He grew up in a small Filipino-Chinese household where life was never easy. His father passed away when he was only four, leaving his widowed mother to raise four children on her own. The youngest sibling was less than a year old. Money was tight, and every day was a struggle.
It was in this environment of sacrifice and resilience that Rainier Co Maquilan learned his first lessons about life. “My mother taught and raised us very well, saying that there’s always an opportunity even in the lowest of times,” he recalls. “She applied for different scholarships so we could continue schooling.”
Long days of hard work and repeated sacrifices—eating the same meals for days just to save enough for school—shaped his perspective and values. Yet today, he is recognized as one of the top Filipino healthcare professionals in the Middle East, serving as a field medic/ambulance nurse and healthcare services instructor.
From one school to another
Unlike many children with clearly defined dreams, Maquilan didn’t have one.
“I never dreamed of being something. But I knew that to be a good, upstanding, and honorable person is a must to be called a human being,” he says. That simple belief would guide him through life’s toughest challenges.
School was never easy. He moved through more than a dozen different schools, learning various curriculums, never once topping his class.
I was never the best in academics, but this valuable experience taught me a different way to view life. Not being the best doesn’t mean you cannot be great,” he shares.
Always in service
Life changed when he moved to the UAE. At first, it was about survival—adjusting to a new culture, new work, new expectations. However, it wasn’t too difficult, as he had been raised in a multicultural background.
But standing up for fairness and transparency in his nursing team brought unexpected challenges.
“The team of nurses bailed out and didn’t support our initial plan, leaving everything to me and making me bear the wrath. No one wanted to be associated with me for being right and making sure everything was correct and fair,” he recalls. “It was my wife who never gave up on me, even when I was solely fighting for what is right and just.”
Now 12 years as an OFW, still, he never stopped, because his heart was always in helping others.
“Seeing that you can help change, improve, and positively impact other people’s lives… those are things that cannot be measured,” he says.
Well-deserved recognition
His integrity and advocacy eventually earned him recognition as one of the top Filipino healthcare professionals in the Middle East, a distinction he has received twice. For Maquilan, however, the honor goes beyond prestige.
This milestone was made even more meaningful through his work in establishing the Association of Filipino School Nurses in the UAE and offering free Scalp Micropigmentation treatments for people struggling with self-esteem.
This award meant that even small things can be great things. This award is not mine alone. It is for the people who supported my causes,” Maquilan says. “Being recognized means their good deeds are also being recognized.”
He proudly dedicates the award to his young son, Matthias, who even brought a copy of The Filipino Times’ newspaper to school to show his classmates his father’s recognition.
“My 4-year-old son proudly told his classmates how great I was,” Maquilan recalls with emotion. “Seeing him proud and recognizing the goodness of what I do is a personal milestone for me. It trumps any award I’ve received.”
His message to his son is simple yet powerful:
Always be an inspiration to the future world. You don’t need to be extraordinary to do great things. Just do what is right and just, and things will fall into place.”
Teaching the next generation
Today, Maquilan’s role goes beyond his duties as a medic and instructor. He sees himself as a mentor whose responsibility is to instill values in others.
“I often reiterate to my students to be the best person they can be no matter what challenges may come,” he says. “I can fairly say my life’s the same, as I prefer to measure it with the people I’ve impacted, not myself.”
For Maquilan, success is not about accolades but about creating ripples of goodness that will outlast him—proof that even an ordinary man, with extraordinary heart, can leave behind a legacy of service, fairness, and inspiration.
