Dr. Carisse Diana Drilon-Dalman

Medical Director, Founder, Managing Partner
Functional and Integrative Medicine, Holistic Wellness, Medical Acupuncturist

Dr. Carisse Diana Drilon-Dalman, better known as Doc Candy by colleagues and patients, is a Functional and Integrative Medicine physician, as well as a licensed medical acupuncturist. She is an AB Psychology graduate from the Ateneo de Manila University, and completed her Medical degree and Masters in Business Administration from the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health in 2012. She then took up training in Acupuncture from La Consolacion College while working as part of the medical team in The Farm at San Benito.

After completing her Acupuncture training in 2014, she co-founded Centro Holistico, where she is currently the Medical Director. She completed her training in Functional Medicine from the Institute of Functional Medicine in the US, and is currently working on her certification.

The main focus of her practice is reversing chronic diseases by bringing back the proper function of the body through holistic programs, with proper diet, nutrition, and lifestyle choices as the main backbone. Aside from being a full-time physician, Doc Candy enjoys giving lectures about wellness and sustainable healthy lifestyles to various groups.

She is a proud mother to 2 beautiful children, Rafi and Luis, and wife to another Centro Holistico co-founder, Dr. Ryan Dalman.

Dr. Ryan Em C. Dalman

Founder, Managing Partner, Medical Consultant

Integrative Medicine, Medical Acupuncture, Masters in Business Administration

Dr. Ryan graduated from Ateneo de Manila University with a degree in BS Biology. He finished his post-graduate studies at the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health with a double degree of Medical Doctor and Master in Business Administration. His acupuncture training was done under La Consolacion College while working as a Medical Consultant at The Farm at San Benito. He furthered his training on acupuncture under the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) Philippines, and acquired his certification as an Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist. He also acquired his advanced acupuncture training in Beijing, China, focusing on Pain Management.

The thrust of his practice is mainly Integrative Medicine, choosing the best mode of treatment from both conventional and alternative/complementary medicine. Aside from his clinical practice, he is also member of the Board of Directors and Auditor of the Philippine Academy of Acupuncture, Inc. He is a Visiting Lecturer at La Consolacion College Manila, Institute of Oriental Health where he teaches Anatomy for Acupuncturists and Advanced Acupuncture for Pain.

He was previously the Medical Director of Lifeline 16-911 Medical Inc. (formerly known as Lifeline Ambulance Rescue Inc) and MyDocNow. He co-founded Philippine Natural Telehealth and is currently in charge of its medical operations. But among the several hats that he wears, his favorite roles are being a husband to his wife (and boss at Centro Holistico) Dr. Candy Drilon-Dalman, and a proud father to his two kids, Rafi and Luis.

Dr. Frances Vera A. Bernardino

Founder, Managing Partner, Medical Consultant
Preventive and Integrative Medicine, Medical Acupuncture

Dr. Fran graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from the University of the Philippines, Diliman and then as Doctor of Medicine from the UP College of Medicine. Inspired and mentored by Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, former Secretary of Health and renowned Public Health and Community Medicine advocate, she joined an NGO – Health Futures Foundation, Inc. after passing the boards. She worked alongside Dr. Galvez Tan before furthering her studies in Traditional Chinese Medicine specializing in acupuncture. She obtained her basics training in La Consolacion College Manila and advanced training in China Beijing International Acupuncture Center in Beijing, focusing on acupuncture for Neurologic and Gynecologic conditions. She also trained under the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) Philippines and is a certified Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist.

With a passion for holistic and preventive medicine, she, along with like-hearted doctors, founded Centro Holistico-Integrative Health and Wellness in 2014, to establish a practice that integrates modern and ancient medicine to provide the best possible care to patients. As of this writing, she is set to undergo further training in Functional Medicine under the Institute of Functional Medicine. Outside of her clinical practice, she is equally passionate about public health and community medicine. Blessed to be able to take off from her practice as needed, she goes on medical and acupuncture missions to marginalized communities around the country.

Dr. Jose Miguel V. Vergara

Founder, Medical Consultant
Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine, Medical Acupuncture

A family physician for 34 years and a seasoned acupuncturist, Dr. Mike has intricately woven the best of Eastern and Western medical arts to his practice of Integrative Medicine. His approach to healing traverses the more natural path to energy balance and lifestyle moderation, with the ultimate destination of wholistic wellness. An educator, researcher and scientist, Doc Mike employs the “centuries-old” wisdom of proper diet and cyclical detoxification, as well as “breakthrough/cutting-edge” knowledge on human microsystems and microbiology that are critical to the understanding… and personal treatment of human illness and dysbiosis.

Dr. Venisse V. Valdez

Medical Consultant
Functional and Integrative Medicine, Medical Acupuncturist

Dr. Venisse is a Functional Medicine practitioner who complements her practice with acupuncture. She is a BS Psychology graduate from the Ateneo de Manila University and an alumna of the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health with a double degree of Doctor of Medicine and Master of Business Administration. She has received extensive training in the US from The Institute of Functional Medicine and has completed her acupuncture training from La Consolacion College.

An artist at heart, she was led to this path of healing because it stimulated her curiosity and creativity in finding targeted and personalized solutions in managing symptoms and disease. What she appreciates mostly about this paradigm and what has encouraged her to delve into this practice more is the integration of the mental, spiritual, and emotional aspects of each individual and how these factors interplay with the other root causes of illness.

Dr. Carolyn Tan-chi Pedro

Medical Consultant
Functional and Integrative Medicine, Medical Acupuncturist

Dr. Carolyn graduated summa cum laude from Ateneo de Manila University, with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. After 3 years in the workforce, she studied medicine at the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health and completed both her medical degree and masters in business administration. After graduation she pursued further training in acupuncture and received her license from the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Healthcare, allowing her an integrative practice approach. Currently, she is also training in Functional Medicine which seeks to determine the underlying root causes for disease and illness. She believes that wellness is not just physical but encompasses a person’s emotional, mental and spiritual state as well. Her goal is to help her patients become optimally and holistically healthy. Carolyn is also happily married and the mother of 3 dear daughters.

Dr. Kathleen B. Miranda

Medical Consultant
Internal Medicine, Funtional and Integrative Medicine, Medical Acupuncturist

Dr. Kathleen graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health from the University of the Philippines, Manila and as a Doctor of Medicine from the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center (UERMMMC), where she graduated top 4 of her batch. She pursued her training in Internal Medicine in Makati Medical Center, and currently heads the Health and Wellness Center in St. Luke’s Medical Center, BGC. In 2016, she started and is currently completing her training in Functional Medicine under the Institute of Functional Medicine. In 2017, serendipitous circumstances brought her out of her comfort zone and led her to pursue acupuncture studies in La Consolacion College Manila. Combining best practices from both sides of her training, her practice includes sharing with her patients reliable, practical, and easy to follow tips on nutrition, mindful eating, proper food preparation and cooking, stress, sleep, and everyday movement.

Dr. Maria Iressa Macahia-Sulit

Medical Consultant
Internal Medicine, Funtional and Integrative Medicine, Medical Acupuncturist

Dr. Maria Iressa Macahia-Sulit, fondly known as Doc Sasa to her patients, was conferred with the degree of Doctor of Medicine at Far Eastern University- Dr. Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation. She finished her residency training for Internal Medicine at St. Lukes Medical Center-Quezon City and passed the Philippine Specialty Boards in Internal Medicine in 2013.

She was a presenter at the World Congress on Endocrinology in 2013 and internationally published her case report entitled “Seizure and Borderzone Infarct in Pheochromocytoma: A case report” in Endocrinology and Metabolic Syndrome 2013 under OMICS Group Conferences. She is a member of Philippine Society of General Internal Medicine (PSGIM) and an active Fellow of Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) and Academy of Medicine of the Philippines (AMP). She is also a licensed Medical Acupuncturist (CAMA) and is currently undergoing training and certification as a Functional Medicine Practitioner from the Institute of Functional Medicine in the US.

She integrates natural therapeutic modalities in her medical practice and focuses on educating patients on the proper use of food and herbs, oils, exercise, and stress management techniques as an adjuct to reverse lifestyle-related and chronic diseases. Above all these, Dr. Sasa enjoys being a wife and a mother to their only daughter Oui (pronounced as Yu-wi).

Dr. Natalie Salazar Griffin-Ngan

Medical Consultant
Functional and Integrative Medicine, Medical Acupuncturist

Dr. Natalie is a general physician, focusing on Functional, Integrative and Preventive Medicine. Her practice includes Medical Acupuncture and Lifestyle modifications as her treatment modalities. “Doc Nat” graduated with a Bachelor in Science, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Physiology at the University of New South Wales, Australia in 2012. She further completed her Medical degree and Masters in Business Administration at Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health in 2017, passing the Physician Licensure Examination thereafer. She took a year off to pursue her passion in fitness and became an Indoor Cycling Instructor at Electric Studio. She then completed her Acupuncture training at La Consolacion College Manila. Finding the balance of natural remedies, diet, fitness, and wellbeing of an individual are the fundamental core that she believes in. Her passion drives her to determine the cause and prevention of diseases. Currently, she is completing her training in Functional Medicine with the Institute of Functional Medicine in the US.

Dr. Elizabeth Marie L. Rivera-Laidan

Medical Consultant
Funtional and Integrative Medicine, Medical Acupuncturist

Dr. Mabeth graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University, Bachelor in Science in Biology in 2004, and completed her medical training at St. Luke’s College of Medicine-WHQM. She has worked as a Primary Care Physician under various health maintenance organizations, as well as a National Medical Doctor for Médecins Sans Frontières.

Her approach to life and medicine profoundly changed when she became a mother. Understanding that each person is unique, she now endeavors to heal each patient—mind, body, and spirit—to bring balance. She is also a gentle natural birth and breastfeeding advocate.

She guides each patient to take charge of their health by focusing on lifestyle changes and more importantly, nutrition, to achieve optimal health. She shares her love and appreciation for both eastern and western medicine to manage health as a certified medical acupuncturist and functional medicine practioner in training.

Dr. Judith Paayas

Medical Consultant
Integrative Medicine, Medical Acupuncturist

Dr. Judith is an Acupuncturist and Integrative Medicine General Physician. She graduated as part of the pioneering batch of the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health. After obtaining licensure, she practiced as a general physician and saw the need to look beyond mainstream medicine and treat health with a holistic outlook. With the belief that physicians should be able to find other safe ways for patients, and offer alternatives, she sought training outside mainstream medicine, starting with Chinese Medicine. With little more than the mandarin ‘hello’, ‘thank you’, and ‘I don’t know’ in her vocabulary, she took a 2-year Chinese Medicine-Acupuncture course under Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and China-Beijing International Acupuncture Training Center in Beijing, China. Returning to the Philippines to apply acupuncture in the treatment setting, she made it a point to introduce acupuncture to patients in an approachable, and easy-to-understand way. Apart from acupuncture, she is currently starting to delve into metabolic and functional medicine.