. "You know" he
continued, "I have nothing to leave you in this world because I am a very poor man. But
deep in my heart, if I send you back to school it will be the best legacy I can bestow
upon you". From this time on, these words of my dearly beloved father became my guiding
light and inspiration to make something of myself. I really burned the midnight oil and
studied harder in order to achieve my quest for knowledge.
After high school, I elected to become a Medical Doctor for I believe I could do most good
and help people suffering from diseases by being a doctor. I chose to go to the University
of the Philippines because at that time, I believe it was the best place to get an education. I
enrolled at U.P. as an entrance scholar. In spite of hard work and long hours of studies, it
was "touch and go" for me at U.P. I realized and discovered college life was fraught with
difficulties and hardships. I survived the long eight years through medical school and obtained
my medical degree with same number of years as prescribed by the curriculum. Those eight
years of pain, diligence, struggles and learning shaped the foundations of what I have
accomplished in life and what I am today. I thanked the Lord, my parents, especially my dear
father and all my relatives, brothers and sisters who sacrificed themselves to put me through
to be able to achieve this segment of my existence.
Right after medical school in April, 1959, I took the medical board which I passed
successfully. A few months later I decided to to go abroad (USA) to specialize further my
medical education. Because of my intention of going back home, I had decided to specialize in
general surgery. As soon as I finished my surgical training in June 1966, I joined the Kaiser
Permanente Medical in Honolulu, Hawaii.
A few years later, I went to private practice with other Filipino doctors in the suburbs of
Honolulu, Hi. I must admit those were some of the best and happiest years of my life because
I was content and happy of what I was doing and beginning to reap the fruits of my hard
work as manifested by living comfortably and watching my three children grow into young
boys and girl to adulthood. I am so proud of them they were able to pass those turbulent years
of their lives without any problems with the law:"to me, this is the most important gauge
of accomplishments in parenting seeing his/her children grow to be happy and useful
human beings and good citizens and not, breaking any law".
After I left the Kaiser Permanente Medical Group, I continued to practice my Medical
Profession for another 34 -1/2 years. I finally retired December 22, 2003, from my medical
practice. To most doctors who go to retirement, most do just sit around, play golf, or do
travelling around the world. For me, I made up my mind long before retirement. I am grateful
my dearly departed father and mother gave me chance to get an education. Although I spent
most of my life in my adopted country (USA), I thought and honestly believe that it is fair and
humane to spend the last segment of my life in the country of my birth by doing medical
mission in Calantas, Floridablanca. I intend to help especially the poor people who cannot
afford to see a medical doctor because of the lack of resources and maybe, improve their
perspective, cognizance and education. For me and my wife, Philippines is our home now. We
will do our best to try what we can do to fulfill our mission in Calantas. For whatever we can
do to help the people of Calantas and its surrounding environment, we dedicate the fruits of
our goal to our beloved parents, my wife's and mine, altogether.
| The Struggle & Success Story of Dr. Herminio Mercado, The Pride of Calantas |
