-Although the medical course was added to the curricular offerings of the Manila Central University (Manila Central Colleges) in 1974 under the leadership of Dr. Alfredo Guerrero, it took Dean Ramon Macasaet, the second dean, to split the Department of Otolaryngology. Such reorganization gave MCU the distinction of being the first Medical College to separate the two specialties in both the teaching areas and hospital services. This fact was documented by Dr. Ramon Fajardo in the June 1978 issue of the Philippine Journal of Ophthalmology of which he was the editor and parenthetically, the former chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology of the UP-PGH and Medical Center 1987 to 1993. According to Dr. Fajardo, “Residency is always a combined affair in all training institutions up to 1957 when Mcu created separate departments of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology.”
To ensure quality training for clerks, interns and residents in this specific field medicine, the administration of the College of Medicine and Hospital saw to it that distinguished practitioners from the University of the Philippines- Philippine General Hospital manned the Department of Ophthalmology.
In early 1950’s, Dr. Ongsiako, presently an active consultant of the Makati Medical Center, organized and headed the department with two distinguished faculty members. In the late 50’s the department was headed by Dr. Edgargo Caparas. Members of the staff included well known practitioners like Drs. Jesus V. Tamesis, Sr.. Victor Nanagas, Vicente dela Paz and Ulysses Carbajal.
At that time the basic instruments for refraction and diagnosis were provided for in the Dispensary. Slit lamp (biomicroscope) and basic surgical instruments for cataract extraction were also provided. The training included rotation of residents and medical students at the EENT Services of Dr. Jose Reyes Memorial Hospital and Medical Center, the former North General Hospital.
Dr. Jose Marin (former chairperson of ophthalmology of JRMH in 1985 and presently the chairman of FEU) chaired the Department in the 60’s. his faculty staff included the distinguished Drs. Fernando Capulla and Neva Arribas.
From 1970 and 1980, Dr. Mario Aquino (presently the chairperson of the Institute of Ophthalmology of St. Luke’s Medical Center) headed the department. Members ofhis staff were: Drs. Jose Mayo III, Zenaida Igle- Paz, Erlinda Bautista, Evelyn Cortes and Salvador Salceda (past Medical Director of UP-PGH).
During Dr. Aquino’s term, instruments and equipment as America optical chair, stand and phoroptor were acquired by the department.
Dr. Jose Mayo III headed the Department from 1981 to 1987 with Drs. Victorino D. Perlas, Jr., Carlo Magno Torres and Rommel Litao as additional members of his staff. In 1983, Dr. Victorino Perlas, them a resident- trainee, presented a paper entitled “Bilateral White Pupil” during the MCU_FDTMF Resident Case Presentation Contest. The paper won first prize. Dr. Perlas also made a primer on a scientific research entitled “The relevance of Cycloplegics in Corneal Foreign Body Management” and followed this with the same study on 574 cases. The result of this study was presented at the Annual Convention of the Philippine Society of Ophthalmology in Westin Philippine Plaza in 1985. Dr. Perlas presented another research paper in 1984 entitled “Visual Rehabilitation of Aphasic Patients- A ten Year Study”. These two works of Dr. Perlas were published in the Philippine Journal of Ophthalmology (official Journal of the Philippine Society of Ophthalmology) and the Philippine Scientific Journal, a medical Journal of MCU-FDTMF, College of Medicine.
1n 1986, the Photography Section was opened. The Department sent its staff, for training by the chief photographer of the Philippine Eye Research Institute of the UP-PGH. During this time an operating microscope, Topcon OM-70 was purchased for use at the Operating Room.
The years 1988 to 1989, saw the incumbency of Dr. Victorino D. Perlas, Jr. as chairperson of the Department. Staff members included Ophthalmologist: Dr. Francis Ferdinand Cid, Romulo N. Aguilar, Edward Dennis Cruz, Evelyn Santos Morabe, Conrad Talamayan and Crisostomo T. Malabanan, Jr. It was during this year that Extracapsular Cataract Extraction with Posterior Chamber Intraocular Lens Implantation started and became more frequent. Meanwhile, Dr. Talamayan, a resident, presented a paper entitled “ A Breakthrough in Pterygium Management”.
During Dr. Perla’s incumbency he coordinated closely with the Association of Philippine Ophthalmologist in America (APOA) so that the residents and staff could work on indigents who needed eye care and surgery. The APOA provided a flying eye hospital complete with modern operating theater, sophisticated diagnostic equipment, and a conference room with video monitors manned by world renowned ophthalmic surgeons.
It was also during the term of Dr. Perlas that the Department was formally accredited by the Philippine Board of Ophthalmology which was headed then by Drs. Jose Marin and Jose Valenzuela. Dr. Perlas got an acquisition for subspecialty books, journals and received a donation of $10,000.00 from APOA for research and a professional chair. The department was given a separate office. The official logo of the Department was designed and Dr. Perlas contributed an article, which was included in the Emergency Room Maual.
The years 1989 to 1991 saw the incumbency of Dr. Francis Ferdinand Cid with additional staff Drs. Benjamin Gavino and Raul Cruz. During Dr. Cid’s term a surgical outreach mission by Dr. Ulysses Carbajal, Rizal Pangilinan, Antonio Say and Vicente Dela Paz was done at MCU Hospital. Drs. Pangilinan and Carbajal are alumni of the MCU-FDT Medical Foundation. Through Dr. Rizal Pangilinan, the APOA donated a Wecker Operating Microscope and a Zeis Biomicroscope. The MCU Administration also procured a Friedmann Visual field analyzer, an instrument used for visual field screeing of glaucoma. A cataract set and a gas sterilizer were also procured. To be able to purchase a computer for record and research purposes, the Department sponsored a movie premier to raise funds.
Dr. Raul was appointed Chair during the years 1991 to 1994 with additional staff Drs. Carmelina Magat, Melchor R. Gabriel and Jose David Marin, Jr. Dr. Cruz was also active in medical surgical outreach missions through coordination with APOA, APA, the Golden Actress, Resources for the Blind, Inc., Lion’s Club, the MCU Department of Family and Community Medicine at Bagong Silang. Surgeries were performed at MCU Hospital, Pampanga, Isabela, Ilocos, Bacolod, Aklan, Ozamis City, Palawan, Mindoro, and Bicol. These activies were coordinated with the Philippine Society of Ophthalmology (PSO) and the Department of Health (DOH) in their campaign to reduce the cataract backlog in the country. During the incumbency of Dr. Cruz the Department was a recipient of a surgical vitrectomy system from Dr. Arribas of APOA. The Department was also re-accredited by the Philippine Board of Ophthalmology. Dr. Noel Perez, a resident of the department, presented a case report in 1993 entitled “ Vogt Koyonagi Harada Syndrome.” Dr. Jan Idalyne Carbajal- Giron, another resident, joined the case report contest in 1994 with her paper entitled “Hidden Time Bomb – Malignant Choroidal Melanoma”. Both case reports were adjudged First and Third place respectively by the Consultants.
From year 1995 to mid 1996 the department saw the incumbency of Dr. Romulo N. Aguilar with staff Drs. Crisostomo T. Malabanan, Jr., Victorino Perlas, Jr., Melchor Gabriel, Dennis Cruz and Jose David F. Marin, Jr. Like his predecessors, Dr. Aguilar coordinated with the Department of Health and the PSO on their medical outreach programs.
Today the department is headed by Dr. Crisostomo T. Malabanan, Jr. with staff Drs. Jose David Marin, Jr., Dr. Romulo Aguilar, Dr. Victorino D. Perlas and Dr. Melchor R. Gabriel.
The Department is involved deeply in training its residents. To do this, the department requires residents to: attend basic courses in Ophthalmology
Jose David F. Marin, Jr., M.D.
Chairman
Romulo N. Aguilar, M.D.
Melchor R. Gabriel, M.D.
Mariano Hilarion Y. Cadiz , M.D.
Crisostomo T. Malabanan, Jr., M.D.
Alejandro A. Caiña, M.D
Dante Noel P. Perez, M.D.
Maya Fe N. Darjuan, M.D.
Victorino D. Perlas, Jr. M.D.
