Founder's Story

Hi, I’m Joachim Leandro del Castillo, founder of Obra Health. 

I started Obra because I’m tired of seeing Filipinos suffer, not from sickness, but from how hard it is to get help. I grew up seeing people wait for hours in hospitals, worry about bills they couldn’t pay, and lose loved ones because care came too late. I realized the problem isn’t just lack of hospitals or doctors. It’s that everything is disconnected. Doctors, pharmacies, insurers, and patients all work separately. Nobody talks to each other.

Obra is my way of fixing that. We’re building the system that connects it all, so getting care in the Philippines finally makes sense.

My goal is simple: give families back time. Time away from hospital lines, and more time with the people they love. I want every Filipino to live 10 to 20 more healthy years through care that’s proactive, affordable, and connected.

I didn’t come from medicine. I came from building things. And I believe that if we build this right, with technology and genuine care, we can change the future of healthcare in our country.

Why I chose healthcare

To be honest, I didn’t plan to work in healthcare. I just wanted to solve problems that mattered. But I kept seeing the same pattern; people getting sick not because they were unlucky, but because the system made it too hard to stay healthy. If we can fix healthcare, we fix more than sickness. We fix families, time, and hope. That’s what pushed me to build Obra.

 

What I’m Building

I’m building a new kind of healthcare company, one that connects everything that’s been disconnected. Doctors, pharmacies, insurers, hospitals, and patients all in one system. We’re starting in the Philippines, but the goal is bigger: to build the backbone of modern healthcare in Southeast Asia. A system that’s simple, data-driven, and built for people, not paperwork.

 

My Journey So Far

I built my first business while I was still in college. It wasn’t easy, but it taught me how to move fast and figure things out. Later, I joined a startup that opened my eyes to what’s possible when technology meets discipline. Now, I’m bringing that same builder mindset to healthcare, something that hasn’t changed here in decades. Obra is everything I’ve learned, combined with everything I care about.

 

My Philosophy

I believe progress begins when we stop waiting for someone else to fix things. If I had to live my life over and over again, I would still choose this path. Nietzsche called it eternal recurrence, the idea of living in a way you would be proud to repeat forever.For me, that means dedicating my life to solving one problem that truly matters. I want to help Filipinos live longer, healthier, and more meaningful lives.

 

Join me in rebuilding healthcare.

If you’re a doctor, builder, or dreamer who believes Filipinos deserve better. I would love to work with you. This is just the beginning.