From discrimination to medicine: Tigwahanon-Manobo doctor returns to serve Bukidnon

ASM, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
October 05, 2026

Photo courtesy: NCPI

BUKIDNON, Philippines — Dr. Joeffrey “Otit” Mambucon’s path to medicine began far from the usual route to medical school.

A member of the Tigwahanon-Manobo community in San Fernando, Bukidnon, Mambucon grew up facing discrimination tied to his Indigenous background and his family’s limited access to formal education. In a post highlighting his story, the Iskolar ng Bayan Facebook page recalled how he endured ridicule but continued pursuing school despite the distance and difficulty involved.

Mambucon has previously shared that reaching school meant crossing rivers and that his experiences of being belittled because of his roots became part of what pushed him to continue studying. He later became a registered nurse before pursuing medicine. 

He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute in 2020 through a scholarship program for Indigenous students, becoming the first Tigwahanon-Manobo graduate of medicine from the institution. 

Mambucon was also selected in 2020 as the first Eat Bulaga! New Normal EBest Scholar, which provided support for his preparation for the physician licensure examination. 

His road to the board exam was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including family health concerns and changes to the examination schedule. Still, he proceeded with the October 2021 Physician Licensure Examination.

The Professional Regulation Commission later announced that 1,677 of 2,302 examinees passed, and Mambucon was among the successful candidates. The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples also publicly congratulated him after the results were released. 

After becoming a licensed physician, Mambucon returned to Bukidnon and worked beyond his own community, including with the provincial health office during the pandemic. He helped at vaccination sites and took part in patient education efforts.

His story has drawn attention not only because he became a doctor, but because he pursued that goal while carrying the expectations and challenges of an Indigenous community with limited access to medical professionals.

For Mambucon, the achievement was never only personal. He has repeatedly spoken about wanting to serve communities where doctors are scarce and to encourage other Indigenous youth to pursue education despite barriers.