TWO LEGENDS IN ONE FRAME. Legendary centenarian Apo Whang-od, hailed as the last traditional tattoo artist of her generation, strikes a pose with her resident physician, Dr. Mary Libeney Sito, in this photo taken at her home in Buscalan, Tinglayan town in Kalinga, in November 2023. Known as NayDarna in the online world, Sito's commitment to go beyond the call of duty to cater to the needs of her patients has made her a local hero worthy of emulation. (Photo courtesy of Mary Libeney Sito)
DARAGA, Albay – It could have been just another doctor-patient consultation for Dr. Mary Libeney Sito.
Except that the check-up required a grueling pilgrimage to the remote village of Buscalan in the town of Tinglayan, Kalinga, in November 2023, to meet the patient: the sprightly centenarian, Apo Whang-od, dubbed the last traditional tattoo artist of her generation.
The check-up
In an interview, Dr. Sito said she seldom gets starstruck. But meeting the 107-year-old living legend, also known as Maria Oggay, was an entirely different story.
"She was a sight to behold. Despite her age, she exhibits a kind of grace and agility that can only come from a person who has lived a life well-lived."
"Now I understand why hordes of people travel to this sleepy town just to get inked by this legendary woman," the 45-year-old doctor said.
As the primary care physician and designated medical officer for the Schools Division Office of the Department of Education in Baguio, Sito said it was a chance meeting with public school education supervisor Belen Yagao, one of the granddaughters of the legendary "mambabatok," at a local conference that led to her memorable encounter with Whang-od.
Yagao, 44, said the doctor's willingness to go the extra mile, quite literally, to do a medical check-up on her grandmother for free deeply moved her, especially since Whang-od does not have a resident doctor.
"My grandmother rarely gets sick because she always eats leafy vegetables. However, when she does require medical attention, it is really challenging, given that the nearest hospital is located in Tabuk City, which is quite far from Buscalan," she said in the vernacular.
Yagao said it was Whang-Od who broached the idea of Sito becoming her physician to save her the trouble of the challenging hike down the rocky hill for her check-up since she has difficulty walking at her age.
"After Dr. Sito examined her, she asked if she was willing to be given the name Dr. Salliya. When she agreed, my grandmother gave her our traditional attire.
"In our culture, being given our native cloth is a symbol of acceptance and inclusion within our Kalinga community, Yagao said.
Today, the legendary centenarian is just one of Sito's many patients who constantly avails of her free online and offline medical consultations.
"I was told that Salliya is the famous name of a legendary Kalinga woman who came back to her native town to help the tribe after a successful stint in Manila. I am just so honored to be bestowed that name and be part of the community," Sito said.
Everyday hero
Known as NayDarna in the online world, a clever take on the words Nanay, given her motherly nature in giving sound medical advice, and Darna, the local superheroine, Sito's career as a medical practitioner spanning 17 years was fraught with so many challenges.
A chronic illness warrior, having battled Takayasu’s Arteritis, a rare auto-immune disease that affects the major blood vessels, rendering her with right-sided paralysis and partial left eye blindness, since 2013, Sito has always channeled her setbacks into a resounding comeback.
"When you have a chronic illness with no cure, it is easy to focus on your hurt and wallow in self-pity, the mother of two said.
"But the key to finding self-fulfillment is to live for others," she said.
In 2017, two years after surviving a second stroke, Sito put up L'Care SkinLine, offering affordable skin and body care products.
Three years later, during the height of the pandemic, she co-founded the telemedicine company, OnlineDoc, to make treatment more accessible to people.
Over the years, Sito has received numerous awards and honors for her accomplishments.
In 2019, she was awarded the Golden Globe Annual Awards for Outstanding Achievers. A year later, she was recognized by the same award-giving body for her Outstanding and Significant Achievement in Entrepreneurship and Medicine.
In 2022, she was the recipient of the Gawad Filipino Award and the Exemplary Service Award in the Field of Medicine—Most Inspiring Online Doctor of the Year.
In the same year, she was recognized by the Department of Education Diwa ng Bayanihan National Awards for her "Etulay Ni Doc," an online platform for medical information dissemination.
"People call me NayDarna because, to them, I am a superhero, but I always tell them that all of us can be heroes."
"Everyday heroism does not demand grand gestures. Oftentimes, it just requires our genuine commitment to do our part in making this world a much better place," Sito said. (PNA)
