Marlon V. del Rosario, MD (1956 – 2021)

Abstract

Marlon graduated from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Faculty of Medicine and Surgery in 1982. He completed his internship at the Ospital ng Maynila Medical Center (OMMC) the following year. He then proceeded to complete the OMMC residency training program in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (then chaired by the venerable Dr. Angel Enriquez). In 1988, he attained the title of Diplomate in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

Marlon established his private practice in his hometown of Tanza, Cavite. It is also here where he co-founded the Divine Grace Medical Center, the first tertiary medical facility in this part of Cavite. In 1989, with the encouragement of Dr. Joselito “Che” Jamir, a respected fellow Caviteño otolaryngologist, he joined the faculty of De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute in Dasmariñas, Cavite, serving for 30 years as Assistant Professor. He also served as an Associate Board Examiner for the Philippine Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery until 2016.

With this short statement alone, one can already see the exemplary medical career Marlon had. But to properly pay tribute to him, one must see and know the man behind the endoscope, the man beneath the white tailored medical overcoat.

Marlon’s character was a bit of a paradox. He was a humble and modest person despite his substantial resources. He was unassuming yet self-assured. He was reserved but gregarious at the same time. For instance, in our conventions or other gatherings of fellows, he would most likely be seated at the farthest portion of the meeting quietly and attentively listening to the proceedings. But once outside the session hall when he gets to meet up with his buddies, he transforms and takes center stage in what will eventually be a boisterous exchange of banter. The usual suspects in these animated gatherings were Drs. Arsenio “Boy” Pascual, Howard Enriquez, Tomas “Tom” Antonio and Diosdado “Dado” Uy. Indeed, he was the epitome of someone who worked hard and played hard.

He was a man with foresight. Instead of investing in clinic spaces in large and established medical centers in Metro Manila and Cavite, he staked his money on building the Divine Grace Medical Center, a tertiary medical center in what was then a sleepy town of Tanza, Cavite. This sleepy town is now a commercial and financial hub in the northwestern part of Cavite, with his hospital located right in the middle of all the commercial and infrastructure developments. And as his practice started to thrive, he tempered his success with kindness and compassion, earning him more prominence
in his hometown.

He was also a music aficionado. While many of us are only recently going back to the turntable and vinyl records, he never let go of his turntable set up. He was a bit of a snob when it came to music. He found tapes and digitized sound inferior to vinyl records, and his vinyl record collection is still an envy of many. He appreciated all forms of music, but the genre he truly loved (like a true Caviteño) was Rock and Roll. His love for music did not stop there. He was a musician as well and played a mean guitar. This is illustrated by the manner in which his family arranged the altar where his urn was placed. Amidst the flowers on the altar was a picture of a grinning Marlon with a guitar slung over his shoulder. His treasured guitars were right beside him: his acoustic guitar placed on one side of the altar and his electric guitar on the other.

His true crowning glory however, was his family. He became a family man at the tender age of 21. His family was his foundation and inspiration. His lovely and ever supportive wife Ellie held the fort while he was away in Manila to study medicine and undergo residency training. They were blessed with 3 boys whom he was extremely proud of. His eldest son Marc (43 years old) is a US - trained interventional cardiologist who practices in several large medical institutions around Metro Manila and Cavite. Michael (40 years old) is an associate professor of entrepreneurship and marketing at De La Salle University – Dasmariñas and currently completing his requirements for his doctorate degree in business administration and management. The youngest son Mikko (32 years old) seems to have a special interest in local Cavite politics.

Indeed, Marlon’s life was colorful and complete. Nonetheless, it was still too soon for him to embark on this final journey. But such is life and we just have to accept it.

My dear friend and compadre Marlon, I raise my glass of your favorite Japanese single malt whiskey and congratulate you for a life well-lived.

Godspeed and rest easy