March 1, 2024
Tzu Chi’s Acupuncture Clinic welcomes more doctors, patients
By Ben Baquilod
Following its successful launch in December 2023, the charity Acupuncture Clinic of Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines continues to expand as more volunteer doctors offered their services for free, serving an increasing number of patients in need of medical care.
In addition to Dr. Stanley Chua, who led the clinic’s inauguration, two more doctors, Dr. Jose Ramon Guzman (Dr. Chito) and Dr. Regina Talavera, have started treating patients seeking medical assistance from the foundation.
Dr. Chito is a licensed medical doctor with close to 50 years of practice in Western medicine. After spending 30 years practicing medicine and retiring in the United States, Dr. Chito began studying Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Acupuncture 10 years ago to embark on a new career. “I reinvented myself,” he said.
Having been involved in cancer research, he witnessed the toxicity of conventional medications—such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy—that cancer patients endure, inspiring him to explore a modality that is gentler yet beneficial for the patient.
A volunteer and a member of the Tzu Chi International Medical Association (TIMA), Dr. Chito said that Tzu Chi has been instrumental in his TCM and acupuncture training and practice. He was trained at Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital and Chinese General Hospital and Medical Center (CGHMC), which have been collaborating to advance TCM practice in the Philippines.
On February 23, Dr. Chito treated at least six patients whose concerns varied from neuromuscular pain, back pain, knee pain, hypertension, insomnia to nervousness and psycho-emotional problems.
One patient who sought medical assistance was 55-year-old traffic enforcer Emy Labrador. She had been experiencing back pain and tingling in her legs. “I started to worry and I thought I should have it treated,” she said.
Thanks to a serendipitous encounter with an ill elder whom she helped crossed a street one time, Emy learned about the charitable foundation. “I asked where she came from, and she told me she’s on her way home from Tzu Chi,” Emy shared. Curious to learn more about the foundation, she looked for Tzu Chi online and found out about its charity acupuncture clinic.
After her first visit to the clinic at the Buddhist Tzu Chi Campus in Sta. Mesa, Manila, she reported feeling relieved and relaxed. “I almost fell asleep,” she said.
Eager to try a new approach and avoid excessive medication, she learned about acupuncture and its benefits for blood circulation. “I’m very thankful to Tzu Chi Foundation.”
Another beneficiary of the acupuncture sessions was Jes Demontaño, 57, a former construction worker. He visited the clinic seeking solutions for his joint and back pain and reported finding relief afterward.
This wasn’t Jes' first encounter with Tzu Chi. In 2017, he underwent successful hernia surgery at the CGHMC sponsored by Tzu Chi.
“Thank you so much, Tzu Chi and all the people here for their unwavering kindness,” he said.
After its December 2023 launch, the Acupuncture Clinic of Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines is expanding with more volunteer doctors, providing free services to a growing number of patients in need.【Photo by Harold Alzaga】
Dr. Jose Ramon “Chito” Guzman is one of the new volunteer doctors in Tzu Chi Philippines’ Acupuncture Clinic.【Photo by Harold Alzaga】
Acupuncture, a practice rooted in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), entails the insertion of thin needles into specific points on the body to promote the flow of energy, known as 'Qi.'【Photo by Jeaneal Dando】
Acupuncture, a practice rooted in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), entails the insertion of thin needles into specific points on the body to promote the flow of energy, known as 'Qi.'【Photo by Jeaneal Dando】
Dr. Regina Talavera offers her TCM expertise to the Acupuncture Clinic of Tzu Chi Philippines.【Photo by Jeaneal Dando】
Dr. Jose Ramon “Chito” Guzman inserts a needle into a patient’s leg during the acupuncture session.【Photo by Harold Alzaga】
Fifty-five-year-old traffic enforcer Emy Labrador seeks medical assistance for back pain and tingling in her legs. “I almost fell asleep,” she says of the relief and relaxation she got from the acupuncture session.【Photo by Harold Alzaga】
“Thank you so much, Tzu Chi and all the people here for their unwavering kindness,” says acupuncture patient Jes Demontaño.【Photo by Harold Alzaga】
Dr. Chito Guzman, a licensed medical doctor with nearly 50 years of experience in Western medicine, transitioned to studying Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Acupuncture after retiring from a 30-year career in the United States. “I reinvented myself,” he says.【Photo by Harold Alzaga】
Dr. Chito Guzman gives medical advice to patient Jes Demontaño after his acupuncture session.【Photo by Harold Alzaga】