To our valued esteemed guests and participants:

With great pleasure, I welcome you to the 2023 Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver Single Topic Conference on Cirrhosis. A top-caliber conference that allows experts to share the science of cirrhosis. It opens a forum to bring together different levels of expertise and multidisciplinary approaches to improve patient care and community outcomes. Over the next few days, we will delve into the latest developments in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of cirrhosis and explore the social and economic impacts.

I would like to express my gratitude to the organizers, sponsors, and all those who have contributed to making this conference possible. Your dedication and commitment to advancing scientific knowledge and improving patient outcomes are truly commendable.

I wish you all a productive and insightful conference, and I look forward to fruitful discussions and collaborations during this important event.

Diana A. Payawal, MD, FPCP
President
Philippine College of Physicians

Dear Colleagues and Friends!

It gives me great joy to welcome all of you to Manila for the APASL Single Topic Conference on Liver Cirrhosis. Since we hosted the APASL Annual Meeting in 2006, several other APASL conferences have been held successfully in Manila and in Cebu. In 2023, this conference we hope will be no less different.

This year’s conference is extremely challenging for the local organizing committee as the preparations for this event were started while we were still held in suspended animation by the COVID-19 pandemic. They have succeeded in providing you with a comprehensively balanced scientific program and assembled a prodigious faculty of experts from the Asia Pacific region and beyond.

Your attendance to this meeting today is a great gesture of support not only to the APASL but most especially, to the efforts of the Filipino hepatologists who have crafted a scientifically memorable program for all of you. We deeply appreciate and thank you for your participation. We wish you a rewarding 3 days of ‘liver updates’!

It is summer in the Philippines so may I also invite you enjoy the countryside and enjoy the sun after the conference.

Very sincerely,

Jose D. Sollano, Jr, MD
Honorary Chairman
APASL STC Manila 2023

It is a great honor and privilege for the Philippines to serve as host country of the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver Single Topic Conference 2023: Maximizing Strategies to Improve Outcomes in Liver Cirrhosis!

Cirrhosis is a recognized leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. In the Asia Pacific Region, which is home to more than half of the global population, cirrhosis-related death rates are significantly high.

One way we can help curb the steady rise of liver diseases is by equipping ourselves with the latest evidence-based data, emerging approaches, recent innovations and relevant updates designed to further enhance our clinical practice. You can expect all these to be shared by some of the most distinguished international and local liver experts.

No stone is left unturned to ensure that your learning experience over three days will be a balance of didactic and interactive exchanges through a series of plenary discussions, symposia, workshops, clinical debates, state-of-the-art lectures and free paper presentations. Topics range from diagnosis and evaluation to management and prevention strategies.

From May 29 to May 31, 2023, do join us at the EDSA Shangri-la Hotel for an information-packed conference. Let us bring our minds together and stand united in our purpose to lead patients across the region to a future of better health and quality of life.

Sincerely,

Ian Homer Y. Cua, MD
Chairman
APASL STC Manila 2023

Greetings of Peace and Prosperity!

In behalf of the Hepatology Society of the Philippines, I am so pleased to have the opportunity to welcome everyone to APASL Single Topic Conference here in Manila. The organizing committee has an amazing meeting planned for you and we are thrilled to share this time with you. APASL Manila has been working hard to pull this together and we hope you are looking forward to this as much as we are.

The theme of this conference is Maximizing Strategies to Improve Outcomes in in Liver Cirrhosis. You all know we are facing great challenges in the management of our patients with cirrhosis. There are exciting things happening in this field, many of which you will hear about from our expert speakers. Throughout this conference, I ask you to stay engaged.

Lastly, I would like to thank each of you for attending this conference. My personal respect and thanks goes out to all of you.

Wendell Z. Espinosa, MD
President
Hepatology Society of the Philippines

Greetings!

It is with great pleasure and honor that I extend a warm welcome to the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver Single Topic Conference on Cirrhosis, held here in the beautiful city of Manila, Philippines from May 29 to 31, 2023. As we gather here today, we are brought together by a shared passion and dedication to the study, research, and management of cirrhosis, a pressing health issue in the Asia-Pacific region.

Cirrhosis is a chronic and progressive liver disease that poses significant challenges to the health and well-being of millions of people in our region. As healthcare professionals, researchers, and advocates, it is our collective responsibility to come together, share our knowledge, exchange ideas, and collaborate on evidence-based approaches to improve the understanding, prevention, and management of cirrhosis in the Asia-Pacific region.

This conference entitled Maximizing Strategies to Improve Outcomes in Liver Cirrhosis, promises to be an enlightening and enriching experience, providing a platform for discussions, presentations, and debates on the latest advancements, cutting-edge research, and best practices in cirrhosis care. We have gathered an esteemed panel of experts and researchers from across the region and around the world, who will be sharing their insights, experiences, and evidence-based findings during the course of this conference.

Throughout the conference, we will explore various topics related to cirrhosis, including its etiology, epidemiology, risk factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment, and management. We will also delve into the challenges and opportunities in cirrhosis care, including strategies for prevention, early detection, and interventions to reduce the burden of cirrhosis on individuals, families, and communities in the Asia-Pacific region.

As we come together in Manila, Philippines, we are also reminded of the unique and diverse cultural contexts that shape the landscape of cirrhosis in our region. This conference presents an invaluable opportunity to learn from each other’s perspectives, experiences, and practices, and to foster collaborations that can drive positive change in cirrhosis care across the Asia-Pacific region.

In conclusion, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all the delegates, speakers, sponsors, and organizers for their participation and contributions to this conference. Let us make the most of this opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions, explore new research avenues, and strengthen our networks to advance the field of cirrhosis care in the Asia-Pacific region.

I wish you all a productive, engaging, and inspiring conference. Thank you for joining us here in Manila, and let us work together to make a lasting impact on cirrhosis care in our region.
Mabuhay!

Janus P. Ong, MD
Chair of Scientific Committee
APASL STC Manila 2023

The Hepatology Society of the Philippines extends a warm welcome to all the attendees of the APASL 2023 single topic conference on cirrhosis. Patients from the Asia-Pacific region face unique challenges in managing patients with cirrhosis, because of the etiologies of disease and the genetics of patients. Data from patients in the region may vary markedly from the widely published data of Western medicine. We take great pleasure in this opportunity to collaborate and brainstorm, to listen and learn from one another. We hope you find your stay in Manila productive, but do find time to experience the city. We have a tagline #itsmorefuninthephilippines, and hopefully your learning experience will bear this out.

Angela D. Salvaña, MD
Immediate Past President
Hepatology Society of the Philippines