A Vision to Remember
Updated article originally written by Eleonore Iguban, MD
In May 1911, the Department of Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat (EENT) of the Philippine General Hospital was established under the able leadership of Dr. Reinhart Remebe. As part of its commitment to pursue excellence and unconditional service, the graduates of what was then the Philippine Medical School, now the University of the Philippines College of Medicine, underwent a month of comprehensive training as an orientation to the Department.
In 1914, Dr. Aristeo Rizal Ubaldo was appointed as the first Filipino chairperson of the EENT Department. Dr. Ubaldo’s introduction of the intracapsular method of lens extraction using the erysiphake was a milestone in the field of Philippine Ophthalmology.
After the World War II, the Department of EENT saw its renaissance under the able leadership of Dr. Antonio S. Fernando, Sr. The EENT residency program was re-organized so as to encourage scientific studies and research undertakings as part of their training. Dr. Fernando also initiated the standard clinical staff conferences, which became a regular interactive venue for great minds in ophthalmology. These endeavors were further pursued by Dr. Herminio Velarde Sr. from July 1955 to 1956.
The appointment of Dr. Geminiano De Ocampo in 1956 as EENT chairperson ushered momentous advances in the Philippine Ophthalmology. He introduced the concepts of akinesia and the use of sutures as well as intracapsular lens extraction using capsule forceps. He also established the PGH Eye Bank in 1945. It was also during this period, that the EENT Department saw a need to expand its scope of service. Thus, the sections of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology were established.
On the 9th of November 1961, the UP Board of Regents approved the creation of the Department of Ophthalmology, with Dr. de Ocampo serving as its head. A formal Ophthalmology residency training program was introduced, and the subspecialty services were subsequently established, namely, Plastic-Lacrimal, Cornea, Glaucoma, Uveitis, Motility, Neuro-ophthalmology, Retina, and Orbit. Moreover, in order to promote the pursuit of research and technological advancement, the Philippine Eye Research Institute was conceptualized in June 1965 with Dr. de Ocampo as the acting Director. Dr. Emmanuel Almeda maintained these high standards of service and training as officer-in-charge of the Department from February 1966 to October 1966.
Dr. Liborio Mangubat took over as chairperson of the Department of Ophthalmology in July 1968 to June 1976. With promoting innovative teaching strategies as his primary thrust, a basic course in Ophthalmology was introduced into the residency program. Likewise, a fellowship program and additional residency positions were offered. The Department also established a photography section which enabled the residents to record and be familiarized with interesting clinical and histo-pathological cases. Dr. Mangubat also published the first training manual of the Department in 1968 to serve as a guide for both the resident staff and administration.
The term of Dr. Romeo Espiritu in 1976-1979 paved the way for a more resident-oriented training program. Residents were made to rotate in all subspecialty services during each year of their residency. Research and thesis presentations were also required of each resident by the end of their training program. The Basic Course in Ophthalmology, during this time, was conducted for three months and included lectures regarding the must-know concepts in Ophthalmology, with Ophthalmology residents nationwide as participants.
In 1979, Dr. Salvador Salceda assumed chairmanship of the Department of Ophthalmology, concurrent with his position as the Director of the Philippine Eye Research Institute. He was then chosen to chair the PGH Renovation and Expansion Project, marking the formal expansion efforts of the Department. Dr. Salceda became the Director of the Philippine General Hospital in 1984, becoming the first ophthalmologist to hold such an illustrious position.
Dr. Gloria Lim became the first female chairperson of the Department of Ophthalmology in 1982. Various training advances and areas for community service were prioritized. She upheld the regular conductance of case consultations and scientific conferences. Moreover, she introduced the residents to outreach programs in need of ophthalmologic surgery and clinical care. Her time as chairperson marked the advent of operating microscopes and anterior chamber intraocular lenses in the department.
During the term of Dr. Mario Aquino in 1985-1988, the department was relocated from its temporary home in Ward 8 to Ward 12, alongside its sister department (ENT). It was also during this time that the extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation was introduced as a better method for cataract surgery.
Dr. Romeo Fajardo took on the responsibility as chairperson in 1988. He played a vital role in the establishment of the Eye Instrument Center (EIC) of the PGH Ophthalmology Department in 1989. This was made possible through a partnership with the Ophthalmological Foundation of the Philippines (OFPHIL) headed by Drs. Felipe Tolentino and Jose Pecson. One of the notable projects of the OFPHIL is the OFPHIL-Miyake Eye Operating Room at the PGH Department of Ophthalmology. Ms. Chiyo Miyake, whose husband, a medical officer of the Japanese Army who was saved by two Filipino guerillas in Leyte during World War II, gave a generous gift to fully equip the said operating room. These undertaking made cutting-edge ophthalmologic technology available to the less fortunate.
The chairmanship of the Dr. Prospero Tuano in July 1991 ushered the birth of new subspecialty services in the department. He instituted the Pediatric Ophthalmology clinic at the EIC, and the Low Vision Clinic at the PGH-OPD. The Optics/Contact Lens Clinic was further enhanced by didactics with optometric educators as well as linkages with the International Association of Contact Lens Educators (IACLE). Dr. Tuano, was also credited with the formation of the UP Manila Trust Fund and the Modified Residency Training Program among others. He strengthened the ties between the department and various institutions, such as the OFPHIL, Sta. Lucia Eye Bank of Manila, and St. Luke’s Medical Center.
In 1998, Dr. Robert Tan was sworn in as the new department chairperson. It was during his time that the department came to be know as the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences to embody a holistic and integrative approach to ophthalmologic care. Phacoemulsification as a means of lens extraction, was fast becoming the standard of care in cataract surgery due to its minimal tissue disruption and post-operative complications.
The new millennium for the department was welcomed with Dr. Manuel Agulto handling its reins starting May 2000. During his time, the quest for ophthalmologic breakthroughs from subspecialty service-driven researches was given utmost importance. This objective was further strengthened when Dr. Agulto was appointed to be the Director of the Institute of Ophthalmology in May 2001. With a grant from the Spanish government through the Agencia Espanola de Cooperacion Internacional (AECI), a fully equipped eye center was built in collaboration with the University of the Philippines, the Philippine General Hospital, the Department of Health, the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology and other stakeholders in ophthalmic health. This institution is what we now know as the Sentro Oftalmologico Jose Rizal (SOJR), and is the current home of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, the Eye Instrument Center, the Sta. Lucia Eye Bank of Manila, and the Philippine Eye Research Institute. Furthermore, new diagnostic equipment and surgical instruments and machines were acquired to address the need for the residency training to be at par with those worldwide.
In 2007, modernization and maintenance of the SOJR became the primary objective of Dr. Ildefonso Chan as chairperson. The department, during this time, remained steadfast in its purpose to continuously acquire state of the art equipment currently being used in modern eye hospitals in developed countries. New phacoemulsification machines, microscopes, laser, and sterilization units were made available to the clinical staff. It was also during his chairmanship that the SOJR Auditorium was dedicated to Dr. Romeo Espiritu, for his unwavering passion for teaching, was formally opened. It now serves as one of the widely used venues for ophthalmologic seminars and workshops.
Beginning 2010, under the management of Dr. Pearl-Tamesis-Villalon, improvements in the training programs and profit-generating strategies were institutionalized. Among such developments is the introduction of a Cataract Clinic at the OPD which caters to the pre-operative and post-operative assessment of cataract patients. Moreover, signifying its commitment to promote lifelong learning and unending thirst for knowledge amongst eye care specialists, the Dr. Romeo V. Fajardo Library was inaugurated last February 8, 2011 at the 2nd floor of SOJR.
The leadership of Dr. Raul Cruz from 2013 to 2015 was another period of modernization for SOJR. His term was highlighted by the acquisition of state-of-the-art microscopes for use in ophthalmic surgery. It is also during his leadership that the department introduced the Basic Course on Phacoemulsification, which is an annual seminar that aims to improve the surgical skills of ophthalmologists-in-training. The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences became the first institution to be given a six-year accreditation by the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology.
Today, the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences continues to enrich the minds of young ophthalmologists under the leadership of Dr. Marissa N. Valbuena. During her term, the department received financial grants for the publication of subspecialty books on External Diseases, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, and Retina. With a vision to spread knowledge on eye diseases to aspiring medical doctors, an updated version of the Ophthalmology Self-Instructional Module has been released in the UP College of Medicine and other medical schools in the country. It is also during her chairmanship that the department started the first full-fledged Neuro-Ophthalmology fellowship in the country. Also, in her time as chair, the Low Vision Service has initiated a collaboration with the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine to improve the service we provide to our visually impaired patients.
Through the years, the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences has been a pillar in the field of Ophthalmology in the Philippines. It continues to envision to become a globally competitive, socially responsible, community-oriented and sustainable world-class center committed to excellence in eye care, the prevention of blindness, as well as leadership in ophthalmology. Its graduates, spread around the country and in the world, are testaments of the excellence embodied by this institution.
Updated article originally written by Eleonore Iguban, MD
In May 1911, the Department of Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat (EENT) of the Philippine General Hospital was established under the able leadership of Dr. Reinhart Remebe. As part of its commitment to pursue excellence and unconditional service, the graduates of what was then the Philippine Medical School, now the University of the Philippines College of Medicine, underwent a month of comprehensive training as an orientation to the Department.
In 1914, Dr. Aristeo Rizal Ubaldo was appointed as the first Filipino chairperson of the EENT Department. Dr. Ubaldo’s introduction of the intracapsular method of lens extraction using the erysiphake was a milestone in the field of Philippine Ophthalmology.
After the World War II, the Department of EENT saw its renaissance under the able leadership of Dr. Antonio S. Fernando, Sr. The EENT residency program was re-organized so as to encourage scientific studies and research undertakings as part of their training. Dr. Fernando also initiated the standard clinical staff conferences, which became a regular interactive venue for great minds in ophthalmology. These endeavors were further pursued by Dr. Herminio Velarde Sr. from July 1955 to 1956.
The appointment of Dr. Geminiano De Ocampo in 1956 as EENT chairperson ushered momentous advances in the Philippine Ophthalmology. He introduced the concepts of akinesia and the use of sutures as well as intracapsular lens extraction using capsule forceps. He also established the PGH Eye Bank in 1945. It was also during this period, that the EENT Department saw a need to expand its scope of service. Thus, the sections of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology were established.
On the 9th of November 1961, the UP Board of Regents approved the creation of the Department of Ophthalmology, with Dr. de Ocampo serving as its head. A formal Ophthalmology residency training program was introduced, and the subspecialty services were subsequently established, namely, Plastic-Lacrimal, Cornea, Glaucoma, Uveitis, Motility, Neuro-ophthalmology, Retina, and Orbit. Moreover, in order to promote the pursuit of research and technological advancement, the Philippine Eye Research Institute was conceptualized in June 1965 with Dr. de Ocampo as the acting Director. Dr. Emmanuel Almeda maintained these high standards of service and training as officer-in-charge of the Department from February 1966 to October 1966.
Dr. Liborio Mangubat took over as chairperson of the Department of Ophthalmology in July 1968 to June 1976. With promoting innovative teaching strategies as his primary thrust, a basic course in Ophthalmology was introduced into the residency program. Likewise, a fellowship program and additional residency positions were offered. The Department also established a photography section which enabled the residents to record and be familiarized with interesting clinical and histo-pathological cases. Dr. Mangubat also published the first training manual of the Department in 1968 to serve as a guide for both the resident staff and administration.
The term of Dr. Romeo Espiritu in 1976-1979 paved the way for a more resident-oriented training program. Residents were made to rotate in all subspecialty services during each year of their residency. Research and thesis presentations were also required of each resident by the end of their training program. The Basic Course in Ophthalmology, during this time, was conducted for three months and included lectures regarding the must-know concepts in Ophthalmology, with Ophthalmology residents nationwide as participants.
In 1979, Dr. Salvador Salceda assumed chairmanship of the Department of Ophthalmology, concurrent with his position as the Director of the Philippine Eye Research Institute. He was then chosen to chair the PGH Renovation and Expansion Project, marking the formal expansion efforts of the Department. Dr. Salceda became the Director of the Philippine General Hospital in 1984, becoming the first ophthalmologist to hold such an illustrious position.
Dr. Gloria Lim became the first female chairperson of the Department of Ophthalmology in 1982. Various training advances and areas for community service were prioritized. She upheld the regular conductance of case consultations and scientific conferences. Moreover, she introduced the residents to outreach programs in need of ophthalmologic surgery and clinical care. Her time as chairperson marked the advent of operating microscopes and anterior chamber intraocular lenses in the department.
During the term of Dr. Mario Aquino in 1985-1988, the department was relocated from its temporary home in Ward 8 to Ward 12, alongside its sister department (ENT). It was also during this time that the extracapsular cataract extraction with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation was introduced as a better method for cataract surgery.
Dr. Romeo Fajardo took on the responsibility as chairperson in 1988. He played a vital role in the establishment of the Eye Instrument Center (EIC) of the PGH Ophthalmology Department in 1989. This was made possible through a partnership with the Ophthalmological Foundation of the Philippines (OFPHIL) headed by Drs. Felipe Tolentino and Jose Pecson. One of the notable projects of the OFPHIL is the OFPHIL-Miyake Eye Operating Room at the PGH Department of Ophthalmology. Ms. Chiyo Miyake, whose husband, a medical officer of the Japanese Army who was saved by two Filipino guerillas in Leyte during World War II, gave a generous gift to fully equip the said operating room. These undertaking made cutting-edge ophthalmologic technology available to the less fortunate.
The chairmanship of the Dr. Prospero Tuano in July 1991 ushered the birth of new subspecialty services in the department. He instituted the Pediatric Ophthalmology clinic at the EIC, and the Low Vision Clinic at the PGH-OPD. The Optics/Contact Lens Clinic was further enhanced by didactics with optometric educators as well as linkages with the International Association of Contact Lens Educators (IACLE). Dr. Tuano, was also credited with the formation of the UP Manila Trust Fund and the Modified Residency Training Program among others. He strengthened the ties between the department and various institutions, such as the OFPHIL, Sta. Lucia Eye Bank of Manila, and St. Luke’s Medical Center.
In 1998, Dr. Robert Tan was sworn in as the new department chairperson. It was during his time that the department came to be know as the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences to embody a holistic and integrative approach to ophthalmologic care. Phacoemulsification as a means of lens extraction, was fast becoming the standard of care in cataract surgery due to its minimal tissue disruption and post-operative complications.
The new millennium for the department was welcomed with Dr. Manuel Agulto handling its reins starting May 2000. During his time, the quest for ophthalmologic breakthroughs from subspecialty service-driven researches was given utmost importance. This objective was further strengthened when Dr. Agulto was appointed to be the Director of the Institute of Ophthalmology in May 2001. With a grant from the Spanish government through the Agencia Espanola de Cooperacion Internacional (AECI), a fully equipped eye center was built in collaboration with the University of the Philippines, the Philippine General Hospital, the Department of Health, the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology and other stakeholders in ophthalmic health. This institution is what we now know as the Sentro Oftalmologico Jose Rizal (SOJR), and is the current home of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, the Eye Instrument Center, the Sta. Lucia Eye Bank of Manila, and the Philippine Eye Research Institute. Furthermore, new diagnostic equipment and surgical instruments and machines were acquired to address the need for the residency training to be at par with those worldwide.
In 2007, modernization and maintenance of the SOJR became the primary objective of Dr. Ildefonso Chan as chairperson. The department, during this time, remained steadfast in its purpose to continuously acquire state of the art equipment currently being used in modern eye hospitals in developed countries. New phacoemulsification machines, microscopes, laser, and sterilization units were made available to the clinical staff. It was also during his chairmanship that the SOJR Auditorium was dedicated to Dr. Romeo Espiritu, for his unwavering passion for teaching, was formally opened. It now serves as one of the widely used venues for ophthalmologic seminars and workshops.
Beginning 2010, under the management of Dr. Pearl-Tamesis-Villalon, improvements in the training programs and profit-generating strategies were institutionalized. Among such developments is the introduction of a Cataract Clinic at the OPD which caters to the pre-operative and post-operative assessment of cataract patients. Moreover, signifying its commitment to promote lifelong learning and unending thirst for knowledge amongst eye care specialists, the Dr. Romeo V. Fajardo Library was inaugurated last February 8, 2011 at the 2nd floor of SOJR.
The leadership of Dr. Raul Cruz from 2013 to 2015 was another period of modernization for SOJR. His term was highlighted by the acquisition of state-of-the-art microscopes for use in ophthalmic surgery. It is also during his leadership that the department introduced the Basic Course on Phacoemulsification, which is an annual seminar that aims to improve the surgical skills of ophthalmologists-in-training. The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences became the first institution to be given a six-year accreditation by the Philippine Academy of Ophthalmology.
Today, the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences continues to enrich the minds of young ophthalmologists under the leadership of Dr. Marissa N. Valbuena. During her term, the department received financial grants for the publication of subspecialty books on External Diseases, Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, and Retina. With a vision to spread knowledge on eye diseases to aspiring medical doctors, an updated version of the Ophthalmology Self-Instructional Module has been released in the UP College of Medicine and other medical schools in the country. It is also during her chairmanship that the department started the first full-fledged Neuro-Ophthalmology fellowship in the country. Also, in her time as chair, the Low Vision Service has initiated a collaboration with the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine to improve the service we provide to our visually impaired patients.
Through the years, the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences has been a pillar in the field of Ophthalmology in the Philippines. It continues to envision to become a globally competitive, socially responsible, community-oriented and sustainable world-class center committed to excellence in eye care, the prevention of blindness, as well as leadership in ophthalmology. Its graduates, spread around the country and in the world, are testaments of the excellence embodied by this institution.