Dr. Florentino T. Ibabao (1922-2021) passed peacefully at 98-years-old Sept. 22, 2021 in the presence of his family at his home in Orinda of 43 years.
Orinda’s Dr. Florentino T. Ibabao was born the youngest of eight children of Gregorio and Basilia Ibabao on Nov. 25, 1922, in Dongon, Aklan, Philippines. He enjoyed growing up in the countryside but moved to Manila for college to study engineering at the University of Santo Tomas (UST).
When World War II interrupted his studies, he joined the guerilla forces in Aklan as a spy against the Japanese. After the war, he returned to UST. Because only the school of medicine was open, Florentino decided to become a doctor, graduating in 1951.
Known to many as “Tino,” Ibabao traveled to the U.S via a cargo ship to take up surgical residency in St. Louis, Missouri, and then went on to Cleveland, Ohio, where he met Dr. Lilia Ferrer, an OBGYN resident. After a yearlong chaperoned courtship, they married in 1955 and honeymooned in Niagara Falls. He convinced Lilia to go into anesthesiology so they could work together.
Tino also trained as a plastic surgeon in Toronto, where he was a doctor for the Toronto Maple Leafs Hockey Team. After nine years of shoveling snow, Florentino and Lilia moved to sunny California where children Cheryl, Emily and Greg were born.
Tino established a general surgery practice and was affiliated with Brookside Hospital and Doctors Hospital of Pinole, where he was Chief of Staff (1970) and Chief of Surgery (1972). He finally retired at the age of 70 and spent his golden years in the Philippines: participating in philanthropic projects, traveling, golfing and even performing pro-bono surgeries up until the age of 94.
Very proud of his grandchildren, Malaya, Fenua, Chiara, Sienna and Julien, Ibabao cherished spending time with them. He was even able to see the three eldest graduate from college.
In June, Tino and Lilia celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary and reminisced about their many blessings. Tino was actively involved with the Aklan Association, Rotary Club (Paul Harris Award), Sierra Club, Kiwanis Club and the Philippine Medical Society of Northern California (PMSNC).
He co-founded the PMSNC Medical Missions to the Philippines in 1980, led annual missions throughout the Philippines for 10 years and alongside many medical mission volunteers, he treated thousands of indigent people.
Tino passed peacefully at the age of 98 on Sept. 22, in the presence of his family at his Orinda home of 43 years. He lived a life of service, making a positive impact on many people’s lives.
He will be deeply missed by all. May he rest in peace.
– Emily Ibabao-Marley
