In April 27, 1976, then acting PGH director, Dr. Gabriel Carreon inducted the first set of officers of the Philippine Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy with Dr. Florencio Pineda as its first President, at the historic Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan. There were 21 member doctors who went ahead and drafted its constitution and by-laws.

With its two-year term presidency and later on changed to one-year terms, the society has witnessed 36 presidents.  Through their leadership, these men and women have steered society and its members in the direction of academic excellence, upheld its moral and ethical values, and maintained its integrity.

While the academic environment started with training conferences for the fellows i.e. Endoscopic-Radiologic Conferences (ERC), the Society has taken on bigger fora for learning and has been holding Joint Annual Conventions with the Philippine Society of Gastroenterology and currently with the Hepatology Society of the Philippines and its Annual Endoscopy Workshop rebranded now as the EndoscopyCon Philippines, Endo Forums, Good Endoscopy Practice (GEP) Workshop for Fellows-in-Training, Basic Endoscopic Skills Training (BEST) Workshop for Trainers, Ex-Vivo Workshops, Webinars, The Apprentice, to serve as a venue to update its members on their endoscopic knowledge and hone their skills and techniques through live demonstrations and hands-on teaching sessions from expert endoscopists both local and foreign. Society has also been setting up Clinical Practice Guidelines on various endoscopic topics and the COVID-19 Guidance during the pandemic.

The civic duties of the society, in doing community service to the Filipino people, had commenced holding medical missions to far-flung areas where endoscopic services are not readily available. It is being conducted more frequently to be able to serve more areas annually and has extended its services by including not only diagnostic but also free therapeutic endoscopy for selected indigent patients before the pandemic.

With the advent of internet technology, the society has launched an official website, www.psde.org.ph through which, both its members and the public may access information about its members and society, be updated on the latest information and activities, and be a venue for interaction between the society and the public, regarding queries on digestive diseases.

From a brave group of 21 members on that fateful day of April 27, 1976, we are now 560 active members strong.  Upholding our vision, our mission – together, better, stronger!

Prof. Francisco J. Roman is “an exceptionally good man” to his wife and an exemplary physician with an indefatigable spirit to his colleagues. He has been instrumental in the organization of the Philippine Society of Gastroenterology for which he served as President from 1966 – 1968.

Dr. Francisco Roman was born at Basco, Batanes, on August 27, 1910 and died on October 13, 1983. His father died while he was still at a young age of 3 and he was orphaned at the age of 16. He received his early education from his mother who was a teacher and had his formal education at the San Juan de Letran. He was 25 when he finished his medical education at the University of Santo Tomas in 1935. When the Pacific War broke out, Dr. Roman served in the military as chief doctor of the medical staff of “S.S. Mactan” which carried wounded Filipino and American soldiers to Australia (Dec. 1941). He eventually settled in the United States and was subsequently commissioned as 1st Lt. of the USA Medical Corps on October 15, 1942. He was promoted to the rank of Captain on October 1943 and Major on May 1945. During the Philippine Liberation, he organized a PCAU-1 Emergency Hospital which became the nucleus of what is now the National Orthopedic Hospital.

On December 20, 1945, he married the former Miss Feliza Limcaoco of Cabuyao, Laguna whom he initially met at the graduation ball of the Military Service School of Pennsylvania. Their marriage was blessed with a son, Frankie.

In 1974, Dr. Roman continued his training in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology under the world renowned Prof. Henry Bockus at the Graduate School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia. Upon their return to Manila in 1948, Dr. Roman rejoined the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Santo Tomas, in which he pioneered the progress and development of gastroenterology together with another former chairman, the late Prof. Agustin Liboro. He then rose to the rank of professorship in 1963.

Among his professional appointments were: Prof. of Internal Medicine (UST, 1963-1976); Chairman, Dept. of Medicine (UST, 1966-1969) Chief of the Section of Gastroenterology, Dept. of Medicine (UST, 1960-1964); Member, Board of Consulting Editors, (Internal Medicine); Journal PFPMP (1950 – 1970); Member, Advisory Editorial Board, Phil. Journal of Cancer (1959-1970); Head Outpatient Dept. Medicine, UST Hospital (1951-1962); Assistant Head, Dept. of Medicine, UST Hospital (1960-1964); and Member of the Committee on Residency training for International Health, International and Civic Affairs Health Society (1969-1972).

He was a member of several medical societies, serving in various capacities: Member of the Board of Directors of the Manila Medical Society (1953-1957); Member of the Board of Directors, Phil. Federation of Private Medical Practitioners (1950-1951); President, UST Medical Association (1953-1955); President Catholic Physicians’ Guild (1961-1962); President, Phil. Society of Gastroenterology (1966-1968); Member of the Bockus International Alumni Society of Gastroenterology (1958-1983); Honorary Member, Phil. Association of Military Surgeons (1958-1983); Member, International Civil Affairs and Health Society (1966-1983); Member, International Society of Internal Medicine (1957-1980); Fellow of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine (1967-1970), Fellow, American Geriatrics Society (1917-1976); and Honorary Fellow, Phil. College of Physicians (May 1978).

He was also deeply involved in civic organizations: Member, American Legion (1948-1950); Member, Reserve Officers Association of America (1958-1983); Member of the Rotary Club of Manila (where he was awarded as “most active Rotarian” April & July 1965); Organizer and Charter President, Rotary Club of the University District (April 1972-June 1973); Chairman District Assembly’ 73, Rotary International District 380; Chairman, subcommittee on Educational Awards Rotary Foundation (1973-1975); District Governors Group Representative, Rotary (1974-1975); President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Army and Navy Club of Manila (Nan. 1973-Jan. 1974); President, UST Alumni confederation (1964-1967); Chairman and Adviser, Philippine Anti-TB Annual Educational Fund Drive, Residential Division III (1972-1977); Vice Chairman. Professional’s Division Committee. Phil. Cancer Society (1975-1977).

To Dr. Roman’s credit are some 140 scientific lectures; 40 non-scientific lectures, and 59 published scientific papers.