Vice Chancellor for Lasallian Mission and Linkages Dr. Charles Y. Yu, and DLSHSI College of Medicine Batch '88 alumnus Dr. Benito P. Atienza are two of The Outstanding Filipino Physicians (TOFP) for 2009. Drs. Yu and Atienza were awarded together with the other eight outstanding physicians in the country on December 22, at the Centennial Ballroom of The Manila Hotel.

Themed, "Serving and Caring for the countrymen are the best works of life," TOFP awardees were chosen on the strength of their character, leadership, high personal integrity, awards and citations related to the medical professions, commitment and dedication to the medical profession considering their past and recent achievements that manifest caring and sharing for their countrymen, patriotism by staying in the country in the service to the community and for making significant contributions to national development in general, and the public welfare in particular.

A joint project of the Junior Chamber International (JCI) Senate Philippines and the Department of Health in cooperation with Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, The Outstanding Filipino Physicians (TOFP) is now on its 3rd year of giving due recognition to Filipino Physicians who are 41 years old and above, with excellent achievements in the field of medicine and who have devoted their professional careers in the service of the Filipino.

In 2007, DLSHSI College of Medicine Class '92 alumnus Dr. Willie Ong and member of the DLSHSI Board of Trustees was among the honourees of the the same award.

BENITO P. ATIENZA, MD, DPPS
DLSHSI College of Medicine Batch '88
Adjudged winner of The Outstanding
Filipino Physician for 2009

A member of the DLSHSI College of Medicine Batch '88, Dr. Benito Atienza dedicated himself to the service of community medicine. He founded the Child (Bulilit) Health Workers Foundation, Inc. which spearheads the training program of elementary students in Batangas. He is also an active leader of the medical community in Batangas. He is Past President of the Lipa Medical Society; Board Member, Vice President and later President of the Philippine Pediatrics Society Inc. – Southern Tagalog Chapter; and National President of the Community Pediatrics Society of the Philipines.

For his notable service, he was granted the Dr. Jose Rizal Memorial Award in 2004 and 2009, the most prestigious award given annually by the Philippine Medical Association. He was also named the Caring Physician of the World in 2006 by the World Medical Association in Santiago, Chile.

CHARLES Y. YU, MD, MSc, FPCP, FPCCP
DLSHSI VICE CHANCELLOR FOR LASALLIAN MISSION AND LINKAGES
Faculty, DLSHSI College of Medicine
Consultant, De La Salle University Medical Center
Adjudged winner of The Outstanding
Filipino Physician for 2009

Dr. Charles Yu's passionate work towards the eradication of Tuberculosis in the Philippines started more than 2 decades ago, when, as a young pulmonologist, he saw how the disease was crippling many Filipinos. As a Pulmonologist, he works relentlessly to reach out to more TB patients and at the same time, to find treatments and management approaches that would work best for TB patients. He was first to vouch for the effectiveness of the Directly-Observed-Treatment-Strategy which the World Health Organization has adopted as its main approach against TB. As a practicing pulmonologist, he has directly treated thousands of TB patients often without financial gain. As a student and professor of medicine, his researches are multi-awarded and have been embraced by many pulmonologists and other doctors whose practice as regards TB have been influenced by the information and approaches that Dr. Yu spouses in his frequent lectures and presentation. Working for the TB project TIPS, he was instrumental in the development of the DOTS Certification System and standards now used by PhilHealth for accreditation and cited by WHO and replicated abroad.

As consultant to the World Health Organization, he spoused the Public-Private Mix DOTS which counts on the active participation and partnership of the public and private sectors in ensuring the success of DOTS. He was also Chair of the Philippine Coalition Against Tuberculosis in 2001-2004 when PhilCAT transformed itself into a higly professional and respected organization receiving grants from Global Fund, CDG, and USAID. He is immediate past president of the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development Stakeholders Association.

Today, he remains a member of the Core Group of the WHO DOTS Expansion Committee and his expert advice on TB is sought after by health organizations in other countries where TB continues to be a menace.