Significant Dates Historical Event/ Person or Agency involved Implication to the Practice of Public

Health Nursing
The Philippine Commission created a Board of Philippine Commission created the board
1901 Health of the Philippines which acted as the Board of Health of the Philippines be able to
of Health for the City of Manila. have a control and supervision about
health practices in the community.
No. 309 (Reorganization Act) created Provincial The Reorganization Act created for the
1905 and Municipal Boards of Health. purpose for operation and maintenance of
health facilities and services within
Abolished the Board of Health and its function and municipality and provinces.
activities were taken over by Bureau of health
under the Department of Interior.

District Health Office headed by District Health It was headed to transform some local
1906 Officers had jurisdiction over health districts. units Into self-reliant communities and
active and more responsive to the needs
of the people.

1912 The Philippine General Hospital, then under the Philippine General Nurses sent nurses in
Bureau of Health sent four nurses to Cebu to take Cebu be able to improve the quality health
care of mother and babies. practice in caring mother and babies.

The St. Pauls Hospital School of Nursing in Improved the nursing care and
Intramuros was also assigned two nurses to do performance to the mothers and newborn
home visiting in Manila and gave nursing care to babies from the outpatient obstetrical
the mothers and newborn babies from the service and can universally access the
outpatient obstetrical services of Philippine General basic health service is ensured.
Hospital.

1914 School nursing was rendered by a Filipino nurse Establishing rapport and working
employed by the Bureau of health in Tacloban, relationship result in positive outcomes
Leyte. such as good quality of data. Partnership
 in addressing identified health needs and
problems and also satisfaction.

1915 Two graduated Filipino nurses, Mrs. Casilang That two graduates were employed be
Eustaquio and Mrs.Matilde Azurin were employed able to emphasize the needs in Maternal
for maternal and Child Health and Sanitation in and Child Care and also Sanitation to
Manila under an American nurses, Mrs. G. D. identify if there is a need of improvement
Schudder. and to improve the problem identified.
The Bureau of health was renamed Philippine
Health Service with a Director of Health as its head. Having good sanitation make local system
It was placed under the Department of Public more responsive to the needs of people.
Instruction with the Vice-Governor General as the
Department of Secretary.
Ensure the accessibility and quality of
Reorganization act No. 2462 created the Office of health care and improve the quality
General Inspection. It was headed by a lady outside the hospital, homes and needs for
physician, Dr. Rosario Pastor. It was created due to direction, supervision and guidance of
the demand of nurses work outside the hospital, in public health nurses.
homes and need for direction, supervision and
guidance of public health nurses.

1916-1918 Ms. Perlita Clark took charge of the Public Health Result in a n integrated and
Nursing work. Her staff was composed of one comprehensive approach to health
American nurse supervisor, one American dietitian, development and make essential goods,
36 Filipino nurses working in the Provinces and one health and other social services available
dietitian assigned in two Sanitary Divisions. to all people.

1917 Four graduate nurses paid by the City of Manila

were employed to work in the City of manila were
employed to work in the City Schools.
1919 The first Filipino nurse supervisor under the Bureau Increased of health care staff result for a
of health, Miss Carmen del Rosario was appointed. greater possibility of a good health care
 She success Miss Mabel Dabbs. practice and control the communication
infections.
She had staff of 84 public health nurses assigned in
the five health stations. There was a gradual
increase of public health nurses and expansion of
services.
1923 Established of two Government School of Nursing Fulfilled provision of adequate health and
Zamboanga General Hospital in Northern Luzon. social measures.
These schools were primarily intended to strain
non-Christian women and prepare them to render
service among their people.
July 1,1926 Miss Carmen Leogardo resigned and Miss
Generas S. Manongdo, a ranking supervisor of the
American Red Cross.
Philippine Red Cross was appointed in her place.
1927 Office of District Nursing under the Office of the Substitution of Mrs. De Guzman lead
General Inspection, Philippine Health Service was essential health care based in the section
abolished and supplanted by the Section of Public of Public Health Nursing.
Health Nursing.

Mrs. Genera de Guzman acted as a consultant to

the Director of Health on nursing matters.
1928 First convection of nurses was held followed by the Pre-service training was initiated as a pre-
yearly convention until the advent of World War II. requisite for appointment that can maintain
Pre-service training was initiated as a pre-requisite the continuum of balance and purpose
for appointment. direction within the environment.
1930 Section of Public Health Nursing was converted Pressing need for guidance not only in
into Section of Nursing due to pressing need for public nursing services but also in the
guidance not only in public nursing services but hospital nursing and nursing education be
also in the hospital nursing and nursing education. able to know the factors that could gave as
The Section of Nursing was transferred from the the goal of public health and community
Office of General Services to the Division of health nursing.
 Administration.
1933 Reorganization Act No. 4007 transferred the Improve the dynamics in a community
Division of Maternal and Child Health of the Office differ from the other and have a formal
of Public Welfare Commission to the Bureau of power structure and communication
Health. system.
Appointment of Mrs. Soledad A. Buenafe, former
Assistant Superintendent of Nurses of the Public
Welfare Commission as Assistant Chief Nurse of
the Section of Nursing, Bureau of Health.
1940 The Manila Health Department was created by Addition chapter, decrease poor sanitation
virtue of the new charter of the City of Manila. of health. More awareness and
conservation of natural resources about
health.
1941 Activities and personnel including six public health
members of the Metropolitan Division, Bureau of
the Health were transferred to the new department.
Dr. Mariano became the first City Health Officer of
Manila.

An office of nursing was organized with Mrs.

Vicenta C. Ponce as a Chief Nurse and Mrs.
Rosario A. Ordiz as Assistant Chief Nurse.
December 8, 1941 At the outbreak of World War II, the public health Recognizing interruption of health and
nurses in Manila were assigned to devastated development, managing health and non-
areas to attend to the sick and wounded. health crises and providing nursing care to
the community.
June 1942 A group of public health nurses with physician and Maintain a relationship with identifying
administration of the Manila Health Department problems and maintaining a home
went to the internment camp in Capas. Tarlac to environment conducive to good health
receive sick pioneers of war released by the
Japanese army. They were confined at San Lazaro
Hospital and sixty-eight national Public Health
 Nurses were assigned to help the hospital staff to
take care of them.
February 1946 Post war records of the Bureau of Health showed Respond to the health needs of the people
that there were 308 public health nurses and 38 .And improve the needs of the fact that
supervisors compared to pre-war when there were health need affect the environment in
556 public health nurses and 38 supervisors. there are 308 public health nurses and
other significant others.
January 1999 Department Order No. 29 designated Mrs. Nelia F. The knowledge will be base from nursing
Hizon, Nurse VI as nursing advicer. She was and public health. The nature of practice
detailed at the Office of Public Health Service with will apply in general in the community.
Undersecretary Milagros Fernandez as a Chief.