Thereafter, after passing the Philippine Medical Licensure in June 1986, she worked as a Part-Time Physician Assistant in a local private clinic , volunteered in a children’s feeding program (Scandinavian Children’sMission / Leto Christian Centre) (she also worked as Retainer Physician in a number of private institutions - in a local port cooperative (PTGWO), in a courier airline company (TNT Philippines), in a school/office supply manufacturer company (AMSPEC) , in a charity clinic run by an Italian congregation (St. Camillus) and in a Makati-based hotel (Shangri-La Makati)
She subsequently started her three-year Pediatric Residency Training in Makati Medical Center in January of 1988 and completed it on December of 1990, under the tutelage of several prominent mentors, Dr. Luis Rivera , Dr. Miguel Celdran, Dr. Luis Mabilangan – to name a few.
During her Residency, she had two research papers to her credit, “Case Report: A Closer Look at Histiocytosis X”, which won 2nd Place in the 6th Annual Paper Presentation by the Department of Pediatrics, Makati Medical Center in December 8, 1988 , and “Attitudes And Compliance To Immunization Among MHP Card-Holder Parents - A Cross-Sectional Study” , which also won 2nd Place in the 8th Annual Paper Presentation by the Department of Pediatrics, Makati Medical Center in 09 November, 1990.
Motherhood first and career second, became Dr. Mercy’s foci over the decade that followed. Thereafter, she obtained her Diplomate title in the field of Pediatrics in 2001.
Having started her private practice while retaining her industrial clinic positions, she joined the staff of Asian Hospital during its inception and honed her practice in the institution while undergoing a one-year Gastroenterology and Nutrition Preceptorship under the tutelage of Dr. Mary Jean Villareal-Guno in Medical City and St Luke’s Medical Center after which she joined the Clinical Nutrition Fellowship Program of the latter's institution then spearheaded by its founder Dr. Luisito Llido. Subsequently, she became a Member of the Nutrition Foundation of the Philippines and the Philippine Society of Parenteral & Enteral Nutrition (Philspen).
On the third quarter of 2008, she had to her credit a completed a three-month Hospital Management Training Course in the University of the Philippines College of Business Administration. A second course was completed the following year 2009.
Dr Merce, as she is fondly called, joined the Clinical Nutrition Program of Asian Hospital upon the invitation of the institution’s top management.
The Year 2010 is quite hectic for her, as calls for sharing her expertise leaves no room for lull, especially after that hectic and wonderful observational experience with Gastroenterology and Nutrition Department of Johns Hopkins University.
With bolder moves to pursue more complicated eating disorders of children, Dr Merce joined ASPEN ( American Society of Pediatric and Enteral Nutrition) in their 2011 Clinical Nutrition Week last January 2011.
While such subspecialty programs remain wanting in the local setting, Dr Merce explored opportunities to discover new ways to help children with feeding disorders - on her own volition in 2010 she pursued observational activities in JHU, Baltimore, Maryland on feeding disorders among obese and neurologically challenged children, joined activities in nutrition assessment and nutrition support rounds, home nutrition support program, feeding clinic for behavioral feeding disorders. This was followed in 2012 by another exposure to Mt Washington Hospital and Kennedy-Kreiger Hospital on obesity, weight management and feeding programs.
Behind all those busy clinic times, she pursued further studies and received her Masteral Degree in Clinical Nutrition in Phiippine Women's University in December 2014.
Driven by passion on her chosen subspecialty, she gets invitation from various societies and institutions to discuss complex nutrition challenges.Feb 27, 2024...
