In 1854, a Spanish Music Professor, Manuel Garcia, used the mirror and the Sunlight to inspect his own larynx – seen in action for the first time ever. Just a little over one hundred years, in 1960, I received my training in ENT, still with a head mirror, but with an electric light from Bullseye Lamp replacing the Sunlight! The last three decades of the twentieth century saw a quantum leap in diagnosing and managing laryngeal conditions, thanks to the introduction of hi-tech instrumentation and equipment. Skill acquisition to ensure optimal surgical outcomes has become an integral part of training in Laryngology. In today’s globalised world, it is only natural that the Science of Laryngology spreads to the vast and populous Asia Pacific region. To this end, I am privileged to be the Founder-Chair of the Asia Pacific Laryngology Association (APLA) in 2018. Following a successful Inaugural APLA conference in Singapore by David Lau and Vyas Prasad in 2019, the planned second APLA conference in Manila in 2020 had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The belated Manila conference is now taking place in 2022 in December. At the age of 88, I may be forgiven for not making a long journey from the UK to the Philippines to be with you and welcome you all, but with this message, you can be sure of our presence in spirit, if not in person. Nirmal, my wife and I congratulate Dr Frederick Hawson, the Convention Chair, and his team on organising the second APLA Conference and wish you a pleasant stay in Manila and a joyful and educational experience.