Christian Daryll Macalos Leonor
Angel Liaison,
Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas
Location: Province of Northern Samar, Philippines
Profession and Background:
Christian is a registered midwife under the Department of Health, assigned at GIDA (Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Area) Barangays in different municipalities of Northern Samar. He is serving the people for over seven years, providing health care services like prenatal cares, deliveries, immunizations, family planning, post-partum cares, health education, family development sessions, and other diseases surveillance. Currently, he is designated at different barangays of Las Navas, Northern Samar including the indigenous community of Mamanwa Tribe – a group of Aeta. He deals with the Aetas with utmost respect and open-mindedness, considering their different cultures and beliefs. Although the Mamanwa Aetas isolate themselves from normal people and sometimes neglect government services like health care services, Christian is reaching out to them with a positive spirit while building trust and confidence with the tribe. Means of transportation going to GIDA Barangays are quite tough. He crosses rivers and lakes, climbs mountains, traverses forests and cliffs, and walks no less than 14 kilometers (approximately 10-12 hours) just to bring health care services to the poorest of the poor, indigents, and the less fortunate group of people. Christian’s area of expertise is handling normal deliveries for pregnant women with zero maternal death during his entire service. He is also awarded as Most Outstanding Midwife year 2015 by the Local Government Unit of Catubig, Northern Samar.
Specialty:
Christian outside his lab gown, is an adventurous person. He travels to many places where his motorcycle could possibly reach. He explores rarely-visited places, he loves exotic food, he enjoys chatting with elderly and children, he goes swimming, fishing, boating, and he always wants to discover and improve things out of nothing. He adores nature just how he sees beauty in the cry of every infant he delivers from its mother’s womb. For him, every infant’s cry is a blessing, a hope, and a beginning of a new tomorrow. Even during his days off from work, he offers free circumcisions to poor children, monitors blood pressure of the elderly, and attends to calls from his clients with questions or opinions. He protects his clients just how he loves his own family. He is that kind of person who is always willing to offer help to other people in need even to animals. He is also a pet lover. He believes that everything around him is worthy of admiration, love and respect.
Philosophy:
“Someone told me that if I can’t be at the top of a mountain, just at least do my best beside it.” I am always reminded by these words every time I face struggles in my work. I am a simple person. I don’t hunger for fame and wealth. As long as I am healthy and strong, I can make my life meaningful, and eventually help other people to be healthy too. The work of a midwife does not only confide within pre-natal care, deliveries and family planning. Some may say we are ‘just’ midwives. But I tell you, these hands of ours pull a future of healthy people. These hands should be strong to grasp a new generation. These hands should be selfless to hear another infant’s cry – our future.” “I enjoy small things I see around and feel grateful about it. The most adorable little things in the world are the babies – the innocence of their eyes, the genuine happiness in their smiles, their simple gestures of saying things, and the pureness of their hearts. I sometimes think, if everyone is like a baby at heart, then I guess we can make this world a better place to live on.”