The Dr. Jacinto Velez Sr. Memorial Lecture is a yearly lecture given on the birthdate of the founder, December 6, 1902. The memorial lecture is given by a prominent personality in the society, either local, national or international scene, chosen on the basis of making great strides and contributions to the community in the fields of education, medical education, justice, religion and even in politics. The Memorial Lecture is an annual venue to pay tribute to the Founder of Cebu Institute of Medicine with the purpose of renewing and keeping alive the cherished ideals held by Dr. Velez Sr. which includes Education, Charity and Community outreach, Humility, Professionalism and Justice among others. Religious personalities include Dr. Eva Fidela C. Maamo (a 1997 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee for Community Leadership and Most Outstanding CIM Alumni Awardee – MOCA 1996), SPC, Rev. Fr. Ernesto Javier, SJ, Rev. Fr. Roderick Salazar, SVD, Fr. Fidel Orendain, SDB, and Dr. Alberto Paurom (MOCA), SJ; prominent clinician-educators such as Dr. Milagros Chan (MOCA), Dr. Camilo Roa (MOCA) and Dr. Walfrido Sumpaico, community mobilizers and staunch advocates of preventive medicine, education and professionalism like Dr. Zorayda Leopando’, Dr. Tomas Fernandez (MOCA) and Dr. Florentino Solon, and also those from the field of poilitics and justice like Mayors Tomas R. Osmena and Ronald Duterte, and Atty Bu Castro. These are just among the many past Annual Dr. Jacinto Memorial Lecturers CIM has had.
This year, 2017, the Dr. Jacinto Velez Sr. Memorial Lecturer is Dr. Pureza Trinidad Oñate, a recipient of the Most Outstanding CIM Alumna (MOCA) in 2016. This year’s theme is “Professionalism in Medical Education”. Dr. Pureza T. Oñate is a graduate of CIM class 1971 and pursued her specialty in Psychiatry (including Adolescent and Child Psychiatry) at the University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor finishing in 1979. She is currently a Professor at the Cebu Institute of Medicine she is also currently the Medical Director of Perpetual Succour Hospital and the President of Cebu Newspaper Workers’ Foundation (CENEWOF) and Chairperson of the Cebu Citizens Press Council. She has been involved in numerous civic societies and advocacies including her service to the Roman Catholic Church as founding team member of the ASSIST Program of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines and the formation lecturer for Catholic Men and Women Religious Congregations. Dr. Oñate has held several positions in government which includes being a Cebu City Councilor as Chairperson for the Committees on Health, Finance and Public Works. She is a member of several national and international specialty societies and is a prolific speaker on various topics and areas both nationally and in the international scene, with the distinction of being with the Speaker’s Bureau of several companies and is also a lead investigator in several clinical researches from various international pharmaceutical companies. The 28th Annual Dr. Jacinto Velez Sr. Memorial Lecture will definitely be something to look forward to and is expected to be one of the memorable lectures. Dr. Pureza Trinidad Oñate is married to Dr. Jorge Oñate, also a CIM Alumnus and faculty of Cebu Institute of Medicine Department of Pediatrics. For program see memorial lecture 2017 (MJBusa CIM’88)