It was a lazy monday morning when I decided to go to Philippine Medical Association (PMA) to fix the CME points our organization has been trying to add. While arguing with the secretary on when I will be having the result of my CME points accreditation, I got a call from Dr. Primy Chua, the adviser of AMDA and past president of PMA. It seems that PMA was also holding their 105th foundation day that exact day I was there and so he invited me to join him.

I agreed almost in an instant.

And it was captivating. All the people I had the priviledge of knowing were brilliant and I guess, still interesting after all these years. The President made a passionate speech on how he wanted to make PMA relevant to the present crop and his aspirations were even more laudable. There's the indigent clinic wherein PMA members can now avail of the basic Xrays and blood exams annually and there is also a fund that he spearheads which are suppose to benefit us when we become old. Although his thrust is making sure we are protected, he wanted to make sure that we get the benefits while we are still active members of society. He also wanted to make the membership compulsory for all practicing physicians.

It is interesting because for the past few years, we haven't heard anything substantial from them except of course the Teri Hatcher incident. And I guess it's about time they make PMA relevant to us.

There are really hard core issues we as doctors need to address. The generics bill, remnants of the Malpractice bill, the reproductive health bill, the food supplements which seem to appear rampant in our healthcare system and the perennial question of "why the hell should I stay in the philippines when I can earn more money in australia?"

The PMA has its shortcomings I guess but in their defense, they are doing their job to the best of their abilities. I use to complain that their not doing anything but now it seems that the challenge should not be just in them but in all of us physicians. That as members of the healthcare community, we be more up front, be more strong, and be more assertive in dealing as well as in demanding our rights as physicians and as human beings.