Dely Villalon Outgoing President, Philippine Medical Association in Chicago (PMAC) Auxiliary

By: Ryan Tejero

 

The PMAC Auxiliary was organized in 1966. Membership is exclusive to physician-spouse only. The goal was to help and support the Philippine Medical Association in Chicago (PMAC), whose members are the husbands who were very busy trying to fight discrimination against foreign medical graduates, and working on their internships and residencies and getting their US License and specialties. The social and cultural activities were handled by the Auxiliary. These activities include the induction galas, annual musical revues, Christmas parties, Easter baskets and annual egg-hunting parties for the children, visiting hospitals and fundraising activities.
The Continuing Medical Education became one important project of PMAC, and the Annual Medical/Surgical mission to the Philippines. The Auxiliary supported and helped with those initiatives. The group was active in community service by organizing health-related seminars and health screening for seniors. The Auxiliary also organized the Annual Thanksgiving Luncheon for seniors and veterans.
Dely, as she is fondly called in her circle, is one of the most veteran and highly- respected leaders in the Filipino American community in Chicago. She retired from working at the age of 79, but at 85-years-old, her passion for creating impact has never ended. She has raised the standards of community leadership where she gave more as a person than what was expected of her as the president. She has become an institution.
Dely recalls how she became a 4-times president of the Auxiliary, She said “The first two presidencies in 1978 and 2008, they were by nomination and election. The last two presidencies in 2024 and 2025 were by requests, as nobody wants or willing to be president, so I was requested strongly, and I accepted it. When asked what outstanding accomplishments she made in the auxiliary, she said none except she did her duties/ responsibilities well as president, and as member..” I did not not invent any wheel “.
Dely says I feel proud with my involvement with the PMAC Auxiliary and Foundation group. As member and officer of the PMAC Auxiliary, I think it was considered very exclusive, at one time.
As an outstanding leader, with an unequalled people-caring disposition, Dely was hailed into leadership of several organizations in Chicago, which include being first woman Vice President of Filipino American Council of Chicago (1978) and Social Chair that helped in fundraising to help in paying off the Rizal Center; Co-Chair of the Asian Coalition in the 1970s; active member of Philippine Nurses Association of Illinois; Overall Chair of the 1979 PIWCommittee and President 2016 of PIWCorp and current member Board of Trustees PIWCorp; President and current Board of Directors of Chicago Philippine Lions Club; President, Philippine Medical Association
Auxiliary 1979, 2008 and current President until June this year.
When asked about her most memorable moment and her beginnings in the Auxiliary, Dely says,what she remembered about PMAC Auxiliary involvement is so unusually kind of memorable. In 1961, at 22 years old I was an exchange visitor nurse and there was a Filipino professor at De Paul University, with his friend who was a ballroom dance instructor and friends to some doctors, invited me to attend the PMAC Induction Ball at McCormick Inn in Chicago. At one point during the ball, I was selected among the other 11 lady guests to fashion walk with their outfit around the ballroom.” Never did I imagine that years later, my late husband Dr Enrique Villalon who was a Vietnam veteran 1968, Major in the Us Army head of the Medical regiment that went to Vietnam and recipient of 2 Congressional bronze medals, and was a people person,would become PMAC President and me became an auxiliary member. The rest of my auxiliary involvements is history, Never thought I will be PMAC Auxiliary president 4x,,and other leadership positions, in the community, Little me a “farmers daughter ” LOL I think that is my contribution to the community, “I am a challenge, if little Dely can do it then other women/people with more talents and resources can do it better.
Dely was one of the early nurse migrants to the United States. She migrated with her husband, who is a doctor along with their children in 1967. She is from Niugan, Angat Bulacan, Philippines. Being a registered nurse for over 35 years, Dely had held key positions in the professional field of nursing as a nursing auditor as Director of Nursing in nursing homes. The Nursing homes were awarded for Excellence in Care of residents under her directorship.
The surveyors were giving stars, My nursing home received 64 stars in 8 consecutive surveys, I think only 2 nursing homes of 250 beds and over had that honor in the state of illinois at that time. She mastered her craft as a nursing professional.
Congratulations Dely Villalon for a job well done at the PMAC Auxiliary. You truly raised the standards of community leadership in Chicago. I “thanked the Associations for giving me the honor

The outgoing officers of the Auxiliary to the Philippine Medical Association in Chicago (APMAC) in a group assembly during the club’s “Spring Fling.”