- Dr. Tony Leachon
I have spent years pouring time, effort, and devotion into an organization I have loved so well. It was a home, a community, a place where ideals of service and integrity were supposed to thrive.
Yet now, that same institution has chosen to penalize me—not for wrongdoing, but for fighting for a higher goal, for standing on ethical ground. “I learned during all my career to enjoy suffering.”
This raises a painful question: What is ethical? Is it defending the victims of negligence and corruption, or is it complicity in the commission of a crime by remaining silent?
The Defender Becomes the Accused
The paradox is stark. The defender of the oppressed becomes the victim of power play, conflict of interest, and corruption. Those who should have stood shoulder to shoulder with me have yielded to pressure, choosing convenience over conscience.
I am reminded of the words: “Even Jesus was not welcome in His own hometown.” Advocacy often means rejection, even from one’s own peers.
The Cost of Advocacy
I have fought for preventive health education, championed the Sin Tax Law, helped push the Universal Health Care Law, guided the nation through COVID-19, exposed PhilHealth corruption, and stood with families in the Dengvaxia tragedy.
These battles were never about personal gain. They were about conscience, compassion, and justice. Yet the cost has been high: sleepless nights, tarnished reputation, strained relationships, and now, institutional censure.
Gratitude and Stillness
In these trials, I am deeply grateful for the prayers and encouragement of colleagues, friends, family members, and patients. Their words remind me that while institutions may falter, solidarity and compassion endure.
This is a time to be humble, to set ego aside, and to accept fate and destiny with grace. It is also a time to step back, to listen, and to discern what God’s plans may be for me.
The Ethical Divide
Ethics is not a matter of convenience. It is a matter of courage. To defend victims is to uphold the very oath of medicine and the essence of humanity. To remain complicit is to betray both.
Organizations may choose silence, apathy, or complicity. I cannot. For me, ethics demands standing with those who suffer, even if it means standing alone.
The Path Forward
There are many speculations about the turn of events. Betrayal, politics, indifference—it is not surprising. That is life.
But I will keep going. My goal remains to help more people achieve their health goals, to restore trust in institutions, and to ensure that the sun will rise brightly in the east.
Titles, positions, and wealth may fade. But conscience, compassion, and courage endure. And if my life has made even a small difference, then yes—it has been worth it.
In stillness, I seek peace. In humility, I accept destiny. And in faith, I trust that God’s plan will unfold in His time.
#RelentlessForChange
Tony Leachon
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