Dr. Hernan Reyes, founder and first president and CME chairman of the Society of the Philippine Surgeons in America will be conferred the Pamana Ng Pilipino Award by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte this December at Malacanang Palace. Dr. Reyes, an internationally recognized pediatric surgeon led the establishment of the SPSA and the impetus for it’s surgical mission committee which has served the medically poor areas in the Philippines every year since 1986. He was formerly the chairman of the Department of Surgery at Cook County Hospital, Professor of Surgery at Rush Medical College where he was also an Assistant Dean. He taught and was a professor of University of Illinois Medical School and the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, among the many achievements since he graduated from the University of Sto. Tomas Faculty of Medicine and Surgery in 1957.

Dr. Reyes plans to meet with the new Secretary of Health and President Duterte next month together with US contingent to discuss several aspects of foreign surgical missions to the Philippines and some of the solutions proposed in an attempt to solve the problems that has beset humanitarian endeavors to the homeland by Filipino expatriates.

The Presidential Awards institutionalized since 1991 is a biennial search for overseas organizations and individuals who have dedicated their work for the service of Filipinos. It is done by four different committees of Philippine Diplomatic Posts, inter-agency committee which screened this year’s 103 nominations from 22 countries to come up with this year’s 23 outstanding individuals and organizations. The Presidential Awards have four categories: Lingkod sa Kapwa Pilipino (LINKAPIL) where SPSA’s late Manny Cacdac was a recipient, Kaanib Ng Bayan Award, Banaag Award, and Pamana Ng Pilipino Award.