PAMET-USA, Inc.

Philippine Association of Medical Technologists - USA, Inc.

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2023 - 1st Quarter Updates

Good evening. I am excited to share some updates with you.

1. We have just concluded the 2nd Biennial California Clinical Lab Collaborative Webinar last February 24 and 25th, 2023. This was a project of the California Coalition of Laboratory Organizations (CCLO), a coalition composed of PAMET-USA, ASCLS-CA & CAMLT. The Friday event was highlighted by the Educator's Forum, wherein our own Carlo Ledesma, Oklahoma President, was invited to share his journey as a DCLS student. Saturday event offered interesting educational sessions, participated by Mr. Sherwin Reyes, VP Florida Chapter, as one of the speakers. A session from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and a forum about different legislative issues was the highlight of the day. We are thankful to Gina Sicat, Apollo Olaes IV, Pat Padua Rivas, and Elma Bidkorpeh for a job well done as moderators.

2. Our 19th Executive Board Meeting (EBM) & 35th Founding Anniversary Committee is now on the go in preparing for a successful event in August. Our theme is "Engagement towards Excellence". The registration is now open thru our website at http://www.pametusainc.org. We have selected our educational speakers. Our logo will soon come out. The event program is still under construction. 
Please don't forget to help us solicit for sponsors for our "PAMET-USA Lab Henyo"(Quiz Bee) event. 

3. PAMET-USA has been invited to attend the Workforce Action Alliance Summit (WAA) in Fort Worth, Texas on May 2, 2023. Up to 75 leaders will convene to explore ways to work together in addressing the current laboratory workforce shortage. The planning committee for this summit is composed of ASCL, COLA, ASCP, NILA & AAB, CDC, NSH & ASM. 
Myself and Dollie Jacosalem, our Legislative Committee Co-Chair, will be attending. 

4. We have just approved the formation of North Texas Chapter, led by incoming President Aldrin Tumamao. Their Induction Ceremony in Dallas will be on May 20, 2023. Details of the event - to follow. Please extend your generous support by sending in your souvenir journal ads. Let us welcome them sincerely and extend any assistance to this new team. Thank you to Sir Dan for the assistance in forming this chapter.

5. We have also received a letter of intent to form a Kentucky State Chapter. The team is now in the process of creating their chapter CBL.

6. The Philippine Overseas Labor Offices in WDC & LA, now have new Labor Attaches. We are working on schedules to meet with them as gesture of our continuous partnership.

So far that's all for now. Until the next updates. 
Please share with your respective chapter members. 
Let's get everyone "Engaged towards Excellence!"


2022 SEASON HAS COME TO AN END

ADVOCACY AND LEGISLATION 

Our Legislative and Job Placement Committees have been very busy these past few weeks. We have met with the Philippine Overseas Labor Office- Washington DC (POLO-WDC) Labor Attache' Atty. Angela Librado-Trinidad to discuss the issues affecting the welfare of our fellow Medical Lab Scientists immigrating here in the US on November 18, 2022. We were able to structure a workflow should and some more action items to work on. On Monday, November 21, we met face to face with the new Labor Attache' from the POLO- Los Angeles, Atty. Rose Escalada to bring up the same concerns. Each POLO office covers certain regions or states in the US. 


We are looking forward to the meeting with the Workforce Coalition group, spearheaded by ASCP this coming December. It will be an honor to be recognized as a collaborative partner in this endeavor. Thank you to Mr. Rex Famitangco for bridging the communication. 


We have installed the new young set of officers of Indiana Chapter last November 20, 2022. Amazingly how this chapter had faced the odds of the pandemic and is now all geared up in continuing their membership drive, community service in which they partner with the Philippine Association of Nursing in America and their participation in the PAMET-USA national activities. I am so excited to work with this team, led by their enthusiastic Chapter President, Damie Guinday. Kudos to Sir Tony Ricafort and Ma'am Ethel Urbi for training them well. 


Our first fund-raising event in December will be the PAMET-USA, Virtual Christmas Carol. Our singers are all getting ready for a great virtual show. So get your Zelle or Venmo accounts ready for the donation. Mark the Date - December 17, 2022. 


Last Post: 11/22/2022

As a Filipino, a Clinical Laboratory Scientist and National President of the Philippine Association of Medical Technologists-USA, Inc, I am proud to celebrate Filipino-American History Month. I am proud to work and be associated with Filipino Americans who have played major roles in serving our community our patients and the public in general. 


As quoted by our PRO Committee:

PAMET-USA, Inc. celebrates the Filipino American community and recognizes the achievements of Filipino-Americans, most especially in the field of Medical Laboratory Science.
The PAMET-USA, Inc. Public Relations Committee encourages all our chapters to post Memes, Stories, Film, Pictures or any type of significant media that promotes immersion and recognizes individual or group contributions of Filipino Americans at your Medical Laboratory Facilities or location.
October is Filipino American Month Filipino American History Month (FAHM) in October commemorates the first Filipinos to arrive in the continental United States at what is now Morro Bay, California on October 18, 1587.
Each year at the beginning of October, Filipino American history month is commemorated to honor Filipino Americans' achievements in the United States. This remembrance also serves as a reminder of their struggles and tribulations in America.
Therefore, the entire month of October is observed to celebrate Filipinos and their contributions and educate others about the unique experience of being Filipinos in America.
In 2009, the U.S. House Of representatives declared the month of October to Filipinos. Since then, multiple states have also issued proclamations and resolutions making October a month of Filipino American History Month.


Last Post: 10/8/2022

It was 2019 whenI first attended the ASCLS Legislative symposium. The delegates were headed by our then National President, Rex Famitangco. His dedication to our profession manifests in his continuous engagement with different Medical Laboratory Organizations. He introduced PAMET-USA to these organizing societies to be a part of a stronger voice in Congress and in Senate on behalf of the Medical Lab professionals. There was a strange feeling of fear and nervousness as we head our way to the Capitol. I don’t know what the expectations were, and I felt I wasn’t ready at all. But it was satisfying at the end because I know, as a first timer, I did well in introducing and promoting the profession and the issues we were facing.

Great to see the same team from 2019 present with more new faces this year. Our team to the Capitol was led by our Legislative Committee Co-Chair, Dollie Jacosalem, who is also our Michigan Chapter President. With us, were Nile Alconcel, Past National President and Adviser to our Michigan Chapter, Romel Canapi from North Dakota, Pat and Alden Rivas, Vee and Art Trinidad who were from California and Ms. Ellen Garcia from the Philippines. We also were joined by Jojo Naval and his wife, from New Mexico who was representing AMT and of course, Rex Famitangco. Although we had Elma Kamari-Bidkorpeh, Legislative Committee Co-Chair, Yvonne Cortez from Indiana, Jim Sedayao from Michigan, Apollo Olaes IV and Roger Lariosa, both from California, during the preparation days, we missed them during the face-to-face visit.

September 26 was the day of learning. We were shown data, forecast and plans related to addressing the workforce shortage. Tips and tricks on how to lobby were presented, including some one-on-one practice scenarios. We were able to mingle with a lot of fellow MLS form different organizations, some educators and HR representatives as well.

September 27, 2022, was my 2nd time to go to the Capitol. But this time, I am more confident, we have better tools in our pockets and a better prepared team to make sure our advocacies as Medical Lab Professionals and as PAMET-USA, Inc will come across appropriately and effectively. We were given the opportunity to meet with the staff of Senators Debbie Stabenow, John Hoeven and Kevin Cramer. Also with staff of Representatives Debbie Dingell, Julia Brownley and Adam Schiff.

Thank you again to LabMinds Staffing and Recruitment Agency for sponsoring the delegates to this year’s Legislative Symposium We appreciate your continued support to the organization.

When all legislative meetings were done, we visited the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in DC. Together with us were representatives from ASCP, Rex Famitangco and Edna Garcia. We discussed concerning issues related to work conditions of our Kababayans working here in the US. We met with Ms. Jojie Borromeo, the Assistant Labor Attache’. She assured us that POLO will be attentive to these issues and will act on them accordingly. They seek assistance from us to pass the message around about how the Labor Office can help our migrant workers in the US.

On another note, our Vice Presidents, namely, Gina Sicat-Ramirez, Yvonne Cortez and Jim Sedayao, are getting ready for their regional meetings. Two important agenda for the meeting will be the Membership Drive and the coming January 2023 Strategic Planning Conference. Please make sure you are attending or send a representative.

Our Strategic Planning Conference will be on January 26-27, 2023. It will be a Hybrid conference. We are expecting the Executive Board and Committee Chairs to attend. We encourage to see you face to face. But if not possible, virtual access to the meeting will be available. Those who are planning to attend in person, please let me know by October 15, 2022.

That’s all for now. Happy October to all.

Uploaded: 10/01/2022