General Info About PAO

History: When One Plus One Equaled One (Based on the article of the same title by Romulo N. Aguilar,M.D., Ph.D., Chair, Ad Hoc Committee on Reorganization)

On November 25, 1945, the Philippine Ophthalmological and Otolaryngological Society (POOS) was born, the first specialty society of its kind to be accredited by the Philippine Medical Association. Its members, led by Dr. Antonio S. Fernando, founding president, were physicians in the combined practice of ophthalmology and otolaryngology.

Eleven years later, anticipating the separation of the specialties, the POOS created two other organizations: the Ophthalmological Society of the Philippines (OSP) and the Philippine Society of Otolaryngology and Broncho-Esophacology (PSOB). The year was 1956. Only weeks earlier, another independent eye society had been formed: the Philippine Ophthalmological Society (POS). With Dr. Geminiano de Ocampo as its president, the POS hosted the first Asia-Pacific Congress of Ophthalmology (APAO) in Manila.

This unfortunate situation of having two eye societies existed in the country for the next fifteen years, finally spurring a campaign to unite the two societies. Dr. Conrado Banzon led the campaign, in cooperation with Drs. Liborio Mangubat and Manuel Hechanova, who were presidents of POS and OSP respectively. Their efforts were rewarded in 1971, when the two societies became one under the banner of the Philippine Society of Ophthalmology (PSO). Dr. Salvador Salceda was named president of this new, unified eye society. Meanwhile, the POOS (after twenty-five years) was renamed the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology (PAOO) with Dr. Banzon as holdover leader. And for another twenty years, everyone seemed contented with the status quo.e "mother" of all ophthalmologic organizations. A secondary, although relatively minor reason was to obviate having to start over and projecting an image of a "young" ophthalmic organization to the international community, when in truth and fact it is not.

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Mission and Vision

VISION

That every Filipino will have access to quality and affordable eye care. No Filipino will succumb to preventable blindness.

POLICY MISSION

To influence the formulation and implementation of eye health policies.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE MISSION

To uphold the technical and ethical standards of ophthalmology as a profession.

MORAL/SOCIAL MISSION

To assume moral responsibility for the reduction and prevention of remediable blindness.

EDUCATIONAL MISSION

To lead in the information dissemination and public education on primary eye care and preventable eye disease.

MEMBERSHIP WELFARE

To protect and promote the professional needs of PAO Members and to ensure continuing medical education for PAO Members.

Organizational Structure

PAO Executive Council and Standing Committees

President
REYNALDO E. SANTOS, M.D.

Vice President
CARLOS G. NAVAL, M.D.

Secretary
RUBEN LIM BON SIONG, M.D.

Treasurer
HARVEY S. UY, M.D.

Councilors
Jessica Marie R. Abaño, M.D.
Heriberto P. Guballa, M.D.
Patricia M. Khu, M.D.
Franklin P. Kleiner, M.D.
Analyn T. Suntay, M.D.
Joseph Anthony J. Tumbocon, M.D.
Dante Mark D. Udasco, M.D.
Sherman O. Valero, M.D.

Immediate Past President
MA. DOMINGA B. PADILLA, M.D.

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