Jacob S. Matubis, MD (1950-2022) “Bye, Jake!”

Those words reverberate in our minds as we remember how Dr. Nati Almazan, president of the Philippine Board of Otolaryngology- Head and Neck Surgery, bid Jake goodbye on many occasions, also being a member of the board. Dr. Jacob Sadang Matubis, a colleague, a brother in the Mu Sigma Phi fraternity, and a batchmate during our residency in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital from 1981 to 1984, was a friend to many of us. Jake, as we fondly called him, was a member of the UP Medicine Class of 1977, 2 years ahead of my batch, the Class of 1979. During our days at the UP College of Medicine, we joined the UP Medicine football team and competed with the other teams from the different colleges of the University of the Philippines. I played the left-out forward position, now called a striker and Jake was a half-back, now called a midfielder. During our time, we were champions on two occasions, boasting of players who played the game during high school in La Salle Greenhills and Ateneo, as well as having one burly American studying Medicine in UP at that time, playing the defender position. Being champions will always remain happy memories. Jake joined the Mu Sigma Phi fraternity in the summer of 1973. His baritone voice was his ticket to become a member of the Mu Sounds, a singing group of fraternity brothers, together with Dr. Alfee Pontejos, another brother and colleague. They performed in many venues and occasions especially during our fraternity anniversaries and college activities. I would say that Jake was one of the most determined to be an Otorhinolaryngologist-Head and Neck Surgeon, having applied to our department for 3 consecutive years. It didn’t mean that he was not good. It was just unfortunate that when our secretary at that time, Raquel, called their house regarding his application, his mom told her that Jake was going to try to make it in the United States. Upon learning this, Dr. Mariano Caparas, the chair of the department at the time --who was also a pillar of our society and a staunch nationalist— immediately removed Jake from the list of applicants. It took Jake three attempts to convince Dr. Caparas that he was not leaving for the US and that it was his intention to stay in the Philippines and continue to serve the Filipino people--his commitment ever since his UP Diliman days. It was January of 1981 when he started his residency. How Jake ended up as my batchmate d