Manila, Philippines — Ombudsman Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla has revealed that he is taking life one day at a time after being diagnosed with leukemia following a major heart surgery in 2023.
In an interview over the weekend, Remulla recounted that he was diagnosed with leukemia shortly after undergoing a quintuple bypass operation in June 2023, when he was still serving as Justice Secretary. The surgery was prompted by a medical exam that revealed blockages in his heart.
“In 2023, I was told I needed a bypass after doctors found a heart problem. I went through a quintuple open-heart surgery, and just as I was recovering, I was diagnosed with cancer — leukemia, cancer of the blood,” Remulla said in an interview with TV5 journalist Luchi Cruz-Valdez.
Following his diagnosis, Remulla underwent two cycles of chemotherapy and body irradiation at a hospital in Bonifacio Global City. He also received a bone marrow transplant from his child, whose stem cells became key to his recovery.
“When you no longer have white blood cells, you receive stem cells from a donor to grow new bone marrow — that’s where blood is produced. So the blood I have now is no longer my own. It’s the blood that came from my son,” he explained.
Remulla said he was fortunate that he and his son were a full genetic match, allowing him to recover successfully. “We were a full match, so I was able to recover, and the prognosis looks good,” he said.
The Ombudsman also shared that he had experienced symptoms such as dizziness, fainting, and persistent nosebleeds before his diagnosis, which doctors later attributed to blood-related issues.
Now in recovery, Remulla said he chooses to live with gratitude and mindfulness, taking each day as a blessing.
“My mindset is simple — tomorrow is another day. If you make it through the night and wake up in the morning, that’s another day given to you,” he said. “Maybe I’m still here because I still have something to do in this world. Despite the challenges after treatment, I’ll keep going.”
Remulla, a former Cavite representative and Justice Secretary, was appointed Ombudsman on October 7, 2025.
