PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

It is both an honor and a profound responsibility to serve as President of PATACSI for the year 2026. PATACSI is a legacy organization composed of highly dedicated surgeons committed to excellence in thoracic, cardiac, and vascular care. Our specialty stands at the forefront of life-saving innovation, precision surgery, and compassionate care. Every procedure we perform reflects not only technical mastery but also our collective commitment to advancing the standards of surgical practice in the Philippines.

For many decades, PATACSI has played a vital role in shaping the development of cardiac, thoracic, and vascular surgery in our country. Through rigorous training locally and abroad, continuing medical education during our Foundation Day and the Annual Postgraduate Course programs, research initiatives of our member Fellows and trainees, and the continued collaboration with local and international partners, we deeply strive to ensure that our members remain globally competitive while at the same time addressing the unique healthcare needs of the Filipino people.

After being the local host to the widely successful and educational Association of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons (ATCSA) 2025, the PATACSI stands as an advocate of knowledge-sharing, cooperation, and friendship among thoracic, cardiac, and vascular surgeons in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. Through long-standing friendships and new acquaintances, the ATCSA 2025 program was well attended and informative, as new ideas and future plans came through for the betterment of cardiac, thoracic, and vascular surgical care.

As we move forward, we find ourselves at a unique intersection of challenge and possibility. Our specialty is expanding rapidly without limit: minimally invasive and robotic techniques are rewriting standards of care as perfusion and transplant science continue to advance. The era of hybrid operations are redefining collaboration between cardiac, thoracic, and vascular teams while new technologies—from AI-driven imaging to endovascular innovations—are transforming the way we think, operate, and teach.

To mention some priority objectives for the year, the PATACSI will strengthen integrated practice and training through the promotion of enhanced cross-specialty collaboration, joint learning, and prepare the trainees and member Fellows to navigate an era where the boundaries of the three disciplines are increasingly fluid while maintaining defined limits. Another priority objective is in advancing innovation while preserving mastery. Integrating the power of modern tools and the craftsmanship, judgement and humanity in performing delicate surgery will be a focus point, by adopting the responsible adoption of new technologies while upholding the standards of perioperative safety and long-term outcomes. And the last but not the least priority objective is finding ways to expand access to and elevating regional care. The lives of patients with cardiac, thoracic and vascular conditions depend on timely and competent surgical intervention, highlighting the need to strengthen networking among the different centers in order to build pathways for service and capacity-building for the equitable delivery of specialized surgical care in the challenging geography which is the Philippines.

Moving forward, our goals remain clear: to uphold the highest standards of surgical excellence and ethical practice, to strengthen fellowship and mentorship among our Fellow members, to advance research in cardiac, thoracic and vascular surgery, to advocate equitable cardiothoracic and vascular healthcare nationwide and to cultivate the next generation of surgeons through strong and steadfast training programs.

As PATACSI, we will continue to elevate the practice of cardiac, thoracic, and vascular surgery in the Philippines.

Maraming Salamat at mabuhay ang PATACSI!

ROBIN AUGUSTINE Q. FLORES, M.D., FPCS, FPATACSI
President, PATACSI 2026

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