Ontario nurse regulator chair Rodolfo Lastimosa Jr., who started as a caregiver, named TOFA 2026 honoree

Rodolfo D. Lastimosa Jr., Chair and President of the College of Nurses of Ontario Council, has been named a 2026 The Outstanding Filipino Awards honoree in Nursing Leadership. He told The Global Filipino Magazine he started as a caregiver in Canada because his credentials were not recognised automatically.

Rodolfo D. Lastimosa Jr., Chair and President of the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) Council, has been named one of The Outstanding Filipino Awards (TOFA) Class of 2026 honorees in Nursing Leadership, The Global Filipino Magazine (TGFM) reported on 3 November.

TGFM said he is the first internationally educated nurse and the first Asian Filipino to chair the CNO Council. The CNO regulates the practice of more than 200,000 nurses in Ontario.

From caregiver to council chair

Lastimosa earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy at Liceo de Cagayan University and worked for about six years in the Philippines before moving to Canada as a permanent resident. Because his credentials were not recognised automatically, he started as a caregiver. He went on to become a Registered Practical Nurse and then a Registered Nurse, a process TGFM said took about 11 years.

He completed the Ontario Internationally Educated Physical Therapy Bridging Program at the University of Toronto in 2016 and the Bachelor of Science in Nursing for Internationally Educated Nurses program at York University in 2020. He then served as Clinical Practice Leader, Clinical Manager, Associate Director of Care and Clinical Consultant, and is also a doctoral student in Nursing Education.

"There were moments of frustration, uncertainty, financial pressure, and self-doubt. I had to adjust to a new healthcare system, meet regulatory requirements, continue my education, and prove my professional competencies," Lastimosa told TGFM.

Sharing the award with other internationally educated nurses

"I share it with every internationally educated nurse who has experienced rejection, professional setbacks, discrimination, or the painful experience of starting over in a foreign country," he said.

TOFA held its 16th annual awards on 24 October at the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts in Florida. TOFA News reported that Lastimosa reflected there on leaving home with "a suitcase full of dreams", telling the audience: "To every Filipino chasing a dream, never let your beginnings define your limits."

His message to young Filipino nurses hoping to work abroad, as quoted by TGFM: "There may even be times when you need to begin again. But please remember that starting over does not mean starting from nothing."

Subscribe to newsletter