UPMASA GENERAL ALUMNI MEETING
AGC HONOLULU, HAWAII, JULY 5, 2013
Meeting commencement: 1 pm
The meeting began with an Invocation led by chairman of the BOG Dr William
Romero
1. The minutes of the BOG spring meeting held in Long Beach, CA on April 27,
2013 were presented by President Zenda Garcia-Lat. The minutes were
unanimously approved by the body.
2. Comelec Chairperson Ofelia Madrid- Bernabe presented the results of the
election of UPMASA Officers 2013. 1200 paper ballots were sent out. 558 of
these were returned to the Comelec, not including those with NFA (no forwarding
address). Total votes counted were 623, including online voting for the first time
in UPMASA history
Results of elections:
President elect - Bill Romero - 545 votes,
Daniel Senseng, Recording secretary- 594 votes,
Ma. Rosario Santos-Chua, Corresponding secretary- 618 votes,
Rolando Perez - Treasurer - 593 votes ,
Edwin Palileo, Auditor - 591 votes,
Chair of BOG - Jose David Jr.- 273 votes,
(Larry Yap - 256 votes)
Susan Concepcion-Echiverri, Vice Chair of the BOG- 620 votes
3. President's report - Dr Zenda Garcia-Lat
President Lat began with the introduction of all the Officers and
Committee Chairs and Chapter Presidents
President Lat reported that UPMASA now has $5.9 million in assets, and
we have adopted Quikbooks to record and process all our financial transactions
thanks to the initiative of our national treasurer Dr Geraldine Gomez- Pinder.
$3.6 million is the amount in our Permanent Endowment Fund. Operations
have been streamlined; restricted and unrestricted funds have been well defined
The Membership and Internet Services Committee have integrated and
updated the UPMASA database on our website (www.upmasanational.org)
The PEERS programs has been helping recently graduated alumni with
jobs, residencies and preceptorships
The publications committee has been maintaining the online journal care
of Dr Susan Concepcion-Echiverri
Internet voting was pioneered for the first time this year under the
supervision of ISC Chair Dr Henry Echiverri
The body was updated regarding the Legacy program's conditions and
requirements
The body was updated regarding international membership regulations
and the constitutional amendment - International members are defined as
UPCM grads who reside outside of North America. A formal application form
should be sent and the potential member's eligibility verified. Membership fee will
be required. International members will have all rights including right to vote and
hold office.
Dr Lat reported on the UPMASA Auxiliary - which is still a work in
progress
President Lat reported that we now have 15 UPMASA chapters
Dr Lat thanked all the BOG members for all their support and dedication
during her term of office as President of UPMASA
4. Dr Lat proceeded with the presentation of the constitutional amendment
regarding International membership as outlined above - motion to approve was
presented, seconded; votation followed and the motion was unanimously
approved.
5. Treasurer's report - Dr. Geraldine Gomez- Pinder - Gross income- $759K,
expenses- $755K, net ordinary income is $4K. UPMASA's investment portfolio
has done very well. Our unrealized investment gain is more than $450K
Cumulative Chapter earnings amounted to $101K. Chapter expenses were also
listed. A check from the Centennial fund for $25,000 (5% interest) will be given to
the Dean today.
6. PEF report - Dr. Lou Publico presented the PEF Chair's report.
7. Auditor's report was presented by Dr Edwin Palileo- no discrepancies or
accounting irregularities in our financial reports were found.
8. UP Manila Chancellor's report - Dr Manuel Agulto -Dr Agulto began by
thanking the body for their support. He cherishes the opportunity to serve. He
has one more year on his term. Our financial contributions have really helped the
college. UPM continues the legacy of excellence. Our University is still in the top
50 universities in Asia for Life Sciences and Medicine. We have been on the
upswing in terms of research output. Dr Agulto updated us on the proposed
construction of a NIH research building under the auspices of the DOH and
President Fred Pascual. UP has budgeted 1 billion pesos for this. The building
will have 30,000 sq meters total area and construction is set to begin in January
2014. Completion is envisioned within 2 years. It will be a green building,
environmentally friendly. Dr Agulto also informed us regarding UP's SHS
(satellite health schools) in 4 different locations (started in 1976) - SHS
Tacloban,Leyte, Baler, Quezon, Palo,Leyte, and Koronadal in General Santos.
More than 90% of graduates in these programs will remain in the community.
These students did not take the UPCAT.
The alumni were informed that they can donate to support UP Manila's projects
through thru www.upm.edu.ph, donor's corner. UPM inked a Memorandum of
agreement (MOA) with the top university in Thailand. Dr Agulto expressed the
need for guest lecturers to share their knowledge with UPM. Dr Agulto presented
the different classes of scholars for UPM. He wants us to be academic partners.
He informed the alumni that we have a PhD who went back to teach Allied Health
Sciences under a Fulbright scholarship. Our contributions do not necessarily
have to be monetary. He urged us to bring our learning and experience back to
U.P.
9. UPCM Dean's message - Dr Agnes Mejia- Dr Mejia said that she has
encountered only gratitude from UPCM grads for the contributions of UPMASA.
She wants to keep the door of communication always open between UPCM and
UPMASA.
10. PGH director's message - represented by Dr Gerardo Legaspi- DR Legaspi
presented an update on PGH and Operation Wildfire: "Movement is life." - We
have UPCM grads heading many of the Philippines' Health Institutions. The aim
is to switch the image of PGH from "hospital of the poor" to "hospital of
excellence accessible to the poor". The other goal is to put service ahead of
training and research. PGH needs P4 billion to operate. Infrastructure and
equipment outlays budgeted for the pay hospital were presented. This includes
multilevel parking facilities. Slide show was projected showing renovation of the
Operating Room suites. Pay hospital has 93 beds for renovation. $5K will be
needed to renovate each room. An alumna, Dr Homena- Hetz donated $100,000
to renovate a whole wing (of 15 rooms). UPMASA also has pledged to fund its
own wing. Pictures of renovated rooms were presented. Projected improvement
in income was presented (P260,000 for 2 rms in 1 year). Public areas will also be
renovated, including toilets. The goal is to earn 1 billion pesos a year.
Operational setup should be separate from PGH's. Landscaping of healing
gardens will be included.
11. Phil Undersecretary of Health's message - Dr Teodoro Herbosa- In terms of
Philippine health care, public private partnership is the emphasis.He is the head
of the DOH office for public-private partnership. He agrees with Dr Abraham
Rasul that the best way to run PGH is to privatize it. Phil Health , a government
medical insurance program, was started in 2007. Health inequity must be
corrected. Average out of pocket expenditure is around 64%. Thrust to do this:
Risk protection by enrolling the poor. 25 million people were enrolled; We must
Improve access to quality health facilities; we must facilitate attainment of
millenium development goals. The Philippines now has the fastest growing
economy in Asia. We have to provide universal health care, accessible,
affordable and of high quality. We need to expand coverage and improve
benefits of Philhealth - funded by new excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol. Also
DOH has a thrust to improve preventive care and education. The national health
budget has gone up a lot. They have instituted case payment rates (similar to
DRG's). Catastrophic coverage was also added (i.e. childhood leukemia, early
stage breast CA- fee scale amounts have been set. Last National hospital built
was the Heart Center in 1979, when our population was only $40M. Now we
have about $100M. Private-public partnerships are essential to realize the health
care goals. Service delivery clusters in regional hospitals will be systematized.
He prefers rather than holding missions, that UPMASA would adopt a regional
hospital. They are striving for fiscal autonomy and income retention for
government health facilities. Government hospitals will be run as nonstock,
nonprofit entities. 1.8M people are added to our population per year. Doctors to
the Barrios is another program. 22,500 nurses are deployed yearly to provincial
areas. The aim in 2016 is to decrease maternal deaths, improve communicable
disease mortality, prevent unwanted pregnancies and increase life expectancy of
Filipinos.
12. UPMAS 2013 Invitation and Update- Dr Lilibeth Genuino- We all are Class
'88. Ugnayan ng Pagkakaisa is the theme. Activities: Wellness caravans
(seasons of Life)- lay lectures- UP Diliman, UP Visayas and UP Manila. Cafe
Buenafe musical tribute to the Dean Oct 25. Golf open will happen as well Dec
11 in Calamba Laguna. Philippines - more fun in UPMAS.- Dec. 19. Benefit ball
Manila Hotel Fiesta Pavilion Dec. 20 to raise funds for faculty development
program, fellowship grants and research dissemination grants, and student
scholarships.
13. UPMASA 2014 invitation and update - Dr Romeo Isidro - San Diego Marriott
Marquis and Marina Jul 8-12, 2014- presented the attractions.
14. Other business- none
15. Adjournment- 3:30 pm
Respectfully submitted,
Daniel Senseng, MD
National Recording Secretary