DURING the graduation ceremony at the PICC in Manila of the Manila Central University-Filemon D. Tanchoco Medical Foundation (MCU-FDTMF) College of Medicine on April 18, 1994, Gemeniano F. Leal, a jeepney driver from a remote barangay of Magpet in Cotabato Province, was the graduation speaker.

How an aging jeepney driver became a graduation speaker of soon-to-be doctors of medicine is the story of perseverance that spanned years and distances of the jeepney drivers son, Dr. Isagani S. Leal.

Maraming umiyak noon dahil sa binibigkas ng father ko, yung ang mga gabi ay pilit ginawang araw para lang matustusan ang aking pag-aaral, Dr. Leal said.

Dr. Leal is Asias only musculoskeletal expert who had to be a waiter and dish washer in Tropical Hut while in pre-med in between washing cars for a fee, a room boy of Anito Hotel while in Medical School, and being his own delivery boy in a small business he ran while already a practicing doctor in Cotabato City.

Dr. Leal today is the resident sports doctor of all the teams of multibillionaire Manny V. Pangilinan -- the Team Azkals and Talk and Text included, who specializes in non-invasive treatment of sports injuries. Meaning, hell heal you without cutting you up.

His most common patients in this specialized field, however, are old people suffering from arthritis and rheumatism.

Before becoming what he is today, he made a name of sorts as the doctor of poor overseas Filipino workers in Israel during the four years of his residency training for musculoskeletal medicine between 2004-2008 in Tel Aviv.

Hes now a regular visiting specialist of Alexian Brothers Health and Wellness Center in Matina, Davao City starting this year, and his initial once-a-month visit is now extended to twice a month because of the bulk of patients that he gets.

Yung unang clinic ko dito noong February, hanggang 10 oclock kami ng gabi, he said.

He hails from Barangay Pangao-an in Magpet where his mother, Julieta Leal, was the pioneering public school teacher.

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Perseverance personified