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| Pedro Ramirez, Jr.: In the Service of His Kababayans |
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Many Filipinos are not getting the right medical treatment and supervision they need in America because they are naturally shy, intimidated by hospitals or fearful about costs. Some don’t have the proper legal documents, so they resort to all sorts of self-medication and treatment. The good news is that there is a dedicated, hardworking man in Los Angeles’ first hospital, St. Vincent’s Medical Center (SVMC), who has made it his mission to extend help to these kababayans for free --- and consequently, help them enjoy healthier and longer lives. His name is Pedro Ramirez Jr. --- the Director of Multicultural Health Awareness and Prevention Center at LA’s St. Vincent Medical Center.
“I have always wanted to serve the community,” said Pedro. “That’s why when our immigration papers were approved and my family and I came to LA six years ago, I told God to show me how I can be of service here in America. Otherwise, I would rather go back to the Philippines where I was very much involved in community service. Thank God, in six months’ time, I landed a job here in St. Vincent’s, helping multi-cultural families get medical help and education. So, I knew God wanted me here,” he recalled.
Born in Quezon City to Pedro de Leon Ramirez Sr. and Guadalupe Mejia Pascual, Pedro related to Asian Journal his early struggles in life. Coming from a struggling family, Pedro has learned the value of perseverance and hard work. “My father, who was a janitor, died of a stroke when he was just 47 years old. That left my mother, who was a labandera, with 9 children to raise up. I was just 8 years old at that time. Pinag-aral niya kami at nung nakagraduate ang kuya ko sa engineering, tumulong na siya sa pagpapa-aral ng mga nakakabata. And down the line, tulungan lang hanggang sa makatapos na lahat. Then, in 1992, nakuha na ng lola ko ang nanay ko sa America. While I knew that in time, we were going to follow, I dedicated myself to serve the community I was living in,” he recalled.
Pedro graduated from Polytechnic University of the Philippines with a Bachelors in Applied Economics and took up units leading to a Master in Community Development at the University of the Philippines. He recently received his Master of Business Administration in Health Care Management at the University of Phoenix, California.
“My commitment and active involvement to social and community services started in the Philippines in 1986 when I was elected president of the Quezon City Kabataan Bantay ng Bayan (KABAYAN) affiliated to the National Movement for Free Election. I worked for seven years both in the local and legislative government as Special Project Officer and Legislative Consultant for Youth Affairs. In 1988, I was honored to be chosen as Young Ambassador of Goodwill by the Presidential Council for Youth Affairs, Office of the President, to promote friendship and camaraderie among the youth of Japan, Thailand, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia,” Pedro stated.
From 1994 to 2002, Pedro served as Project Operations Manager of Haligi ng Bata Inc. (Pillars of the Children, Inc) a foreign-funded non-profit organization affiliated with the Department of Social Welfare and Development. For eight years, he supervised the organization’s skills development resource center, child sponsorship program, microfinance and community development projects that benefited more than 5000 indigent families located in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, La Union and Bacolod.
For his tireless service, Pedro received the 1991 Youth Leadership Award from the Office of the Mayor, Quezon City; the Outstanding Youth Leader Award from the Coalition of All Filipino Youth (CALL) Philippines; the 1995 Model Employee of the Year Award of the Haligi ng Bata Inc (Pillars of the Children Inc); the Knight of the Year Award (1999 and 2001), Knights of Columbus Council 6829; and the 2002 Community Service Award from the Office of the City Mayor, Quezon City Philippines.
In 2002, Pedro immigrated to the US with his wife, Marilyn, and two children, Claire and John Paul. “God helped us adjust to our new life and made us stable. Marilyn, who’s a teacher, got employed in the school just walking distance from our place and I was hired at St. Vincent Medical Center as Project Coordinator of the Cancer Awareness Prevention Center. I was promoted as Project Manager in 2005 and became a Director of the Multicultural Health Awareness and Prevention (MHAP) Center in 2007. As Director I am responsible for the hospital’s key community outreach and benefit programs that focus on health education, disease prevention, early detection, and information and referral services for at-risk ethnic communities including Filipino, Korean, Latino and other vulnerable populations in the Central Los Angeles area,” explained Pedro.
In the six short years that Pedro has lived in the US, he has already been recognized and awarded by the community for his invaluable service. Among the awards he has received in LA are a Certificate of Commendation from the Los Angeles City Council (2006); an Award for Outstanding Community Leader, given by the Golden Lions Club of Los Angeles (2006); Citizen of the Year Award, Lions Club International, District 4L3 California (2006); Saint Lorenzo Ruiz Bukas Palad (Open Arms) Award, Office of Filipino Ministry, Archdiocese of Los Angeles (2007); and a Certificate of Commendation from the Board of Supervisor, County of Los Angeles (2008).
Asked what he plans to accomplish more in the future, Pedro reiterates that it’s all about service. “I can say that all my experiences, accomplishments, dedication and commitment to serve the people and the community is a mission that starts with God and it is a mission without end, ” Pedro said with passion. (www.asianjournal.com)
(Published October 22, 2008, p.2mdwk LAMDWK)
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