The Outstanding Physician: Dr. Egidio Elio's service to humanity
Dr. Elio developed long-term programs that promote the equitable distribution of specialty services in the country and sustained delivery of medical and surgical care for the indigent patients in a depressed rural community
Dr Egidio Elio.
Dr. Egidio "Dong" Elio is among the ten recipients of this year's The Outstanding Filipino Physicians (TOFP) Award. The formal awarding ceremony was held at the Manila Hotel on September 29 with Health Secretary Hon. Francisco Duque III as guest of honor.
TOFP aims to arrest the prevailing medical brain drain in the Philippines, pay tribute and honor to outstanding physicians who serve their countrymen well amid the lucrative and tempting opportunities abroad, and promote the Jaycee tenet that 'service to humanity is the best work of life'as exemplified by the Filipino physicians who render their selfless medical service for the welfare of humanity.
Now on its second year, the TOFP is expected to become an institution of its own similar to the other awards organized by the Jaycees International Senate Philippines - The Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) and The Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) awards.
Dr. Elio developed long-term programs that promote the equitable distribution of specialty services in the country and sustained delivery of medical and surgical care for the indigent patients in a depressed rural community.
The Outstanding Filipino Physician.
In 1995, he initiated the Philippine Urologic Manpower Program which inspired the opening of the first urology training programs outside the National Capital Region - at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu and Davao Medical Center - and the laying of the groundwork for the organization of the Philippine Urological Association Foundation, Inc.
Today, the urologic training programs in Cebu and Davao have produced urologists who are now practicing in the previously "urologistless" provinces in Visayas and Mindanao.
On the other hand, the inadequacy of basic personnel and equipment, on top of extreme poverty, has deprived the people of Antique of the much-needed specialty surgical care. As a response, Dr. Elio organized the Antique Medical Missions, Inc. to provide quality charitable medical services to the indigent patients of the province in 2001.
During the last seven years, he organized five big Tabang (Help) Antique multi-specialty medical and surgical missions in the province which have performed, among others, over 20,000 consultations and 1,300 operations.
The Elio family.
He played the key role in the formation of the UST Hospital Urology Alumni Association in 2000 and served as chairman of the Board of Trustees of UST Medicine Class 1981 during its silver anniversary in 2006 that was celebrated with, among others, blood letting, medical-surgical mission, lay forum on thyroid diseases, breast cancer awareness lecture and post-graduate course.
In the field of research, his interests varied from the role of rice bran in the control of urinary stones and the use of onion in the treatment of urinary infections to history of Urology and urologic manpower needs of the country. He has been very active as well in research promotion and education as well as in publications.
Outside his practice of Urology, Dr. Elio has actively engaged in various endeavors that benefit the community.
In 1998, he started the Elio Library - Books for Antique Project. In 2001, the Elio Memorial Library was inaugurated in the town of Patnongon and is now one of the best equipped public elementary school libraries in the province. The project has brought a total of 27,500 books to the major elementary and secondary public schools in the entire province.
With the other awardees.
In 2002, he gathered his fellow recipients of The Outstanding Pupils of Antique Award for the year 1969 and organized The Outstanding Pupils and Students of Antique, Inc. (TOPS Antique). As of 2008, TOPS Antique has recognized the outstanding and exemplary achievements of 60 graduating elementary pupils and 60 graduating high school students of the public and private schools in Antique. He continues to undertake endeavors that would optimize the potentials of the youth particularly in the fields of leadership and service.
In 1985, the Elio family constructed the St. Isidore the Farmer Shrine in the town of Laua-an as its gift to the people on the occasion of its golden jubilee. In 1999, the Diocese of Antique granted Dr. Elio and his wife the privilege to continue the management and maintenance of the project with the parish.