BATAAN PENINSULA STATE UNIVERSITY
MAIN CAMPUS
College of Nursing and Midwifery
EVOLUTION OF PUBLIC HEALTH NURSING IN
THE PHILIPPINES
PRE - SPANISH ERA – no records
SPANISH REGIME 1591– 189
● Bro. Juan -Fransiscan Figar
Clemente -started public health services
through dispensary in Intramuros.
● Juan de -Dominican Father
Peregro -started water sanitation
● Dr. Fransisco -introduced smallpox vaccine
de Balmis
● Creation of position of district, provincial, & national
health officers
● first medicus titulares was appointed
by the Spanish government.They
worked as provincial health officers
● A 2-year course consisting of
1878 fundamental medical and dental
subjects was first offered in UST in
1888. Graduates of this course
known as cirujanos ministrantes
served as male nurses and
sanitation inspectors.
AMERICAN REGIME 1898-1942
1898 Creation of the Board of Health for
Physician
1899 Appointment of the 1st Commissioner of
Health
Act # 157 of the Phil. Commission
1901 created a Board of Health for the City of
Manila. Subsequently, Act 309 created
Provl Health & Mun. Board of Health
The Asociacion Feminista Filipina
1905 founded La Gota de Leche the first
center dedicated to the service of
mothers and children.
1906 Creation of the Bureau of Health
Fajardo Act (Act # 2156) created Sanitary
1912
Divisions
Bureau of health renamed Phil. Health
1915
Services with a Director Health as its
head
Ms. Perlita Clark took charge of the
1916-1918
public health nursing work but abolish
due to lack of funds.
1917 Four graduate nurses paid by the City of
Manila were employed to work in the City
Schools
1919 PHNsg inaugurated its pioneer work in
Tondo, Manila., when a visiting nurse Ms.
Balbina Basa was assigned to make a
house-to-house visit, hold clinic &
dispensary work with especial emphasis
on maternal and childcare.
1923 90 PHNs assigned in diff. provinces.
Establishment of 2 government Schools
of Nursing in Mindanao and Baguio Gen.
Hosp in Northern Luzon, primarily
intended to train non-Christian women
and prepare them to render nursing
service among their people. Years after,
4 additional schools were established; 1
CSSYNNSRJ CHN 1 LECTURE 2nd Year-1st Sem
in Quezon province, 1 in Cebu, 1 in Bohol,
and 1 in Leyte.
1927 Years after, 4 additional schools were
established; 1 in Quezon province, 1 in
Cebu, 1 in Bohol, and 1 in Leyte.
1928 1st nurses convention was held followed
by yearly conventions until the advent of
WWII. Pre-service training was initiated
as a pre-requisite for appointment.
1930 Section of Public Nursing was converted
into Section of Nursing due to pressing
need for guidance in hospital & nursing
education
1933 ● By virtue of the Reorganization Act #
4007, the Division of Maternal & Child
Health of the Office of the Public
Welfare Commission was transferred
to the Bureau of Health, Mrs. Soledad
Buenafe, became the Assistant Chief
Nurse of the Section of Nursing,
Bureau of Health.
● 176 puericulture nurses assigned in
Manila and provinces since 1919
● Puericul semi gov’t. agencies partly
ture financed by private funds
centers and aided by the govt.
Maternal and child health
service is offered & were
under the supervision of the
Office of the Public Welfare
Commission until the effect
of Reorganization Act of
1933.
through the efforts of Major George
Dunham, (med’l adviser to the Gov. Gen.,
appropriated funds for 133 positions of
1935 PHNs for community assignment w/ high
IMR, & 23 nurse supervisors to supervise
the work in the provinces & 60 nurses
including chief nurses for the 4 newly
created community health and social
centers in diff. district s in Manila.
DOH & Welfare was created, were 6 of
the PHNs of the Bureau of Health were
1940
transferred in 1941. This formed the
nucleus of the present Division of
Nursing of the Manila Health Dept.,
created by virtue of the charter of the
City of Manila.
JAPANESE REGIME (1942-1945)
● Public Health Nursing services were interrupted
Dec 8, 1941 PHNs were assigned in devastated areas
to attend to the sick and wounded
civilians caused by bombing. 12
emergency units were organized; 1 of
them was sent to Bataan to attend to the
sick and wounded w/c were left by the
retreating forces of general Douglas
MacArthur.
June 1942 ● Group of PHNs w/ physicians &
administrators of the Manila. Health
Dept. went to the interment camp in
Capaz, Tarlac to receive sick prisoners
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 BATAAN PENINSULA STATE UNIVERSITY
MAIN CAMPUS
College of Nursing and Midwifery
of war released by the Japanese army.
They ere confined at San Lazaro
Hospital & 68 national PHNs were
assigned to help the hospital staff take
care of them.
● 31 nurses were taken prisoners of war 1991
during the Japanese occupation at the
Bilibid Prisons in Azcarraga & were
released July 22, 1942, to the Director 1992
of the Bureau of Health Dr. Eusebio
Aguilar who acted as their guarantor.
Feb 1946 After the WWII, the Bureau of Health
showed the increased number of PHNs
as compared to record during pre-war. In
the same year Mrs. Genera de Guzman,
technical assistant in the nursing of the
Ministry of Health and concurrent
President of the Filipino Nurses
Association recommended the creation
of a nursing office in the Ministry of
health.
ERA OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 1946 TO
PRESENT 1993-1998
1946 Reorganization of govt. offices under E.O
# 94, s 1947 w/ the transfer of the Bureau
of Public Welfare to the Office of the
Pres. & the Dept. was renamed
Department of Health (DOH). Under this
set-up were the following:
 Office of the Secretary 1996
 Bureau of Health
 Bureau of Hospitals
 All city Health Departments
1953 The Office of Health Educ. & Personnel
Training was created, w/ Dr. Trinidad
Gomez as Chief; Ms. Zenaida Panlilio, Ms
Leonora Liwanag. Mrs. Venancia
Cabanos & Mrs. Damasa Torrejon as
nurse instructors. 1997
MAY 18, RA 1082 (Rural Health Unit Act) wass
1954 passed, implemented in July as of the
same year provided for the employment
of health personnel, including nurses,
who would man the RHU’s, and help
raised the conditions of the rural health 1999
population
JUNE 1957 RS 1891 (An Act Strengthening Health and
Dental Services in the Rural Areas and
providing Fund Thereof was approved ;
created 8 categories of Rural Health
Units corresponding to 8 population
groups to be served.
1975 Formulation of national Health Plan and
Restructured Health Care Delivery Jan 1999
System
1982 Under EO #851, the Health education and
manpower Development Service was
created, and the Bureau of Food and
Drugs assumed the function of the FDA.
1986 The Ministry of Health became DOH again
1987 Another reorganization under EO # 851, May 24,
which placed under the secretary of 1999
Health five officers headed by an under
CSSYNNSRJ CHN 1 LECTURE 2nd Year-1st Sem
secretary and assistant secretary. The
Expanded Program on Immunization and
the National Drug Policy (the
implementation of Generics Law of 1988)
were subsequently given importance.
The Local Government Code of 1991 (RA
7160 was passed and implemented. (the
power to decide in public health)
Full Implementation of the Local
Government Code. Significant change:
branching out of the Office of the Public
Health Service to form the Office for
Hospital Facilities, Standards and
Regulation. Special projects were
highlighted like the National
Immunization Days (NID). National
Micronutrient Campaign (Araw ng
Sangkap Pinoy), Disaster Management,
Urban Health and Nutrition Project, and
Traditional Medicine. Doctors to the
Barrios Program. “Let’s DOH it” became a
national battle cry.
The National League of Philippine
Government Nurses Inc. an organization
of government nurses as members
through its officers. Board Members and
Advisers made repeated representations
with the incumbent Secretary of Health
to create an office of nursing.
Primary Health care as a strategy to
attain Health for All by the year 2000was
in focused supported by the following
slogan:
 “ 23 in 93”
 Health for More in “94”
 Five in “95”
 Six in “96”
 Go “7” in 97
A year where most devolution concerns
have been partially or fully resolved.
Continuous networking with the LGUs
and private sectors to assure the health
programs were implemented with the
fullest efficiency and effectiveness.
Creation of the National Health Plan
Committees (NHPC) and he
establishment of Inter Local Health
Zones (ILHZ) throughout the country
through EO 205. This promotes,
encourages, and ensures the full and
integration of delivery and development
of healthcare services throughout the
country.
Dept. order # 29, designated Mrs. Nelia
Hizon, Nurse V1 as the nursing adviser
and was detailed at the Office of Public
Health Services with Undersecretary
Milagros Fernandez as chief. As nursing
adviser, matters affecting nurses and
nursing are referred to her.
EO 102 was signed by Pres. Estrada
redirecting the functions and operations
of the DOH, wherein most of the nursing
positions of the Central Office were
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 BATAAN PENINSULA STATE UNIVERSITY
MAIN CAMPUS

College of Nursing and Midwifery

either transferred or devolved to other

offics and services.
1999-2004 ● The Health Sector Reform Agenda of
Agenda of the Philippines was
launched. The reforms are to provide
fiscal autonomous to government
hospital, secure funding for priority
health programs,promote the
development of the local health
systems and ensure the effectiveness
and performance; strengthened the
capacities of health regulatory
agencies and expand coverage of the
National Health Insurance Program.
● In the same period, the National
Objectives for Health 1999-2004 was
launched. This states the Philippine’s
objective for the eradication of and
control of infectious diseases
commonly affecting our people, major
chronic illnesses a d injuries that
compromise the lives of the
productive sector.
2005 The DOH launched FOURmula One for
Health to ensure speed, precision and
effective coordination towards
improving the efficiency, effectiveness
and equity of Health care Delivery.

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