ROOTS – Where It All Began

I was born on December 28, 1978, in Gumaca, Quezon, a town once energized by my family’s supermarket empire, Jam-Nest Supermarket. Named after my father and uncle, it was once the largest store in town. As time passed and many of my aunts migrated to the United States, the business quietly closed. Still, the spirit of resilience remained strong in our home.

My father, Benjamin Po, was a mechanical engineer. Every summer, I tagged along with him to work—first at a PVC pipe extrusion plant in Kaingin, Quezon City, and later at an aluminum factory in Meycauayan, Bulacan. My mother, Josefa Po, was a tireless housewife who turned necessity into enterprise. She sold snacks outside the wet market, opened a small clothing shop, and eventually ran a carinderia.

From her, I inherited my entrepreneurial spirit. In grade school, I sold candies to boost my school allowance. I carried that mindset into high school, and revived it again in medical school. With just ₱500 a week, I sold water, yakisoba, pocket medical guides, and offered printing services for stickers and calling cards.

Though not born rich, I grew up privileged. Our ancestral house made people assume we were wealthy, but in reality, we lived day to day. Most luxuries, like toys, came as balikbayan gifts from relatives abroad. My Auntie Rose and Uncle Jun supported me through medical school. Without them, I would not be where I am today. I live by Eleanor Roosevelt's words: "The future belongs to those who see the beauty of their dreams." If you cannot visualize your future, you cannot achieve it.

My love for science began early. Without access to TV or FM radio, I found joy flipping through colorful, glossy hardbound medical books from our family’s small cabinet. That fascination was encouraged by my high school adviser, Ms. Evalor Arellano, and my Auntie Conching, a Medical Technology professor. Their influence led me to pursue a degree in Medical Technology.

RISE – The Long, Winding Road

After graduating, medicine felt like the natural next step. I completed my post-graduate internship at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), training alongside UP-Manila interns. It was grueling, but I welcomed the challenge. I applied for plastic surgery and dermatology programs and eventually entered pre-residency at FEU-NRMF. Though accepted, the lack of financial security in local residency programs led me to shift focus to the USMLE Step 1 exam, which I passed.

While waiting for next steps abroad, I looked for work that offered stability—free travel, lodging, and a full salary. I applied as a ship physician, borrowing money from my sister Melanie Po to pay for seaman's training. It wasn’t easy. I was once even threatened by a security guard just for trying to submit my CV. But persistence paid off.

I began with Negros Navigation as a port-clinic and standby ship physician. Four months later, a colleague referred me to an offshore post. I was accepted, and within a week, I was flying to Singapore to board the DSV Rockwater 2. That marked the start of a 12-year career as a medical officer aboard dive support vessels and electromagnetic survey ships.

During those years, I worked with international companies and traveled the world. I served in Asia, Oceania, North and South America, Africa, and Europe—crossing the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans. I even spent extended periods in the Arctic Circle. That journey not only refined my clinical skills but also gave me a global perspective on human experience.

In 2016, I returned home to pursue a long-held dream: aesthetic and cosmetic surgery. I trained under the Pan Pacific Aesthetic Institute, learning directly from respected mentors such as Dr. Anthony Joson, Dr. Porfirio Tica, Dr. Benjamin Alonzo, Dr. Editha Gascon, Dr. Roberto Cuerpo, and Dr. Rufino Agoba. I was also deeply influenced by Dr. Henry Claravall, Dr. Eduardo Yap, Dr. Eric Salcedo, and Dr. Edmond Syjueco.

Over the years, I became a Charter Fellow of the Philippine Federation of Cosmetic Surgery, a member of the Philippine Society of Liposuction Surgeons, Inc., and a board-certified Aesthetic and Cosmetic Surgeon. I trained both locally and internationally, refining my expertise in liposuction, fat grafting, rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, and regenerative medicine. I also served as Corporate Secretary of Villa Estetica, Inc., and was privileged to present in scientific meetings.

REALIZATIONS – Breaking and Building

I’ve always believed in timing. In 2009, I uploaded my first YouTube video—a travel documentary—long before “content creator” was a buzzword. In 2014, my DIY pipe lamp tutorial went viral, garnering over 50,000 views, mostly from U.S. viewers. But with virality came bashing. The harsh comments bruised my confidence and made me step away from content creation.

It took years to recover that voice. I further honed my skills in content creation under the mentorship of Real Talk Darbs. To complement this with vocal strength and clarity, I also trained under VoiceCon in 2025 with respected voice coaches Ron and Joyce Titular.

In 2019, I launched BienPoMD as my personal brand—trademarked, protected, and grounded in authenticity. In 2024, I founded BienPoMD Aesthetics to scale my clinical vision: not to chase trends, but to offer safe, effective, science-backed aesthetic results that last.

RESOLVE – What I Stand For

I stand for truthful, genuine care. I speak with my patients honestly. I lay out every option available and never recommend something I don’t believe in. If I must say no, I explain why. My work is led by passion, not profit.

I do not follow hype. I follow results. Every service I offer has passed my standards of safety, efficacy, and long-term benefit. Aesthetics should uplift, not mislead. Transformation should feel right—not forced.

THE FUTURE

My vision for BienPoMD Aesthetics is to be a trusted name in science-based, life-enhancing aesthetic care. Through innovations like Melase—which stands for Melanin Erase and is also lovingly named after my sister Melanie—alongside future training programs and speaking engagements, I hope to inspire the next generation of doctors to lead with clarity and purpose.

Because this isn’t just a career. It’s a calling. And it’s the legacy I choose to build every single day. Today, I am pursuing a path to reach out to as many people as possible to share my story and expertise, inspire, and guide them.