Integrated Philippine Association of Optometrists, Inc.

ABOUT US

The first organization of optometrists in the country, the Optometric Association of the Philippines, was organized in 1947. In 1979, the association was renamed Samahan ng mga Optometrists sa Pilipinas, Inc. (SOP), and later Philippine Association of Optometrists, Inc. in 1996. In 1997, it was again renamed the Integrated Philippine Association of Optometrists (IPAO).

The Association’s main objectives are to continuously evaluate and upgrade the standard of the optometry profession and to protect the /profession and the public.

In 1997, IPAO won the biggest delegation award in the biennial meet of the Asia Pacific Congress where it sent 36 delegates. That same year, the PAOI Council on Educators’ Curriculum project was finalized and became instrumental in the formulation of the New Policies and Standards for Optometric Education. The curricular policies also became the basis for the implementation of the new six-year course that commenced in 1998.

Passage of the Optometry law of 1986 which provided for the The IPAO has 70 affiliated chapters here and abroad. With an estimated membership of about 4,000 licensed optometrists, IPAO remains to be the biggest and most active organization of optometrists in the Philippines today.