On 19 September 2015, a summit meeting of Filipino-American physician leaders, para-medical, health advocates, and other health-care professionals took place at Richmond, Virginia, organized by the Filipino American Initiative to Transform our Homeland (FAITH).

The FAITH Summit meeting was attended by over forty committed surgical and medical missioners and young Fil-Ams. The agenda of the said meeting was to discuss, among others, several issues affecting Filipino-American physicians and organizations conducting surgical and medical mission in the Philippines, with the end view of achieving a unified one voice to serve their kababayan.

Some of the speakers were Dr. Benjamin Rigor, Dr. Juan Montero II, Dr. Cesar Candari, Dr. Daniel Fabito, Dr. Arman Witz, Dr. Rosario Laserna, who talked about a different kind of diplomacy in FSMM, shared their experiences in conducting FSMM and in obtaining permits and licensure for the FSMM group, and other issues on the health services.

One of the concrete goals mutually agreed by the participants during the Summit was to collaborate and establish a working partnership with various stakeholders in making surgical and medical missions a more efficient and sustainable initiatives in providing the needed health care services for those in need. A brief summary of the summit proceedings can be viewed at www.mmc.cfo.gov.ph.