Philippine Association of Medical Journal Editors established

The Philippine Association of Medical Journal Editors (PAMJE) was established on May 5, 2011 at the Executive Lounge of the Philippine Council for Health Research Development (PCHRD), Department of Science and Technology. Professor Dr. Jose F. Lapeña Jr., editor of the Philippine Journal of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery and Secretary-General of the Asia Pacific Association of Medical Journal Editors (APAME) was elected President, and Drs. Ricardo Guanzon and Filomena San Juan, editors of the Filipino Family Physician and the Philippine Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology respectively, were elected Vice Presidents. Drs. Madeleine Sosa of the Philippine Journal of Neurology was elected Secretary and Dr. Gerard Goco of the Philippine Journal of Nuclear Medicine was elected Treasurer. Prof. Dr. Joey Avila, editor of Acta Medica Philippina, remains as Chair of the National Journal Selection Committee. Other PAMJE members who participated were Dr. Mardave S. Martinez, Vice President of the Philippine Medical Association and editor of its journal, and Dr. Linda Varona, editor of the Philippine Journal of Internal Medicine. Ms. Alma Prosperoso represented the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region Office (WPRO) and the Medical and Health Librarians Association of the Philippines (MAHLAP). Ms. Merlita Opeña of the PCHRD DOST hosted the meeting, assisted by Science Research Specialists, Ms. Violeta Intia and Ms. Jovy Ann Casamorin. PAMJE is a non-governmental, non-partisan and non-profit organization that strives to raise the quality of medical and health-related journal publishing in the Philippines in association with the Philippine Council for Health Research Development (PCHRD) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Philippine Medical Association (PMA), Philippine Dental Association (PDA), Philippine Nursing Association (PNA) and others.

It shall contribute toward raising the quality of medical and health-related journal publishing in the Asia Pacific Region in association with the Asia Pacific Association of Medical Journal Editors (APAME) and support the Western Pacific Region Index Medicus (WPRIM) and Global Health Library (GHL) Initiatives of the World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region Office (WPRO). It takes its place among such other national organizations as the Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors (KAMJE), the Japanese Association of Medical Journal Editors (JAMJE), the Mongolian Association of Medical Journal Editors (MAMJE) and the Singapore Association of Medical Journal Editors (SAMJE). The mission of PAMJE is to contribute to the improvement of health in the Philippines and the Asia Pacific Region by ensuring the quality and dissemination of health-related information published in medical journals, utilized for the purposes of better decision-making and effective delivery of health services. Its objectives are to: (1) encourage collaboration and facilitate communication among medical and health journal editors in the Philippines and the Asia Pacific Region; (2) improve editorial standards and promote professionalism in medical editing through education, self-assessment, and self-governance; (3) facilitate scholarly research writing and peer-review processes through training workshops, seminars and other activities; and (4) foster the continuing education of medical and health journal editors, reviewers, editorial staff, publishers and librarians in the country. Editors, previous editors, editorial staff, editorial assistants and reviewers of peer-reviewed medical and health-related journals and those working in any branch of health-related scientific and technology communication in the Philippines, in their capacity as Editor-In-Chief, Deputy, Associate, Assistant, Supplement and Managing Editors, other Editorial Staff, Reviewers, Librarians or Scientists and Technologists, are eligible for individual membership. Philippine peer-reviewed medical and health-related journals, scientific publications or publishing bodies, libraries and librarian organizations and related companies or organizations are eligible for organization membership.