TikTok may be known for dance trends and lip syncs, but for some Filipino doctors, it has become a platform to build digital clinics and make health education more accessible.
Dr. Lyien Ho, Dr. Drew Valdez, and Dr. Dex Mallari began creating content during the pandemic, when clinics were harder to access and misinformation was spreading quickly.
“There was a need,” said Ho, a primary care doctor specializing in lifestyle medicine. “I felt that responsibility to bridge that gap.”
Valdez, a urologist with a background in broadcasting, added: “We had more time, and more people needed accurate information.” Meanwhile, Mallari, an OB-GYN from Pampanga, said: “Hindi lang siya sayaw at lip sync. Nakita ko na puwede din pala siya maging educational.”
For these doctors, the challenge is simplifying science without losing accuracy. “If you can’t explain something to a 10-year-old,” Valdez said, “then you probably don’t understand it well enough yourself.”
Mallari stressed the importance of answering even “embarrassing” questions: “Nakakahiya minsan para sa iba ‘yung tanong. Pero ‘yun ‘yung mga pinaka-nakakatulong na sagutin.”
Beyond teaching, they also battle misinformation, from false “natural cures” to scam products promoted online. “There are creators out there using their platforms to sell products by sounding scientific,” Ho warned.
Valdez added: “There are entities online who claim to be doctors or act like doctors… So that’s really bad. [‘Yun ‘yung pinakapotentially] dangerous, especially those quack doctors saying they can cure cancer.”
To counter this, the three doctors stick to evidence. They fact-check their content against textbooks and journals before posting. “We owe it to the viewers,” Mallari said. “They trust us, so we need to be sure what we say is right.”
Still, they remind viewers that TikTok is not a substitute for medical consultation. “You can’t give out advice… without the benefit of proper history and physical examination because it might be harmful,” Valdez said.
Their shared goal is simple: to raise health literacy while encouraging Filipinos to seek professional care. “I just want to be known as a credible source,” Valdez said. Mallari echoed: “Kahit I don’t experience these physical symptoms, at least I know why they’re happening—and I can explain it to you.”