Outspoken broadcaster and retired columnist Mon Tulfo has sparked a firestorm after publicly shaming a doctor for charging what he described as an “outrageous” professional fee — and he’s making it clear he has no intention of saying sorry.
In a Facebook post last Friday, Tulfo recounted the ordeal of his friend, Philip Gabas, whose elderly mother was confined at the Philippine Heart Center due to a persistent foot wound linked to diabetes. According to Tulfo, the family was unable to secure her discharge because of an outstanding hospital bill totaling ₱110,000 — of which ₱85,000 was the doctor’s fee.
“If not for the enormous professional fee of Dr. Ramon Ribu, my friend would have paid only ₱25,000 to take his mother home,” Tulfo wrote. “It wasn’t even major surgery — just a wound on the leg. Why so expensive?”
In a follow-up post, Tulfo quoted Gabas as saying: “He just cleaned the wound. There was no operation. Other doctors charge ₱15,000, but his fee was sky-high.”
The 77-year-old media personality then questioned the hospital’s mission. “I thought government hospitals were for the poor. Por dios, por santo, Heart Center is starting to feel like a hospital for millionaires!”
His remarks quickly went viral, drawing heated backlash from the medical community, many of whom accused him of unfairly maligning the doctor without knowing the full circumstances.
But Tulfo is standing firm. “Doctors, please don’t forget the Hippocratic Oath you took,” he said. “If I offended you, that is your problem, not mine. I am not apologizing for voicing the concerns of ordinary citizens — especially those powerless against skyrocketing healthcare costs.”
The Hippocratic Oath, taken by physicians worldwide, requires doctors to use their skills for the benefit of patients while avoiding harm, and to uphold professional ethics.
As the debate rages on social media, Tulfo’s critics say he crossed the line, while his supporters applaud him for speaking up against what they see as predatory medical charges.
