| Ben Emmanuel Oteyza, M.D. Baltimore, Maryland Founder of Three Knights of Columbus Chapters • Dynamic Leader A role model and an inspiration par excellence |
Among the Filipino-Americans in the Baltimore, Maryland area,
his involvement in the community has always been identified as
that of a pioneering founder. Indeed, true to everyone's belief, Dr.
Ben Emmanuel Oteyza, a notably successful and prominent
Filipino physician specializing in Family Practice, has been doing
just that -- founding one major organization after another for
more than thirty years now!
A religious man, Ben, as he insists to be called by friends, is
quite visible in the mainstream America as an achiever among
achievers, more specially in the Knights of Columbus circle.
Three major K of C councils are attributed to Ben's
organizational efforts and talents. Publicly acknowledged by the
K of C for his leadership, Ben has the distinct honor of being the
only one unanimously elected as Charter Grand Knight three
times!
The first Knight of Columbus council he founded was the Corpus
Christi Council in 1969 where he served as Charter Grand Knight
for two terms. In 1986, Ben organized the almost 100% Filipino
group, the Council of Santo Nino No. 9462 of the Knights of
Columbus. Ben served as Charter Grand Knight of the council
his involvement in the community has always been identified as
that of a pioneering founder. Indeed, true to everyone's belief, Dr.
Ben Emmanuel Oteyza, a notably successful and prominent
Filipino physician specializing in Family Practice, has been doing
just that -- founding one major organization after another for
more than thirty years now!
A religious man, Ben, as he insists to be called by friends, is
quite visible in the mainstream America as an achiever among
achievers, more specially in the Knights of Columbus circle.
Three major K of C councils are attributed to Ben's
organizational efforts and talents. Publicly acknowledged by the
K of C for his leadership, Ben has the distinct honor of being the
only one unanimously elected as Charter Grand Knight three
times!
The first Knight of Columbus council he founded was the Corpus
Christi Council in 1969 where he served as Charter Grand Knight
for two terms. In 1986, Ben organized the almost 100% Filipino
group, the Council of Santo Nino No. 9462 of the Knights of
Columbus. Ben served as Charter Grand Knight of the council
for an unprecedented three terms.
"This almost all-Filipino group Knights of Columbus certainly unified the professionals, businessmen and
other Filipinos in the Baltimore area," commented Dr. Charlie Patalinghug, Sr., one of the 1992 Twenty
Outstanding Filipino-Americans awardees from Baltimore, Maryland. "He single-handedly brought a lot of
pride among us here. He is truly a positive image builder for the Filipino-Americans and a pride of the Fil-Am
community."
Two years after he founded the Santo Nino Council, Ben scored the third unprecedented achievement
among the Knight of Columbus group, when he established a third council, the St. Ignatius Council, K of C,
and became, for the third time, a Charter Grand Knight -- or, head of the group.
"I am doing it for the glory of God, not for anybody's glory, but for the Lord," stated Ben, 52, born and raised in
Manila who came to the United States immediately after graduating from the prestigious University of the
Philippines with a degree in Doctor of Medicine in 1956.
Ben pursued his higher medical education abroad. A Diplomate with the American Board of Family
Practice and a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the two highest attainments in his
chosen field, Ben took his residency trainings at various hospitals around the Baltimore area, and
completed them in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where he became the President of the Philippine
Association of Montreal in 1963. Active with the United Council of Filipino Associations of Canada, Ben was
the editor of the newsletter of the association for several years. In the late '60s, Ben returned to the
Baltimore area and noticing that there was no Filipino organized group in the area, founded with Maureen
Davis, the now powerful Katipunan of Baltimore, Maryland.
"Ben has always been a leader even during our college days," recalled one of his classmates at the UP
School of Medicines. "He had been active in various major organizations and projects at UP." A
Filipino-American leader with a national stature, Ben is a member of the House of Delegates and Chairman
of the influential Resolutions Committee of the Association of Philippine Physicians in America (APPA). He is
currently President of the University of the Philippines Medical Society of America (UPMASA),
Baltimore-Washington, D.C. Chapter; and President of the Santo Nino Prayer Group of Maryland. Two years
ago, he served as President of the Association of Philippine Physicians in Maryland.
Ben's active participation with the Knights of Columbus, a national organization with chapters in major and
small cities across the nation is duly recognized. He was Grand Knight of Bel Air Council, where he and his
family reside, and had the distinct honor of being the Navigator (equivalent to president) of the highest
degreed group, the 4th Degree K of C Assembly in 1973. He was District Deputy of the Maryland, and was a
Delegate to the Detroit Supreme Convention in the early '70s and to the recent Vancouver, B.C. Canada,
Supreme Convention. As chairman for the Maryland State Council Alive and Well and the remarkably
successful Maryland State Council Twinning projects, he raised $2,000 in cash, tons of medicines and
supplies, clothing and canned goods for the victims of Mt. Pinatubo victims.
Ben and his lovely wife, Carmelita Soriano Oteyza have six children: Ben, Jr.; Noel, Thierry, Adelle, Adrian and
Rachelle.
"This almost all-Filipino group Knights of Columbus certainly unified the professionals, businessmen and
other Filipinos in the Baltimore area," commented Dr. Charlie Patalinghug, Sr., one of the 1992 Twenty
Outstanding Filipino-Americans awardees from Baltimore, Maryland. "He single-handedly brought a lot of
pride among us here. He is truly a positive image builder for the Filipino-Americans and a pride of the Fil-Am
community."
Two years after he founded the Santo Nino Council, Ben scored the third unprecedented achievement
among the Knight of Columbus group, when he established a third council, the St. Ignatius Council, K of C,
and became, for the third time, a Charter Grand Knight -- or, head of the group.
"I am doing it for the glory of God, not for anybody's glory, but for the Lord," stated Ben, 52, born and raised in
Manila who came to the United States immediately after graduating from the prestigious University of the
Philippines with a degree in Doctor of Medicine in 1956.
Ben pursued his higher medical education abroad. A Diplomate with the American Board of Family
Practice and a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, the two highest attainments in his
chosen field, Ben took his residency trainings at various hospitals around the Baltimore area, and
completed them in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where he became the President of the Philippine
Association of Montreal in 1963. Active with the United Council of Filipino Associations of Canada, Ben was
the editor of the newsletter of the association for several years. In the late '60s, Ben returned to the
Baltimore area and noticing that there was no Filipino organized group in the area, founded with Maureen
Davis, the now powerful Katipunan of Baltimore, Maryland.
"Ben has always been a leader even during our college days," recalled one of his classmates at the UP
School of Medicines. "He had been active in various major organizations and projects at UP." A
Filipino-American leader with a national stature, Ben is a member of the House of Delegates and Chairman
of the influential Resolutions Committee of the Association of Philippine Physicians in America (APPA). He is
currently President of the University of the Philippines Medical Society of America (UPMASA),
Baltimore-Washington, D.C. Chapter; and President of the Santo Nino Prayer Group of Maryland. Two years
ago, he served as President of the Association of Philippine Physicians in Maryland.
Ben's active participation with the Knights of Columbus, a national organization with chapters in major and
small cities across the nation is duly recognized. He was Grand Knight of Bel Air Council, where he and his
family reside, and had the distinct honor of being the Navigator (equivalent to president) of the highest
degreed group, the 4th Degree K of C Assembly in 1973. He was District Deputy of the Maryland, and was a
Delegate to the Detroit Supreme Convention in the early '70s and to the recent Vancouver, B.C. Canada,
Supreme Convention. As chairman for the Maryland State Council Alive and Well and the remarkably
successful Maryland State Council Twinning projects, he raised $2,000 in cash, tons of medicines and
supplies, clothing and canned goods for the victims of Mt. Pinatubo victims.
Ben and his lovely wife, Carmelita Soriano Oteyza have six children: Ben, Jr.; Noel, Thierry, Adelle, Adrian and
Rachelle.
Washington D.C. Since 1987
Washington D.C. Since 1987
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