The Outstanding Filipino Physicians » Search is on for best Pinoy doctors

11 August 2008

Search is on for best Pinoy doctors

Posted by admin under: Press Release .

DAGUPAN CITY — The deadline for the submission of nominations for the search for The Outstanding Filipino Physicians (TOFP) in the country is fast approaching.

2008 TOFP chairman and Jaycee International (JCI) senator Melandrew Velasco said the search for the best “Pinoy doctors” is open to natural-born or naturalized Filipino physician, at least 41 years old, of good moral character, whose integrity and dedication to the medical profession led to advancement in the medical field as well as public health and welfare, anchored on the Jaycee tenet that “service to humanity is the best work of life.”

TOFP is a project of the JCI Senate Philippines and the Department of Health (DOH). It is fully supported by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

The project was launched last year with five winners all based in Manila. This year, Velasco said they would like to recognize outstanding doctors from different areas in the country through the nominations of people or non-government organizations (NGOs).

This is a noble effort to encourage more physicians to remain in the country, for an award that will recognize their dedication and patriotism.

Meanwhile, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the search is one way of promoting love of country among physicians, an exercise that breeds a culture of passion, commitment and service among medical practitioners.

“We have embarked on the annual TOFP search, hoping somehow to make a giant step in reversing the trend in medical brain drain. This is where the real challenge of the 2008 search for outstanding physicians comes into play. To look for patriotic doctors who will serve as an inspiration for many others - by showing that caring and serving our countrymen are the best works of life - as echoed in this year’s theme,” Duque said.

Velasco, on the other hand, said with the Project TOFP, the organizers have started a noble revolution or a call to action and patriotism that is initially focused on the Filipino doctors but hopefully it will spill over to other medical fields and other professions.

He stressed that rural folks are somehow neglected in terms of proper health care and attention due to lack of medical practitioners and the TOFP objective is to look for unsung heroes in the medical profession who are willing to sacrifice and do volunteer works in the barrios.

Velasco said the deadline for nominations is on August 15 before 6 p.m. Nominations can be submitted to the TOFP Award 2008 JCI Senate Philippines Inc. office at second floor, JCI Philippines Building, 14 Don Alejandro Roces Avenue in Quezon City. It can also be sent at telefax number 374-4390 or email it at tofp_jcisp@yahoo.com or its new website: www.tofpjcisp.com. Queries can be made at telephone number (02) 412-5662.

The TOFP awarding ceremonies will be held on September 26, 2008 at Manila Hotel.

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