About Me

I was born in Bacarra, Philippines as one of seven children and when I was seven years old my family moved to the picturesque San Joaquin Valley in California. I came to Hawaii to participate in the University of Hawaii Family Practice Residency Program in 1995. While my family of origin is still in California, I am surrounded by a large and loving family here on Oahu, including my wonderful husband, our young son and grown daughter and her new family.

About my practice

I first became interested in medicine as a teenager when I would take my grandparents to our family doctor for their appointments and help them interpret what the doctor was telling them. While studying at UC Davis I also volunteered at Clinica Tepati, a nonprofit, student run clinic that serves the uninsured population of inner city Sacramento. There I was fortunate to shadow a family medicine physician and observe the wonderful care he delivered to his patients and their families. I knew then that family medicine was the specialty for me. Within the Hawaii Permanente Medical Group I enjoy collaborating with wonderful colleagues in multiple specialties. I appreciate that their advice is always available and I am grateful knowing that my patients are taken care of when I’m away. My philosophy of care is to empower and educate my patients to help care for themselves. Patient visits give me an opportunity to connect with our members and remind them to prioritize their health. I encourage my patients to exercise, improve their parenting skills, pursue education, practice family planning and improve communication within their families. I also get acquainted with a patient’s medical, family, and social history and learn what I can about their work, family life plans and future goals. I like hearing about what they do for fun and enjoy sharing back. I am the current assistant clinic chief of the Waipio clinic and am also a medical officer in the U.S. Army Reserve.

How I thrive

I stay physically and mentally healthy by eating right, walking, spending a lot of time with my family, and cultivating my relationship with God. I also enjoy cooking for my family and eating dinner while talking about our days. Going to the beach, snorkeling, paddle boarding, hiking and traveling are just a few of my other favorite pastimes.

PCMH