COMMISSIONS

SURE Commission

PCS Surgery in the Underserved Regions and for Education Commission (PCS SUREComm)

Formal inauguration of the PCS SUREComm during the PCS Annual Clinical Congress 2019. From left to right: PCS SUREComm Director Dr. Vivencio Jose Villaflor, III, PCS President 2019 Dr. George Lim, PCS SUREComm Board Member and Regent-in-Charge Dr. Ramon Inso, Ugnayan Pahinungod Director Dr. Eric SM. Talens, Smile Train Country Director Ms. Kimmy Coseteng-Flaviano, UST Medical Mission Inc. Member Dr. Paul Olalia, PCS SUREComm Ways and Means Local Affairs Chair Dr. Rouel Mateo Azores, Guest Dr. Filmarosa Herbosa, Guest Dr. Jeffrey Jeronimo D. Domino, Mission Maharlika Charity Foundation Inc. President and Director Dr. Benedict Edward P. Valdez, PCS SUREComm Education and Training Chair Dr. Miguel Mendoza, PCS SUREComm Engagement and Outreach Services Chair Dr. Rhoderick de Leon, PCS SUREComm Board Member Dr. Beda Espineda, PCS SUREComm Board Member Dr. Henrique da Roza, PCS SUREComm Ways and Means International Affairs Chair Ms. Candy Prisno, PCS SUREComm Board Member and Finance Officer Mr. Eliseo Jojo Prisno, PCS SUREComm Board Member Ms. Arlene Keh, PCS SUREComm Assistant Director Dr. Marcus Lester Suntay, and PCS President 2020 Dr. Jose Antonio Salud

The Philippine College of Surgeons (PCS) is established in 1936 to ensure the quality of surgical care in the country and the mother organization of the surgical specialties. Through the years, the PCS through its Committee on S.U.R.E. (Surgery in the Underserved Regions and for Education) has been actively conducting surgical outreach activities in collaboration with various NGOs and Local Government Units, particularly in the remote areas where the necessary surgical care is beyond reach.

With the newly created SURE Commission, it is going to be the humanitarian arm created that will promote and coordinate surgical care, education, training, and research. This will make surgery equitable, available, and accessible to the marginalized to address unmet surgeries and give quality surgery for all.

A soft launching of the Commission was held last September 12, 2019 during the PCS Foundation Day and a formal inaugural launching last December 02, 2019 during the 2019 PCS Annual Clinical Congress.

First Organizational Meeting of the Commission last February 10, 2020 held at Café Ilang-Ilang, Manila Hotel.

Memorandum of Agreement Signing between PCS, the League of Municipalities (LMP), and World Surgical Foundation Philippines (WSFP) last March 09, 2020 held at the Marriott Hotel. Seated from left to right: Ms. Arlene Keh, Mayor Ma. Theresa Constantino, Mayor Cynthia Falcotelo-Fortes, Mayor Luis “Chavit” Singson, Dr..Marcus Lester Suntay, Dr. Vivencio Jose Villaflor, III, Dr. Jose Antonio Salud, and Dr. Ramon Inso

Hence, the Commission is a quasi-independent body within the PCS, whose mission is “is to uphold “Quality Surgery for All” by serving as a coordinating platform for the conduct of surgical outreach activities, that enables education, training, research and collaboration with stakeholders.” and envisions a country where surgery is made available to all regions of the country, and are accessible to all Filipinos, especially the poor and underserved.

The SURE Commission is composed of nine (9) directors, four of which are PCS Fellows: Dr. Vicencio Jose Vilaflor III as Commission Director; Dr. Marcus Lester Suntay as Assistant Director; and Drs. Beda Espineda and Ramon Inso as part of the Board of Directors. The Finance Officer is Mr. Eliseo Jojo Prisno and the four other non-PCS fellows Board of Directors are Ms. Arlene Keh, Mayor Trina Alejandra Firmalo-Fabic and a representative from the Philippine Society of Anesthesiologists, Inc. (PSA) Dr. Henrique da Roza and Operating Room Nurses Association of the Philippines, Inc. (ORNAP) Ms. Mayo Gantan Santiago.