About Us

History

In the 1980’s, the first group of neurologists with subspecialty training in neurology started returning to the country from their fellowship studies in the United States. Eager to disseminate what they had learned to the local community of neurologists as well as to the public, they together with some colleagues, formed “The Epilepsy Society of the Philippines”. However, after two elections, the society became inactive. Attempts to reactivate the organization did not materialize until 1996 upon the initiative of Dr. Martesio Perez.

Dr. Perez convinced a core group of neurologists consisting of former members of the society to reorganize. Certain restrictions from the Securities and Exchange Commission prevented the use of the former name of the organization, so the new organization was named “PHILIPPINE LEAGUE AGAINST EPILEPSY”. A Constitution and By-Laws was drafted by the group.

On June 18, 1997 at the Mimosa Golf Resort in Angeles, Pampanga, PLAE

Ratification of the PLAE Constitution and By-Laws in 1998

On February 11, 1998 the PLAE Constitution and By-Laws was ratified by the General Assembly during a meeting at the Philippine Columbian Association. This ratified version of the Constitution was submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 20, 1998. In November 1998, there were already 82 members.

The First Annual Business Meeting was held at EDSA Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong on November 22, 1998.

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PLAE SEC Registration in 1998

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Official Affiliation with ILAE

In 1998, the PLAE applied to become the national chapter of the International League Against Epilepsy. It was given probationary membership by the International League pending certain constitutional amendments. An emergency constitutional convention was held at the Pearl of the Pacific Resort at Boracay Island on May 28, 1999 to address this issue. The constitutional amendments were finally submitted and were approved to the ILAE in May 1999 which was approved by the ILAE Executive Committee one month after. The PLAE was finally presented to the ILAE body and given full rights and privileges as a member during the International Epilepsy Congress in Prague, Czech Republic on September 1999.