BERNADINE PAULA ORTIZ-YU CEO, Paula Medical Group
“As a nurse, I had to make sure that everything we do, everything we deliver, is safe and high quality. That’s the pressure and also the pride of being in health care.”
IN a city where success stories often follow a predictable path, Bernadine Paula Ortiz-Yu, also known as Nadine or Paula, forged her own trail, balancing medical expertise with a passion for entrepreneurship, symbolized by the syringe in one hand and the coffee cup in the other.
A registered nurse by profession, Ortiz-Yu never planned to become an entrepreneur.
But fate had other things in mind.
YU CAN DO IT Bernadine Paula Ortiz-Yu maintains a strong connection to her Eastern Samar roots by organizing medical missions that offer free HPV, Hepatitis B, flu and typhoid vaccination to residents of underserved areas. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
Paula Medical Group marked its humble beginnings with a quiet launch in March 2019.
“We only had one client then,” Ortiz-Yu told The Manila Times.
“Our travel agency, my initial business, was my main focus, and expanding the medical business wasn’t even in the picture,” she added.
When the 2020 pandemic struck, travel shut down abruptly, and the medical field experienced an explosive spike in demand.
“I saw a shift as the demand for medical supplies suddenly skyrocketed.”
“It felt like God was opening a door for me, but I was apprehensive since it was a wholesale business, not retail.”
Ortiz-Yu shared that the leap was huge — it meant pivoting entirely and learning everything from scratch — but her desire to still practice health care, even in a different way, became the fuel that drove her forward.
YU CAN DO IT Bernadine Paula Ortiz-Yu maintains a strong connection to her Eastern Samar roots by organizing medical missions that offer free HPV, Hepatitis B, flu and typhoid vaccination to residents of underserved areas. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
YU CAN DO IT Bernadine Paula Ortiz-Yu maintains a strong connection to her Eastern Samar roots by organizing medical missions that offer free HPV, Hepatitis B, flu and typhoid vaccination to residents of underserved areas. CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
That bold move paid off big time: within two years, Paula Medical expanded from a single client to over a hundred, prompting a move to a larger facility in Barangay Calanipawan in Tacloban City by 2021.
Paula Medical is a medical distributorship that wholesales medicines, medical supplies, rescue equipment, and more.
“As a nurse, I had to make sure that everything we do, everything we deliver, is safe and high quality.
“That’s the pressure and also the pride of being in health care.”
This approach has earned the brand a reputation for delivering high-quality products while prioritizing social responsibility.
“We go beyond convenient locations, delivering to remote areas like Catbalogan, Liloan, in Southern Leyte and Northern Samar, because we genuinely care about our customers,” she explained.
Lessons in leadership
Ortiz-Yu highlighted that achieving success required significant sacrifices, particularly financially, given the challenges of working with government agencies that comprised 90 percent of her clientele as a medical distributor.
“Payments can take two to three months.”
“If you don’t have strong capital, you’ll crash,” she added.
She attributed her initial boost to smart digital marketing, including massive ads, sponsored posts and influencers, believing it’s the key to reaching people.
As a strong leader herself, Ortiz-Yu stresses that entrepreneurs should fully commit, not just dip their toes in.
She also revealed that despite her success, her biggest challenge is managing people, not logistics or finances.
“My team is my pillar, but managing people is my biggest challenge; I’ve learned that setting boundaries is more crucial than being overly kind.”
“We need to balance kindness with boundaries, because being too soft can lead some people to take advantage.”
“I’ve also noticed that some young people are overly sensitive and struggle to accept constructive criticism.”
She often bends the rules by hiring people out of sympathy, such as couples or pairs, only to find it doesn’t work out.
“I’ve probably mentioned this in a radio interview before: having mental and emotional toughness is key.
“I needed to learn how to lead productively.”
“Not perfectly, but better.”
The road not taken
Ortiz-Yu revealed to The Manila Times that she had initially dreamed of a career in medicine.
“Financial constraints stopped me,” she said.
“I worked as a nurse at St. Paul’s and Bethany for around 1–2 years, roughly between 2010 and 2011.”
“Nursing was a fallback plan for me, unless I was willing to work overseas.”
“But then I met my husband.”
Her husband’s stable career as a seafarer helped anchor her decision to stay, realizing that leaving would mean abandoning her responsibilities.
Ortiz-Yu’s journey, now comprising medical businesses, a digital consulting side hustle and a strong connection to her Eastern Samar roots, has unfolded into a uniquely personal path that differs from her original plan.
“I thought my medical career was over, but this business is actually a new chapter, a different kind of care,” she concluded.
Ortiz-Yu gives back to her community by organizing free vaccination events for HPV, Hepatitis B, flu and typhoid.
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QUICK QUESTIONS
What is your biggest fear?
Losing the people I love. Nothing scares me more than waking up one day without the voices, laughter and presence of those who make life meaningful. The thought alone brings tears. Love that deep makes the loss unimaginable — and that fear, ever real.
What really makes you angry?
When people intentionally disregard respect and kindness. I can stay calm through chaos, but what truly breaks me is being misunderstood or taken for granted — especially when all I’ve ever given is patience and compassion. That quiet kind of anger hits differently.
What motivates you to work hard?
Three things: passion, purpose and the dream of retiring with a beachfront view and zero alarms. I work hard because I want to build a life that leaves a mark on my community — and someday sip my morning coffee knowing I made it, impact and all.
What makes you laugh the most?
My husband’s jokes. Even when they’re borderline “Dad joke” level, they get me every time.
What would you do if you won the lotto?
I’d build a one-stop medical center in Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) that offers holistic care — from prevention and healing to palliative support and life transformation. And beside it? Paula Med Café — a space for hope, conversations and healing over good coffee. Because true care isn’t just clinical — it’s also emotional, spiritual and deeply human.
If you could share a meal with any individual, living or dead, who would it be?
My Papang and Lolo Paul. I’d trade all the buffets in the world for one more simple meal with them.
What was the last book you read?
“The Magic” by Rhonda Byrne — the same author behind “The Secret.” Basically a crash course on gratitude and manifestation… which I now practice right after my first cup of coffee.
Which celebrity would you like to meet for a cup of coffee?
Angelina Jolie. I feel like we’d vibe over humanitarian work, world affairs and how to perfect a smoldering stare that stops people in their tracks.
What is the most daring thing you’ve ever done?
Starting Paula Med. No safety nets. Just grit, grace and a Google Drive full of dreams.
What is the one thing you will never do again?
Try to be strong all by myself. I’ve learned that surrendering to God, asking for help and letting others in isn’t weakness — it’s the greatest form of strength. I’ll never again carry everything alone when I was never meant to.
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