WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2024: 2:00 P.M. PST

Meeting was called to order at 2:15b p.m.

Presiding : Dr. Bayani Ignacio, Chair, COPP

Attendance: Drs. Bayani Ignacio, Hernan Reyes, Daniel C. Fabito, Ed Barcelona, Honorio Cruz, Ed Navarro, Jay Seldera, Francisca Velcek.

After brief remarks from the Chair, The meeting was called to order .

1. The Minutes of the previous COPP meeting held September 13, 2023 including the Addendum Report regarding SPSA Funds and the Final Report of Dr. Hernan Reyes, 2023 COPP Chair which were distributed by the Executive Director to all members prior to this meeting, was approved following a motion made by Dr. Ed Barcelona and seconded by Dr. Honorio Cruz.

2. Dr. Hernan Reyes, Chairman of the SPSA-PCS Sure Commission Rural Surgery Outreach Program, reported on the current status of the next location of the program, as well as the availability of a newly Graduated General Surgeon and an Anesthesiologist to be deployed for three months. As of this writing, our PCS Sure Commission partner has not identified the venue and apparently there is an ongoing search for a Surgeon and Anesthesiologist for the program. He indicated that an alternative such as the Government Deployment Program where doctors who have finished their Residencies in Government Hospitals are required to work for the government for one year could be adopted by SPSA. He is waiting for feedback from Dr. Beda Espineda and he will update us then.

3. Dr. Dan Fabito reported on the Joint Meeting held at the PCS Building last January 29, 2024 with SPSA represented by Dr. Bayani Ignacio, Dr. Ed Barcelona, Dr. Honorio Cruz and Dr. Rolly Mendiola and PCS represented by Dr. Jovie Villaflor, PCS President, Dr. Beda Espineda, Dr. Leo Ona, President of the Society of General Surgeons, Dr. Jim Sanchez of Hospital on Wheels, Dr. Hadji Pugat, Director , Philippine Society of Anesthesiologist Inc, Maria Quinsay, President of Perioperative Nurses Assoc., Dr. Ramon Inso, Past President of PCS, and Dr. Roberto Chacon, Medical Director of Sorsogon Provincial Hospital, who presented The Gubat Hospital Pilot program and discussed it’s success and Dr.Maria Minerva Calimag, PMA President. Dr. Dures Fe Tagayuma, Regent-in Charge, PCS Sure Commission moderated the Meeting which was very constructive and informative and there was unanimous support and endorsement of the SPSA-PCS Rural Surgery Program for the next three to five years. He reported on the recent Spring-Summer SPSA Newsletter which he published and edited to have been distributed to all COPP members and SPSA Fellows.

4. Dr. Ed Barcelona reported on the current Funds of SPSA and also these were distributed to the COPP members before this meeting. He acknowledged the contributors and supporters of the SPSA, PCS and WSF who supported the Rural Surgery Program: Dr. Eusebio Kho, Dr. Ed Gamboa, Dr. Francis Velcek and RC & MH Miller.

SPSA has Checking Account of $ 28,502.53 and CD Account of $ 31,618.16 with total account of $60,120.68.

He continued his report on the SPSA Surgical Mission and recommended that SPSA Fellows could be joining Surgical Missions of other primary sponsoring Organizations like the Canadian Medical Mission Society’s yearly Missions. He indicated the difficulties in securing Surgical Supplies, Anesthesia drugs and IV fluids in addition to recruitment of Anesthesiologist and logistics in Transportation from Manila to the Surgical Mission Venue.

5. Dr. Dan Fabito reported on his discussions with Dr. Jim Sanchez, who joined him in the recent Munoz Mission and H.O.W. is very much interested to have SPSA support his program. He usually do his Surgical Mission to places where there is no available Hospital two weekends per month and has Residents in Training from the Veterans Hospital join him. Most of the cases being operated are Minor and External Surgical cases (large lipomas, hernias, thyroid, cleft lips) and these are under local and regional anesthesia and patients don’t need in-patient hospitalization. After discussion, the members approved to support H.O.W. in principle and will discuss with Dr. Jim Sanchez more about what and how SPSA could contribute to his ongoing program when he comes to Las Vegas May 24-27, 2024 to attend the UST Medical Reunion. Dr. Dan Fabito has arranged for a “Meet and Greet Meeting” with him on Monday, May 27, 2024 at one of the restaurants in las Vegas.

6. Dr. Hernan Reyes has suggested possible get together for COPP members and interested Fellows sometime in the future either meeting in a city or a Cruise. This will be referred to Dr. Philip Chua, Convention Chair.

7. Dr. Bayani Ignacio has suggested possible meeting in San Francisco at the Clinical Congress, however this will be dependent on how many will be attending the Clinical Congress since the SPSA Fellows’ Attendance has been dwindling for quite sometime now since most of us are now retired. Dr. Dan Fabito will find out who will be planning to attend the ACS Clinical Congress and possible meeting with few PCS delegates coming from the Philippines.

8. Dr. Bayani Ignacio has informed the group that CMMS with SPSA fellows will have a Surgical Mission in Vigan, Ilocos Sur on February 16, 2025. Dr. Francis Velcek is very much interested to join and she plans to bring her Surgical Team to the Mission.

9. Dr. Jay Seldera, President of the UERMMC Alumni Assoc. reported on the progress of the Rural Surgery Outreach Program positively to be one of the Sponsors in the future.

10.Dr. Ed Navarro, who joined the meeting from Germany, informed the Group of his ongoing project , building a Hospital and Clinic in San Fernando, Pampanga with invitation to the SPSA to undertake a Surgical Mission once this is finished in a few months to a year.

10. The COPP Virtual meeting was adjourned at 3:30 p.m.

Minutes recorded by: Dr. Dan Fabito, SPSA Executive Director, May 22, 2024