Feb. 22, 2010 Meeting at the Metropolitan Club

     Juliet Yap, Menchie amd Mac Guerrero, Hilda Teodoro, Nerie and Vic Santos and Dulce Estrella-Gust hosted Henry Fernandez, Roger Guico, Ed Estrada and Danny Deaño to a sumptuous dinner at the Metropolitan Club in Makati, Rizal during which they had an informal meeting about the planned minireunion in Chicago, the January 2011 reunion in Manila, the Quadricentennial Celebrations of U.S.T. and the reunion in January, 2022.

     Everyone was invited to the Chicago Minireunion on May 28 – 31, 2010 to be held in conjunction with the USTMAAA Convention.  The planned UST Med’67 reunion activities are designed to mesh with those of the USTMAAA but UST Med’67 will have its own general meeting on May 29th. Unfortunately not one of the Philippine-based classmates present at the dinner-meeting can attend.  Everyone was also advised that Class’67 plans to join the U.S.T. Quadricentennial Celebrations in January, 2011. Our Philippine-based classmates volunteered to search for more reasonably-priced accommodations and land transportation for the reunion with emphasis on “reasonable”.  The tentative plan calls for sightseeing and other activities to be held in Manila and the immediate vicinity.  This should encourage more participation from our Philippine-based classmates.  Dulce has volunteered to host us at her farm in Cavite.  I conveyed the message to everyone from Willie, Zinnia and Cora to start lobbying  for inclusion of the CSF Inauguration and Blessing in the Quadricentennial celebrations with the target dates being January 25th or 26th and for recognition of Class’67 as one of the major benefactors/patrons/Donors of UST (CME Auditorium and now, the CSF). It was also noted that the 45th Jubilee Celebration of UST Med’67 will be in January, 2012 and this will coincide with the end of the Quadricentennial Celebrations.  There is a chance the Pope and the King of Spain might go to the Philippines at that time – depending on a number of factors.

March 2nd Lunch Meeting with Dean Graciela Garayblas-Gonzaga, Fr. Regent Winston Cabading, Dr. Imelda Dakis and Dr. Gene Regal

     Nerie Santos and I were invited to a lunch meeting by Dean Garayblas-Gonzaga and during said meeting we were joined by Fr. Cabading, Dr. Dakis and Dr. Regal.  Hilda Teodoro got tied up in traffic but eventually joined us likewise.  During said meeting, various aspects of the CSF were discussed.  Dr. Regal gave us a nice PowerPoint presentation showing the current status of the CSF.  He reported that the CSF committee is finalizing the Standard Operating Procedures for use of the CSF unit.  They have also completed the survey among the different departments as to their needs and recommendations and the committee is beginning to prioritize and sort them out.  Dr. Regal promised to send us a report within the near future.

     The installation of the audio-visual equipments, both at the Main station and the Neuro-histo satellite stations have been completed and they are now fully operational.  However, when Peter Fig and two other examiners used the CSF for Revalida as part of a trial run, there were some problems that cropped up with the audio portion of the system but this is already being fixed. The early impression is that some of the examiners did not want to be video recorded hence the reluctance to use the CSF facility for the Revalida by these individuals.

     The committee is still waiting for our recommendations regarding markers, signage, murals and general aesthetic appearance of the CSF unit.

     Nerie and I presented to the Dean and Regent our recommendation that the official inauguration and blessing of the Clinical Skills Facility be included in the January, 2010 Quadricentennial celebrations and to help lobby for the recognition of UST Med’67 as a major donor or patron in view of our large contributions through the years (CME Auditorium and CSF).  They both promised to pursue this with the Rector and the committee in charge of the Quadricentennial Celebrations.  In support of said request, we conveyed the desire of the entire UST Med’67 to all parties present to make the CSF a state-of-the-art facility and for the CSF Committee to make its recommendations as to how best to accomplish this.  Dr. Regal is looking at some mannequins and other materials that can be used for demonstration/teaching purposes and he is requesting us who are in the U.S.A. to do likewise.

     Following the lunch meeting, Mr. Noel Antonio took Nerie, Hilda and myself on a brief tour of the CME Auditorium and the CSF facility.