| Rodolfo "Rudy" V. Punzalan, M.D. Los Angeles, California Healer of the Unfortunate and Dedicated Filipino National Leader |
Inspite of the hectic schedule of his successful private medical
family practices, Dr. Rudy Punzalan, allocates time in
providing "gratis" medical services to the needy, more specially
several unfortunate residents of Delano, California, known for its
grape vineyard and Larry Itliong and Cesar Chavez legends,
where he has a farm raising fighting rooster as one of his
hobbies. "Doc" as he is called by his patients, is always willing to
provide "gratis" services in both in his Los Angeles and Delano
clinics.
"A lot of his friends and colleagues don't even know this
one-man crusade of Dr. Punzalan. He is fulfilling his lifelong
dream to assist the unfortunate. He had this quest from the day
he graduated from his medical schooling and training," confided
family practices, Dr. Rudy Punzalan, allocates time in
providing "gratis" medical services to the needy, more specially
several unfortunate residents of Delano, California, known for its
grape vineyard and Larry Itliong and Cesar Chavez legends,
where he has a farm raising fighting rooster as one of his
hobbies. "Doc" as he is called by his patients, is always willing to
provide "gratis" services in both in his Los Angeles and Delano
clinics.
"A lot of his friends and colleagues don't even know this
one-man crusade of Dr. Punzalan. He is fulfilling his lifelong
dream to assist the unfortunate. He had this quest from the day
he graduated from his medical schooling and training," confided
one of his relatives. "He is the kind of a Christian individual who does not want his right hand to know what
his left hand is doing."
Dr. Rudy Punzalan wins admiration and respect from the mainstream community for his humanitarian
services. His consistent "silent" and low-profile styles providing "gratis" medical services and medicines as
well as financial assistance to the needy are unheralded, and unlike others, no one hears about these
humanitarian deeds, more specially from Rudy. He has been a diligent member of the medical missions of
APPA since 1990. One will never hear him complain when he is left to be the last one to leave either the
hospital or clinic where missioners performed their humanitarian services to the nook in the Philippines.
Amazingly, the very busy doctor still allocates time for his many hobbies: playing tennis, basketball and
traveling . But what is more admirable is his penchant for politics. Competing and winning elected
positions with major national organizations across the country. He is currently President-Elect of APPA and
the MCU Medical Alumni Association. His greatest fete was being elected last July in Orlando, Florida as
President-Elect of the Association of Philippine Physicians in America (APPA), the largest and most influential
Filipino organization outside of the Philippines. The controversial elections of the APPA was settled in the
court of law in Atlantic City, New Jersey just last Sept. 25, 1997 with Rudy coming out victorious after
submitting a sworn affidavit dated Sept. 4, 1997 detailing his defense and convincing the judge to rule in his
favor.
"Rudy was recommended two years ago to be included as one of the honorees in the Twenty Outstanding
Filipino-Americans (TOFA) project, but he requested to be excused because of personal reasons. However,
when we contacted him in February of this year, he accepted the honor and promised to join us at the
Nation's Capital for the ceremonies," explained a spokesperson from FIL-AM IMAGE in order to dispel any
notion that Dr. Punzalan was named this year because he was APPA President-Elect.
Just like the MCU Medical Alumni and other organizations he is involved with, Dr. Punzalan always start
climbing to the stalwartness from lowly position and proved to the members that he was worthy to lead them
and be in the helm of leadership. Dr. Punzalan served for two terms as a Member of the Board of APPA since
1991 until 1994, and as an elected Secretary from 1995 to 1996, and in 1997, he decided to bid for APPA
President-Elect in and won the election with a convincing results.
"I have been involved with politics even when I was a student,"
recalled the soft-spoken and unassuming physician. He was student body president both in high school at
Mapa High School in Manila, and in his college heydays at Far Eastern University and MCU. "I have been
very fortunate to have friends and supporters who believed in me."
"Dr. Punzalan and his charming wife, the former Angelita "Lita" Ruiz Medina of Laoag, Ilocos Norte, work
as a team in almost all their endeavors. Lita serves as the doctor's chief administrative officer, treasurer,
travelling companion, PR person, best friend, confidant, wife and mother of his children," remarked Dr.
Rey Landero, a TOFA awardee and one of the awardees who nominated Rudy.
The Punzalans reside in San Dimas, a swank suburb of Los Angeles where the golf course is one of the
beautiful courses in the region. Their children Anthony, 29, is an executive with MTG; Rudy, Jr., 26, is with
Texas Tech University ; Rodrick, 25, is a BSN student graduating next year; Gail Roy, 24, is a Political
Science major; and Justin, 20, is a Bio-Psychology student.
Dr. Punzalan was born in Sinait, Ilocos Sur. His parents are Luciano Donato Punzalan of Piddig, Ilocos Norte
and the former Rosalia Yabes Vallejo, also of Sinait. Dr. Punzalan came to the United States in 1971. #
his left hand is doing."
Dr. Rudy Punzalan wins admiration and respect from the mainstream community for his humanitarian
services. His consistent "silent" and low-profile styles providing "gratis" medical services and medicines as
well as financial assistance to the needy are unheralded, and unlike others, no one hears about these
humanitarian deeds, more specially from Rudy. He has been a diligent member of the medical missions of
APPA since 1990. One will never hear him complain when he is left to be the last one to leave either the
hospital or clinic where missioners performed their humanitarian services to the nook in the Philippines.
Amazingly, the very busy doctor still allocates time for his many hobbies: playing tennis, basketball and
traveling . But what is more admirable is his penchant for politics. Competing and winning elected
positions with major national organizations across the country. He is currently President-Elect of APPA and
the MCU Medical Alumni Association. His greatest fete was being elected last July in Orlando, Florida as
President-Elect of the Association of Philippine Physicians in America (APPA), the largest and most influential
Filipino organization outside of the Philippines. The controversial elections of the APPA was settled in the
court of law in Atlantic City, New Jersey just last Sept. 25, 1997 with Rudy coming out victorious after
submitting a sworn affidavit dated Sept. 4, 1997 detailing his defense and convincing the judge to rule in his
favor.
"Rudy was recommended two years ago to be included as one of the honorees in the Twenty Outstanding
Filipino-Americans (TOFA) project, but he requested to be excused because of personal reasons. However,
when we contacted him in February of this year, he accepted the honor and promised to join us at the
Nation's Capital for the ceremonies," explained a spokesperson from FIL-AM IMAGE in order to dispel any
notion that Dr. Punzalan was named this year because he was APPA President-Elect.
Just like the MCU Medical Alumni and other organizations he is involved with, Dr. Punzalan always start
climbing to the stalwartness from lowly position and proved to the members that he was worthy to lead them
and be in the helm of leadership. Dr. Punzalan served for two terms as a Member of the Board of APPA since
1991 until 1994, and as an elected Secretary from 1995 to 1996, and in 1997, he decided to bid for APPA
President-Elect in and won the election with a convincing results.
"I have been involved with politics even when I was a student,"
recalled the soft-spoken and unassuming physician. He was student body president both in high school at
Mapa High School in Manila, and in his college heydays at Far Eastern University and MCU. "I have been
very fortunate to have friends and supporters who believed in me."
"Dr. Punzalan and his charming wife, the former Angelita "Lita" Ruiz Medina of Laoag, Ilocos Norte, work
as a team in almost all their endeavors. Lita serves as the doctor's chief administrative officer, treasurer,
travelling companion, PR person, best friend, confidant, wife and mother of his children," remarked Dr.
Rey Landero, a TOFA awardee and one of the awardees who nominated Rudy.
The Punzalans reside in San Dimas, a swank suburb of Los Angeles where the golf course is one of the
beautiful courses in the region. Their children Anthony, 29, is an executive with MTG; Rudy, Jr., 26, is with
Texas Tech University ; Rodrick, 25, is a BSN student graduating next year; Gail Roy, 24, is a Political
Science major; and Justin, 20, is a Bio-Psychology student.
Dr. Punzalan was born in Sinait, Ilocos Sur. His parents are Luciano Donato Punzalan of Piddig, Ilocos Norte
and the former Rosalia Yabes Vallejo, also of Sinait. Dr. Punzalan came to the United States in 1971. #
Washington D.C. Since 1987
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