This year focuses on understanding weight control and making bigger efforts on reaching these targeted goals with the articles “Try and try until you loose weight” by regular contributor cardiologist Dr. Rogie Tangco and “Getting tired of gaining weight and trying to loose weight” by Board Member and endocrinologist Dr. Levy Jasul. These two articles present the challenges of weight control among patients and health care providers.

There will be emphasis on critical points of medical monitoring (cardiologist Dr. Ramon Abarquez), impact of behavior (psychiatrist Dr. Ed Tolentino) and tips on making nutritious foods an edible pleasure (nutritionist Mrs. Sanirose Orbeta), which I am sure you will find both enjoyable and educational.

We have included updates on many of the major PASOO activities over the year. Once again, PASOO has successfully carried out projects aimed at increasing awareness to the obesity epidemic. These include the 1st PASOO Wellness Summit at the SM Megatrade Hall (Dr. Mia Fojas), the 2nd Youth Wellness Summer Workshop (Dr. Sioksoan Chan-Cua) and the 2nd Obesity Workshop, this time hosted by the Laguna PASOO Chapter, as presented by its President Dra. Mona Lisa Cosme. Found PASOO member Dr. Florentino highlights updates on the PASOO funded researches and provides us with summaries of the results of these studies.

Finally, Mrs. Tanchoco shares with us the outcome of the PASOO Strategic Planning held in January. It outlines the Association’s directions for the next few years in attaining its Mission and Vision.

We look forward to your continued support. We ask our colleagues, our friends in the pharmaceutical companies and government and non-government organizations to put our hands together in helping us combat obesity, a silent condition that leads to diabetes and cardiovascular disease.