Dr. Becky Singson: A Legacy of Hope, Healing, and Women’s Health

Smart Parenting Awards, now in its fifth year, introduces its newest category, the Smart Parenting Gamechangers.

Smart Parenting Gamechangers honors educators, experts, and advocates who uplift Filipino families with authenticity, passion, and purpose. Each awardee is a standout in their field, shaping the lives of parents and children through meaningful work and a commitment to our values. This series celebrates their stories and the impact they create every day.

“Before she got popular on social media, she was already celebrity-like,” Dr. Gio Zahar said of his late mother, Dr. Becky Singson. He is one of Dr. Singson's twin children, he being a functional medicine practitioner and his twin sister Giulia is a lawyer.

Dr. Rebecca "Becky" Singson was a highly respected Obstetrician-Gynecologist, Laparoscopic Surgeon, and  Robotic Surgeon, affiliated with Makati Medical Center, Asian Hospital and Medical Center, and St. Luke’s Global City.

She pioneered Robotic Surgery in the Philippines and led the Robotic Surgery Program at St. Luke’s Global City. She also spearheaded the first hospital-based waterbirthing facility in the country, as well as the Center for Advanced Reproductive Medicine and Infertility. 

Dr. Becky began posting informative content on social media during the pandemic, and the rest followed naturally. She became known for clear, insightful discussions on reproductive health, infertility, anti-aging, nutrition, fitness, and many other wellness topics.

Smart Parenting (SP): What was it like to be raised by Dr. Becky?

Dr. Gio Zahar (GZ): Growing up, it was fun because she gave us absolute freedom and support to do whatever we wanted. She backed everything we set our minds to. To encapsulate it, it was the freedom to spread our wings and the knowledge that she was always behind us, no matter what. We never felt limited.

SP: Is there a particular memory that shaped who you are today?

GZ: She would bring my sister and me to medical missions. This gave us exposure to life outside of the city and the conditions talaga outside of the hospitals we were used to. The missions really opened our eyes. We watched the work happen day after day, surgery after surgery. As intense as it sounds, those experiences were fun for us. They became a unique kind of bonding with our mom, one most kids never get to have.

Those experiences shaped me because they exposed me to medicine. One of my core memories talaga with my mom and me was just being with her out in these travels for these missions. They influenced my career choice.

SP: Beyond being a gynecologist, a surgeon, your mom was known as a passionate advocate for women’s health. How did her work touch the lives of the people she cared for?

GZ: In women's health, my mom was definitely an advocate, from the health basics to nutrition and fitness. That was always something she advocated for. And of course, she's an OB-GYN, so she would really incorporate these into her practice.

She was also a strong proponent of longevity and anti-aging. With her menopausal patients, she helped them through hormones, nutrition, fitness, and general lifestyle. That's not something a lot of OB-GYNs focus on.

I think she was also one of the first to do hormone replacement therapy for a long time, and she was an expert on herself. That’s why she could manage aging symptoms well. She also did vaginal reconstruction and labiaplasty, giving women renewed confidence. 

Infertility became a huge part of her work toward the end of her social media career. She naturally became an infertility specialist and helped many couples who had tried for years. Some had gone through more than 10 or 14 years trying, with failed IVFs and miscarriages. Because of her advocacy for health, she helped many achieve successful outcomes.

I see a lot of comments saying, "Ay naku, wala na talaga ang chance. You know, I'm 37," just like that, "I'm 40 plus." There is so much hopelessness around infertility talaga. But my mom gave hope to all these patients, and because of her, many babies were born and conceived.

SP: How did the idea for creating content come about?

GZ: During the pandemic, we created content for YouTube about pregnancy and COVID, because there was not much information then.

From YouTube, we thought maybe we should go to Instagram and TikTok. And because she had so much information and wisdom, it’s just in her brain, and if hindi natin malabas, sayang, di ba? That’s how the IG journey began in 2021 or 2022. And then siya na lahat ang gumawa. She did the edits and created the content. It grew organically.

The idea was really from my sister; she was the visionary. I guess it was a mix of other people rin saying, you know, "This is a good idea." And they were saying that this is something she needs to do. And we just definitely all agree because my mom naman is very celebrity-like, I would say in terms of her personality.

SP: What do you think kept her going (with content creation)?

GZ: I don't really understand her because she kept going with everything, even her career. At 67, when many doctors think about slowing down and reducing the size of their practice, she always said, "Hindi, I'm never gonna retire, I'm just gonna keep going until I can't." And that's what she did. She had infinite energy to drive her. It’s still an enigma, because she would have more energy than both me and my sister combined, like in the whole house, she was really the energy.

SP: Up to what point did Doc Becky remain in practice?

GZ: Throughout her chemo, she continued doing online consults because stopping was so difficult for her. Her Instagram brought a massive influx of patients. She was seeing 50 patients a day, with 30 to 40 of them new.

Even though she had every reason to stop, she kept going. You can see it in her last videos. She was wearing a hat. She looked different. She was struggling because a brain tumor affects you in ways that are hard to explain. She continued until she physically could not na talaga.

SP: What value or lesson from your mom has stayed with you the most?

GZ: It’s something I think she has imparted to us, not by directly teaching us, but by directly learning from the way she was. It is how she was with everybody. She treats everyone with the same positive energy. She never looked at people in a bad way. She brought people together. She was universally loved. In one of my birthday greetings, she said, "Be kind. Just be kind to others." It's really her kindness and her positivity towards other people that I carry with me.

SP: What do you hope people remember about your mom’s legacy and her contributions to medicine?

GZ: To say how I want people to remember her feels such a selfish thing. I want her to be remembered as she always was. The way you interpret someone will always differ from person to person. The way she's impacted other people's lives will be different as well, person to person. It may be kindness, helping someone conceive, or saving a life. For me, I just want her to be remembered. The way she will be remembered, from person to person, will be different. But I just want her legacy to be in everyone's memory.

On July 29, 2025, Dr. Becky Singson passed away, leaving behind a lasting impact on those she touched.

Produced by the Smart Parenting Team
Editor-in-Chief: Ronna Capili Bonifacio
Asst. Managing Editor/Co-Producer: Em Cruz
Interview by Hanna Panoringan
Art Director: Mariella Lao
Videographer and video editor: Rolando Pingco Jr.
Associate Publisher: Bettina Santos
Photographs by Paola Aseron
Hair and Makeup by Team Muriel Vega Perez