The Society of Philippine Surgeons in America, at its Governing Board meeting on Monday, October 4, 2021, at D’Pinoy Restaurant conference hall in Las Vegas, and its Membership Meeting on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, at Max Restaurant meeting room, both unanimously approved various matters, including the nine (9) amendments to the SPSA Constitution and By-Laws to pave the way for the establishment of the SPSA Council of Past Presidents, replacing the Board of Governors as the governing body of the Society in view of the natural attrition in membership. (The adopted amendments, verbatim, are appended below).

            Since the COVID-19 pandemic had precluded the past two elections, Honorio Cruz, MD, FACS, has been prevailed upon by the Board to stay on as president till the end of June 2022, when the SPSA Council of Past Presidents shall be established and take over the reigns of governing the final chapter (“SPSA 2.0”) of the Society.

            As provided for by the amendments to the By-Laws, Hernan M. Reyes, MD, FACS, founding president of the SPSA (1972-75), shall serve as the first Chairman of the SPSA Council of Past Presidents, to be succeeded in chronological order of the various past presidents’ term of office. Each shall serve for a one-year-term. The next in line after Dr. Reyes is Bayani Ignacio, MD, FACS, based in Canada.

            The new appointments of President Honorio Cruz were also approved. These positions are:  Executive Director and Special Counsel to the Council Chairman, Daniel C. Fabito, MD, FACS, FPCS; Convention Chairman, Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS; Chairman of Surgical Mission and Treasurer, Ed Barcelona, MD, FACS; Chairman of Membership and Credentials, Ed Gamboa, MD, FACS; Constitution and By-Laws Chairman, Bayani Ignacio, MD, FACS; Liaison to the Philippine College of Surgeons and the Department of Health, Juan M. Montero, MD, FACS; Editorial Board of the Golden Anniversary Yearbook: Hernan M. Reyes, MD, FACS, Chairman, Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Honorio M. Cruz, MD, FACS, Ed Quiros, MD, FACS, members.

            The Board unanimously approved the proposal of Phil Chua that “all SPSA Fellows since the Society was founded in 1972 to the present shall remain on the roster of SPSA Fellows, active or not, paid or not, and there will be no termination of membership, except for a due cause.”

            Ed Gamboa, who unfortunately got infected with COVID-19, but has since recovered, will be consolidating the Roster of Fellows, and communicating with them, and also offer SPSA Fellowship to interested Fil-Am surgeons.

              Two new Fellows were accepted by the Board: Dr. Jay Seldera, president of the UE Alumni Association, and Dr. Aimee June Mabini.

          The proposal of Hernan M. Reyes, MD, FACS, to establish a “Surgical Volunteer Outreach Program to minister to the underserved Filipinos in the rural areas, as agreed upon by PCS SURE Commission represented by Doctors Vivencio Jose Villaflor, Ramon S. Inso, Lester Suntay, and Hernan Reyes in their recent Zoom meeting, was unanimously approved. The details of this joint humanitarian and surgical education projects will be posted separately in this website when it’s finalized.

            The Resolution submitted by Juan M. Montero, MD, FACS, was discussed and the Board agreed with his proposal to network with all non-surgeon physicians and various organizations and all alumni associations in the United States, but voted against his proposal to change the name of the SPSA.

            Ed Barcelona was tasked to pursue in California the incorporation renewal of the SPSA, using the official name Society of Philippine Surgeons in America, or with an “Inc.” is needed. Executive Director Danny Fabito will also explore the same in Las Vegas. Treasurer Barcelona reported that the SPSA Mission Fund and the Administrative fund were consolidated in one bank prior to this Board Meeting.

            The Board likewise approved the venue for the SPSA Golden Anniversary celebration in October 20-23, 2022, to be Las Vegas, instead of the original plan to hold it in conjunction with the Annual Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons in San Diego in October 2022, since not many attend the ACS Congress. The Governing Board directed the Convention Chairman to initiate planning for this SPSA Formal Dinner-Ball in Las Vegas on Saturday, October 22, 2022, commemorating the Society’s 50^th anniversary. The venue and other details will be announced when the information becomes available. The historical and nostalgic Golden Anniversary Yearbook will be distributed to all SPSA Fellows during the Dinner-Ball in Las Vegas.

            The date and venue of the Spring Meeting will be announced by President Honorio Cruz. Philip suggested that each Governing Board member contact at least five SPSA Fellows and invite them to attend our Golden Anniversary Dinner-Ball.

          GOVERNING AMENDMENTS, S P S A Council of Past Presidents

1. These provisions below shall be appended as amendments to the original Constitution and Bylaws of the Society of Philippine Surgeons in America, adopted at its foundation in 1972. These promulgations shall serve as the main governing principles and rules of the Society as it inaugurates its Golden Anniversary in July 2022 and establishes the SPSA Council of Past Presidents, which shall function as the governing Board.

• All Fellows of the Society of Philippine Surgeons in America since 1972, active or not, shall remain Fellows of this exclusive surgical society, and may attend and participate at the meetings of the SPSA Council of Past Presidents. There shall be no membership fee levied.

• The SPSA Council of Past Presidents (SPSA-CPP) shall be composed of all active SPSA Fellows who have been president of the Society who agree to be on the Council and participate, and any SPSA Fellow who has distinguished himself/herself in the field of surgery and has contributed immensely to the SPSA. Any member of the SPSA Council of Past President may nominate such a deserving Fellow as a member of the SPSA Council of Past President, with the concurrence and approval of at least 2/3 of the Council. All other SPSA Fellows shall be general members of the Council.

• In line with seniority, for expedition, and to preclude any divisive politics, the Chairman of the SPSA Council of Past President shall be elected in chronological order starting with the 1972 Founding President as its first chairman, followed by the next past president (according to year of induction) who consents to serve, and so on down the line. The Chairman, who shall be officially proclaimed by the entire Council, shall have a term of one year, to be succeeded by the one next in line, and so on, each to have the official formality approval of the Council.

• In the event of incapacity or resignation of a sitting Council Chairman during the term of office, the succession will be in accordance with the chronological order earlier described. The term of the successor will be for one year, from the time he/she takes over the unexpired term of the departing Chairman.

• The other officers of the SPSA Council of Past Presidents shall be  composed of an Executive Director, who would also be a Special Counsel to the Chairman of the Council, a Treasurer, a Chairman on Membership, a Chairman of the Committee on Surgical Mission, a Convention Chairman, a By-Laws Chairman, and a Liaison to the Philippine College of Surgeons. These seven (7) officers shall have a permanent tenure, except for resignation, the inability to perform the functions of the office, or terminated by the Council for a due cause. These seven appointments shall require the approval of the Council at its first meeting.

• Budgets will be allocated for the SPSA-CPP office administrative expenses, under the management of the Executive Director, for the Committee on Medical Missions, and other funding for approved projects or expenses. The Council shall oversee all financial matters, and any expenditure will be subject to the approval of the Council.

• These amendments shall take effect immediately following approval by the SPSA Fellows present at its initial meeting on October 6, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

• Any and all matters and parliamentary technicalities not covered by these amendments shall be governed by the newly revised Deluxe 12th edition of the Robert’s Rules of Order.

Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS

Representing Bayani Ignacio, MD, FACS (Canada)

Chairman, By-Laws

SPSA Governing Board members, took time off after its meeting, and dined at the famous Lawry’s Prime Rib restaurant on Howard Hughes Parkway, Las Vegas, on Tuesday evening, October 5, 2022. Pictured above, with the “by-the-table” Lawry’s Master Chef at the background, are (clockwise from center) Philip and Farida Chua, Melinda and Danny Fabito, Tony and Marilyn Donato, Honorio and Elda  Cruz, Ed Quiros, Rolly and Thelma Mendiola, and Alice and Ed Barcelona. The dinner was delicious and the price was right KKB (kanya kanyang bayad)