2016 JRM Awardees: (L-R) Dr. Reuben F. Salvador, Dr. Claver R. Ramos, Dr. Zorayda E. Leopando, Dr. Julius A. Lecciones, and Dr. Jonas Francisco Y. Santiago.

Dr. Zorayda Leopando, former Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development (under Chancellor Ramon Arcadio’s term, 2005-2011), is one of this year’s Dr. Jose Rizal Memorial awardee. She won in the Academe Category. The awarding took place during the 106th Philippine Medical Association (PMA) Annual Convention held on 20 May 2016 at the Waterfront Hotel, Cebu City.

The other JRM awardees are Dr. Reuben F. Salvador (Community Leadership category), Dr. Claver R. Ramos (Clinical Practice category), Dr. Julius A. Lecciones (Government Service category), and Dr. Jonas Francisco Y. Santiago (Research category). Each winner took home specially-designed Dr. Jose Rizal Memorial Awards trophy and medallion, an all-expense paid trip to the US to attend the American Academy of Family Physicians convention, and Php 100,000 worth of Unilab medicines for donation to any charitable institution of choice by the awardee.

The Dr. Jose P. Rizal Memorial Awards is a yearly search for outstanding physicians nationwide whose lives and works reflect the ideals of the national hero. It was launched in 1991 by the Philippine Medical Association (PMA) and United Laboratories Inc. This year’s awarding ceremony is the 25th.

Dr. Leopando is currently the Vice Chairperson for Faculty of the UPCM-PGH Department of Family & Community Medicine. She also serves in the UPM Community Health & Development Program, a part of the AMIGA (Cavite)-UP Partnership Program, as both Faculty and a UPM Liaison Officer for the Municipality of Amadeo. Aside from being vice chancellor, Dr. Leopando is also a former Coordinator of the Post-Graduate Institute of Medicine and a former Chairperson of the PGH Dept. of Family & Community Medicine. She belonged to UPCM Class 1975. Her specialty is Family Medicine.

Some of the awards she had received were the 2011 Outstanding Physician Award (Medicine) from the Professional Regulation Commission; 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award (Philippine Academy of Family Physicians) for her various contributions to the development of Family Medicine in the Philippines and abroad; 2011 Plaque of Distinction (Philippine Academy of Family Physicians) for being the Founding President of the Philippine Society of Teachers in Family Medicine, forerunner of the present Foundation. # # #

Photo by: Dr. Christine Serrano-Tinio
Written by: FMJemena/IPPAO-UPM
With additional info from: Dr. Anthony Cordero