PHILIPPINE-BASED INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY OF MEDICAL SPECIALISTS BRINGS CONGRESS AT UC DAVIS WITH SUPPORT FROM PH CONSULATE
Left: Deputy Consul General Maria Paz G. Cortes delivers remarks on behalf of the Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco during the 3rd World Congress of the International Academy of Medical Specialist, Inc. Right: DCG Cortes receives a token of appreciation from IAMS. (San Francisco PCG photos)
SACRAMENTO, CA – The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco represented by Deputy Consul General Maria Paz G. Cortes and Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil, graced the 3rd World Congress of the International Academy of Medical Specialists, Inc. (IAMS) held on October 8, 2025 at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) School of Medicine in Sacramento. This year’s Congress was held under the theme, “Converging Minds, Transforming Healthcare”.
The event brought together medical professionals from the Philippines, United States, Mexico, and other countries, underscoring the importance of global collaboration in transforming healthcare systems and practices.
Dr. Michael Wilkes, Director of Global Health at the UC Davis School of Medicine, welcomed delegates and guests, highlighting Sacramento’s values of inclusivity, resilience and diversity. He emphasized UC Davis Medical Center’s ongoing commitment to advancing health equity into a reality and translating knowledge into healing.
In his remarks, Dr. Albert Gironella, President of IAMS shared the organization’s vision and journey since its founding in 2000. As the first and only international society of medical doctors founded and based in the Philippines, IAMS is dedicated to elevating medical practice through annual conventions, research initiatives, and medical missions, in partnership with academic and healthcare institutions.
Delivering a message on behalf of Consul General Neil Frank Ferrer, Deputy Consul General Cortes highlighted the crucial role of international cooperation in improving healthcare delivery and outcomes. She expressed pride in the achievements and contributions of Filipino medical professionals, whose global leadership and compassion reflect their world-class caliber.
She cited several initiatives of Northern California-based Filipino American professionals in medicine and nursing, but also in emerging fields like biotechnology, including the Philippine Medical Society of Northern California and its annual medical missions serving thousands in the Philippines, the research of Dr. Jessica de Leon at the University of California San Francisco on neurodegenerative diseases among the elderly, the community health programs of the Philippine Consulate General in partnership with the Philippine Nurses Association – Northern California, and the innovative biotech work of Dr. Lieza Danan, co-founder of LiVeritas Biosciences.
DCG Cortes emphasized that these examples demonstrate the Filipino spirit of bayanihan – mutual support and collective progress – as an enduring foundation in addressing today’s complex global health challenges.
The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco extends its appreciation to IAMS, UC Davis, and all contributors to the event’s success. The Consulate reaffirms its support for ongoing partnerships that promote inclusive, innovative, and globally impactful healthcare solutions. END
Deputy Consul General Maria Paz G. Cortes (center) and Consul Rowena Pangilinan-Daquipil (rightmost) join the officials of International Academy of Medical Specialist, Inc. at the sidelines of its 3rd World Congress held at UC Davis School of Medicine in Sacramento. (San Francisco PCG photo).