While most of us were hopping from one Christmas party to another on Dec. 18, our columnist Dr. Raymundo W. Lo was doing something else entirely—standing onstage at the Shangri-La Hotel at the Fort, accepting the Most Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of the Philippines Medical Alumni Society (UPMAS).

No loud speeches, no drama—just well-earned applause for a life devoted to education, research, and public service. The citation said it best: Dr. Lo was honored for his “life’s work of dedication to education, research, and public service.” Those of us who know him nodded in agreement. That’s Dr. Lo, all right.

Many readers know him as the steady, thoughtful voice behind his Manila Bulletin column, “Under the Microscope,” where he patiently explains complex medical issues in plain language. When the political scene turns hot, he puts “under the microscope” what he and the common citizen see in a situation– remarks that capture what many citizens really feel.

In between deadlines for his column, I catch the drift of his moods – mostly straight to the point, sprinkled with humor and curiosity—all that from text messages we exchange.

Dr. Lo was the deputy director for services of the Philippine Children’s Medical Center until he retired recently. He is now the Laboratory director of St. Luke's Medical Center Relationship Testing Laboratory.

He is widely recognized as the country’s foremost authority in paternity and relationship testing and has served as an expert witness in more than a hundred court cases nationwide.

During the height of the Covid pandemic, when systems were strained and fear was everywhere, he quietly organized the PCMC laboratory network that tested thousands of overseas Filipino workers and frontline employees. It was work done not for headlines, but because it needed to be done.

He is also a pioneer in immunopathology, flow cytometry, molecular pathology, and relationship transplantation testing—fields that sound intimidating but are made clearer whenever Dr. Lo explains them. His research on saliva-based Covid testing helped make large-scale testing more efficient at a time when speed and accuracy mattered most. Over the years, his peers have recognized his contributions repeatedly, naming him Pathologist of the Year and honoring him with multiple awards from the Philippine Society of Pathologists.

But here’s the part that makes him especially endearing.

Outside the lab and lecture halls, Dr. Lo has wonderfully varied interests. He is a genuine dog lover—so knowledgeable, in fact, that he has been invited to serve as a judge at dog shows. Yes, the same man who can explain DNA probabilities can also tell you why a particular dog has the perfect gait.

He also breeds orchids, a hobby that requires patience, precision, and a good eye—qualities he clearly has in abundance. One of his prized orchids was even named after former Vice President Leni Robredo, proving that science, art, and a sense of history can coexist quite nicely in one person. And yes, a strong sense of nationalism too. Dr. Lo has marched in many rallies to support ideals that should guide government action.

Dr. Lo trained in the United States but chose to return home to serve, teach, and build institutions. He helped establish the award-winning Pediatric Blood Center at PCMC and played a key role in implementing the Voluntary Blood Services Act—quiet, systemic work that continues to save lives long after the applause fades.

So yes, the award from UPMAS was well deserved. But for those of us who read his column, work with him, or simply enjoy conversations that wander from molecular pathology to dogs and orchids, the honor feels personal too.

Congratulations, Dr. Lo. And thank you for reminding us that excellence, curiosity, and kindness can—and should—go together. (Email:[email protected])