Yearly, the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) recognizes members who have made invaluable contributions to the cardiology field. For 2026, the roster of College Awardees has definitely gone even beyond the furtherance of the goals and mission of the Association in the national or international landscapes.
Honoring steadfast dedication
Distinguished Loyalty Award
DR. MARIA ADELAIDA IBOLEON-DY
Dr. Maria Adelaida Iboleon‑Dy is a distinguished adult cardiologist, educator, and cardiovascular leader with nearly three decades of clinical practice as a board‑certified specialist. A Fellow of the Philippine College of Cardiology, Philippine College of Physicians, ASEAN College of Cardiology, and the American College of Cardiology, she has devoted her career to advancing excellence in cardiovascular care, education, research, and professional leadership.
Throughout her career, Dr. Iboleon-‑Dy has served the Philippine Heart Association in multiple leadership roles. She chaired the Councils on Heart Failure, Women’s Cardiovascular Health, Cardiovascular Anesthesia and Critical Care, and Cardiomyopathy and Cor Pulmonale. As director of the Association she contributed immensely to its Continuing Education Program, Advocacy/Media, Publications and Research Committees, significantly to the PHA’s Scientific and Advocacy endeavors.
She is the immediate past director of the Heart Institute at St. Luke’s Medical Center–Global City, and previously held academic and administrative posts as assistant clinical Professor of Medicine at UERMMMC and assistant medical director for Medical Education at St. Luke’s Medical Center–Quezon City.
She continues to exemplify steadfast dedication to the cardiology profession and medical field in general by inspiring and stimulating future physicians and heart doctors while championing the PHA Mission and Vision -- notably shaping the local cardiology landscape.
“This is truly a meaningful recognition. You have made this long and difficult journey all worth it. I will carry this honor in my heart always,” Iboleon‑Dy said during the awarding ceremony.
Celebrating selfless life’s work
Distinguished Service Award
DR. RAUL RAMBOYONG
In an era when the essence of public service is often questioned, honoring an individual of steadfast, generous, and wholehearted dedication becomes profoundly meaningful.
Dr. Raul Ramboyong—an eminent pillar of the Philippine Heart Association and head of Adult Cardiology at The Medical City Cardiovascular Institute—embodies the true servant leader whose quiet sacrifices have transformed countless lives across the archipelago.
For more than two decades, he has rendered monumental service to cardiology and humanity, far surpassing the Association’s rigorous 10‑year standard for distinguished recognition. As past chairman of the PHA Council on CPR, his advocacy ignited nationwide the “Hands-‑Only CPR” training—a historic crusade that spawned the conception of the CPR-Ready Philippines campaign.
His passion carried him from barangays in Pasig to simultaneous city‑wide trainings in Rizal, and to remote caravans stretching from La Union to Tawi‑Tawi. Never seeking compensation or applause, he freely gave his time to teach medical students, residents, and communities from all walks of life.
A standard‑bearer of institutional integrity, his brilliance has been recognized with the PHA Presidential Citation Award as Best Mentor in 2023 and as Council Chairman in 2008.
“This is not my story. This is your story. This award is also dedicated to my parents for laying down the foundation of my core values to be a beautiful human being and taught me that humanity starts with humility and hopes, that there’s no such thing as a small help, and that a second of joy can be a lifetime happiness,” said this year’s recipient of the Distinguished Service Award.
Recognizing enduring mentorship
Distinguished Teacher Award
DR. EDWIN TUCAY
Dr. Edwin S. Tucay stands as a towering figure in cardiovascular education, exemplifying the Philippine Heart Association’s highest benchmarks for mentorship. With decades of institutional leadership, he has fulfilled multiple core criteria for this prestigious recognition. At the Philippine Heart Center (PHC), he serves as a vital pillar—currently managing the Department of Adult Cardiology and previously steering the Cardiology Training Committee as over-all chairman.
His educational footprint extends from foundational local training to international academic frontiers. Since 2006, he has directed the PHC Echo Sonographer Training Program, pioneering the integration of advanced 3D Echocardiography and Speckle Tracking Strain Imaging into local practice. His commitment to structured clinical education is further reflected in his role as Steering Committee Member for the Joint Accreditation Committee of the PHA and the Philippine Society of Echocardiography (PSE).
Dr. Tucay’s dedication has earned widespread recognition across the medical and academic circuits. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award during the 150th Foundation Anniversary of the UST Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical Technology, and Biochemistry in 2021. That same year, The Medical City honored him with the Physician Loyal Ally Award at the 33rd Faces of Excellence. His clinical leadership has been consistently celebrated, including the Top Doctor Award at World Citi Medical Center’s 52nd Foundation Day in 2023, alongside consecutive Presidential Awards from the PSE in 2023 and 2024.
Beyond training rooms, he is a prolific academic contributor, authoring landmark guidelines such as the Philippine Guidelines for Echocardiography and the PSE Interim Guidelines for Enhanced Quality and Safety. His teaching extends globally through regular faculty appointments and lectures across ASEAN, Europe, and the United States.
“Teaching is sharing. Every time I see patients, and every time I see my colleagues, trainees, fellows, residents, nurses, and fellow medical practitioners, I share with them what I know because I remember what my father had taught me - I have to share what I have to them, for the country,” he affirmed.
Advancing research in service of humanity
Distinguished Scientist Award
DR. JOSE DONATO MAGNO
Dr. Donny Magno stands out at the vanguard of Philippine cardiovascular research, bridging bedside excellence with ground-breaking innovation. With more than 100 research outputs and over 45 publications, his relentless pursuit of knowledge has spanned vast frontiers: remote cardiac imaging via teleconferencing (RIFLE Study), automation in echocardiographic measurements (AUTOMATIC Study), and artificial intelligence in ejection fraction estimation (DEEP‑EF Study). These milestones earned him the Francisco V. Tangco Award, ASEAN Young Investigator honors, and the Philippine Heart Association Most Outstanding Research in Cardiology Award twice, in 2011 and 2023.
Beyond individual achievements, Dr. Magno has built platforms that amplify teamwork and collaboration. As a founding member of the Philippine Cardiogenomics Study Group, he helped illuminate genetic determinants of Filipino response to medications. His forward‑thinking COVID telepresence project, ECHO ON‑SIGHT, brought critical imaging to underserved areas and earned national recognition through the UP Gawad Pangulo Award and the DOST Gelia Castillo Award for Research on Social Innovation in Health.
His latest initiatives harness both technology and collegiality: AI ECGs for Brugada Syndrome, the country’s first structured outpatient heart failure clinic, and leadership in transdisciplinary practice guidelines (PHEX Cardio, HFrEF). These efforts address critical gaps in healthcare, democratizing expertise and strengthening systems of care.
Dr. Magno’s impact is global—serving as national adjudicator (COMPASS, PURE), clinical trialist (AVERROES, INVICTUS), senior reviewer (European Heart Journal Case Reports), and editorial board member (Scientific Reports). As founding director of the UP‑ PGH Adult Echocardiography Program and chairman of the ASEAN Society of Echocardiography, he mentors the next generation of innovators. His legacy as a Distinguished Scientist lies in discovery, collaboration, and the lives transformed by his vision; advancing research in service of humanity.
“This is the essence of PHA. We cultivate a culture of inspiration, don’t we? Compassion. Good science, I believe, should elevate the human experience. To my mind, uncovering the truth is not the end goal. Engendering empathy is. Because when we ask, when we investigate, we try to understand. And this need to understand human suffering hopefully should be born out of our genuine desire to alleviate it,” he said in his acceptance of his award.
Inspiring visionary leadership
Distinguished Fellow Award
DR. JORGE SISON
A luminary in Philippine cardiology and a cornerstone of the Philippine Heart Association’s (PHA) lasting heritage, Dr. Jorge Sison personifies scholarly excellence and steadfast leadership. His distinguished career, interwoven with pioneering research and altruistic service, has long guided the nation’s fight against cardiovascular disease.
As a trailblazer in research, Dr. Sison spearheaded the landmark PRESYON 1, 2, 3 and 4 studies, alongside vital contributions to the PHYTON 1–4 projects. These monumental endeavors established the definitive foundation for national hypertension control and management, serving as indispensable references for physicians and policymakers. His administrative brilliance shone during his tenure as member, and later chairman of the PHA Council on Hypertension, where he advocated nationwide free clinics and educational workshops. He further elevated Filipino expertise onto the global stage through lectures at the European Society of Cardiology and the International Society on Hypertension.
Beyond scientific triumphs, Dr. Sison’s passion for the profession culminated in his exemplary stewardship as PHA president (2017–2018) and his pivotal role in the Philippine Specialty Board of Adult Cardiology, where he safeguarded training standards for successive generations of cardiologists. He helmed the PRESYON 4 Study which was launched in 2021.
Previously honored with the Distinguished Service Award (2002) and the Distinguished Scientist Award (2024), Dr. Sison has consistently met the highest institutional criteria for excellence.
In conferring upon him the Distinguished Fellow Award, the PHA celebrates a mentor and guide for his inspiring brand of leadership, whose boundless lifework—shared generously over decades—epitomizes the very soul of its mission and vision.
“This distinguished Fellow Award you are giving me is very humbling, but it serves as another spark plug for me to further my journey and commitment to PHA. To my younger colleagues and fellows who will soon be joining our ranks, never cease to look back and always ask yourselves what you can do to our beloved PHA,” he said before colleagues in cardiology upon accepting the highest College Award.
