Post-UPMAS Ball Reflections and TPORs

I attended the 2019 UPMAS Ball on December 19, 2019.

I was at the Marriott Grand Hotel Ballroom at 415 pm with my wife and daughter, early to avoid delay that might be caused by traffic and other hitches.

I was very happy to meet again UPCM batchmates and UPCM graduates of higher batches and UPCM graduates of lower batches.

I was very extremely happy when I was congratulated by UPCM graduates that I still recognized and those I do not remember their names already, especially those of the younger batches and who would approach me, introducing themselves, telling me I was once their mentor in UPCM, expressing thanks to have been their mentor, and having photo-op with them.

The most common greeting was "congratulations." The next most common greeting was something like "you really deserved it or well-deserved award."

One comment that I will not forget was the comment made by Dr. Marissa Valbuena, Class circa 1979, ophthalmologist, who said to the tune of "when I was an intern, when I assisted Dr. Joson in his thyroidectomy, his operation was so clean that I appreciated the full anatomy of the thyroid gland and its surrounding tissues." Actually, this was the 2nd or 3rd time I heard this comment from Marissa - the other occasions were in a retirement ceremony in 2014 and in an MEU symposium in 2018.

With Daniel de la Paz, Jr., Delen de la Paz, Marissa Valbuena, Arlene, and Pinky Baclig. (younger UPCM batches - 1979 and younger).

The event was very well-organized under the leadership of Dr Jean Anne Torral except for a very long "entertainment" program prior to the awarding ceremonies. A lot of my classmates had left already to witness my awarding.

I like the following messages:

As we celebrate the 2019 homecoming, we would like to remind the alumni with the theme of the celebration that what we have become, ang ating "PUSO at GALING"., is because of the UP College of Medicine, "DITO TAYO GALING". We should be happy and proud that are the MDs that are MaDe in UP. Let us continue to strive to be the better version of ourselves for the public we have been dutifully serving."

UPMAS continues to be significant or its alma mater, its alumni and the Filipino community.

To the awardees - May you inspire others to emulate your fine examples.

On the souvenir program, colorful except for the readability of the prints. The font was very fine in the background of a dark background causing difficulty in reading.

Also, a personal concern, the write-up on me as an awardee, was not an updated version (using the executive summary that I submitted in 2005 for the PMA Dr. Jose P, Rizal Memorial Award). However, the essential elements were there.