The Philippine General Hospital (also known as University of the Philippines–Philippine General Hospital or UP–Philippine General Hospital), simply referred to as UP–PGH or PGH, is a tertiary state-owned hospital administered and operated by the
University of the Philippines Manila
The University of the Philippines Manila (UPM) is a state-funded medical and research university located in Ermita, Manila, Philippines. It is known for being the country's center of excellence in the health sciences, including health professio ...
. It is designated as the National University Hospital, and the national government referral center. It stands within a site located at the UP Manila Campus in
Ermita
Ermita is a district in Manila, Philippines. Located at the central part of the city, the district is a significant center of finance, education, culture, and commerce. Ermita serves as the civic center of the city, bearing the seat of city ...
,
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
. PGH has 1,100 beds and 400 private beds, and has an estimated of 4,000 employees to serve more than 600,000 patients every year.
The PGH, being the largest training hospital in the country, is the laboratory hospital of health science students enrolled in the
University of the Philippines
The University of the Philippines (UP; fil, Pamantasan ng Pilipinas Unibersidad ng Pilipinas) is a state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by Republic Act No. 9500 (UP Charter of 200 ...
. This includes students of medicine, nursing, physical therapy, pharmacy, occupational therapy, dentistry, and speech pathology.
There are 16 clinical departments under the Philippine General Hospital — Family and Community Medicine, Anesthesiology, Internal Medicine, Surgery, Neurosciences, Pediatrics, Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Rehabilitation Medicine, Psychiatry, Radiology, Pathology, Emergency Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Dermatology—all of which offer residency and fellowship training. It also offers various training for paramedical specialties such as nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech pathology, radiation technology, nutrition, hospital dentistry, medical technology and EMT training.
History
In 1907, The
Philippine Commission
The Philippine Commission was the name of two bodies, both appointed by the president of the United States, to assist with governing the Philippines.
The first Philippine Commission, also known as the Schurman Commission, was appointed by Presi ...
passed ''Act No. 1688'' which appropriated the sum of about ₱780,000.00 for the construction of the Philippine General Hospital in Manila.
The cornerstone of the hospital was laid on February 28, 1908. The bids for the construction of the buildings were opened on July 27 and the contract was awarded to the lowest bidder, H. Thurber of the Manila Construction Company. The structural works for the central administration building, a surgical pavilion with two operating rooms, a building for dispensary and out-clinic, five ward pavilions of sixty beds each, a nurses’ home, a kitchen, an ambulance stable and morgue were completed on November 30, 1909. In 1910, the Philippine General Hospital opened its door to the public on September 1 with three hundred thirty beds and was eventually linked to the
Philippine Medical School. PGH remained open during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, where its wards overflowed with victims of the conflict. It treated Filipino, Japanese soldiers and American internees alike, even if the hospital supplies are almost depleted.
In 1981, Architect J. Ramos undertook the master planning of the PGH renovation project.
PGH celebrated its centennial in 2007, one hundred years since the US government passed a law establishing it.
During the
COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines
The COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines has resulted in, as of , reported cases, resulting in reported deaths, the fifth-highest in Southeast Asia, behind Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The first case in the Philippines was ...
, PGH was selected as one of the COVID-19 referral centers in the country. The hospital provided 130 beds for COVID-19 patients, while continuing to serve other people with other ailments. PGH officially accepted COVID-19 referrals from other hospitals starting March 30, 2020.
Architecture
![PGH Pediment](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/22/PGH_Pediment.JPG)
The Philippine General Hospital Administration Building is situated along
Taft Avenue
Taft Avenue ( fil, Abenida Taft; es, Avenida Taft) is a major road in the south of Metro Manila. It passes through three cities in the metropolis: Manila, Pasay and Parañaque. The road was named after the former Governor-General of the Philippin ...
in Manila. It was built by architect
Tomas Mapua Tomas may refer to:
People
* Tomás (given name), a Spanish, Portuguese, and Gaelic given name
* Tomas (given name), a Swedish, Dutch, and Lithuanian given name
* Tomáš, a Czech and Slovak given name
* Tomas (surname), a French and Croatian surna ...
in
neo-classic style
Neoclassical architecture is an architectural style produced by the Neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century in Italy and France. It became one of the most prominent architectural styles in the Western world. The prevailing style ...
that follows the
Daniel Burnham
Daniel Hudson Burnham (September 4, 1846 – June 1, 1912) was an American architect and urban designer. A proponent of the '' Beaux-Arts'' movement, he may have been, "the most successful power broker the American architectural profession has ...
plan for Manila. This plan included Manila Hotel, Army and Navy Club and the Philippine General Hospital. These were executed by his successor, Parsons included who was a city planner in the Philippines during the early period
American colonization in the country. His works were a clear translation of Neoclassicism into a new hybrid of colonial tropical architecture.
In 2014, the Pediatric Oncology Isolation Ward was constructed by Sta. Elena Construction and Development through the generosity of its president and CEO,
Alice Eduardo
Alice Eduardo is a Filipino businesswoman. She is the founder, president, and chief executive officer (CEO) of Sta. Elena Construction and Development Corporation.
Early life
Eduardo is the eldest of four siblings to parents Eduardo and El ...
. The ward was dedicated to children with cancer, particularly from poor households that could not afford the costs of an isolation ward. A dormitory was also built to house the children's caregivers or relatives while they were admitted to PGH.
[San Juan, Thelma Sioso]
"Who is Alice Eduardo—in a man’s world?"
''Inquirer'', May 19, 2019
In 2020, Alice Eduardo contributed to the restoration and modernization of Bahay Silungan. This is a heritage building that served as the Nurses' Home, which was first occupied in 1911. The home has 18 bedrooms, terraces, and verandas. The restoration was decided amid the COVID-19 pandemic so that the doctors, nurses, and transient patients would have a temporary home.
[Sembrano, Edgar Allan M]
"Heritage Nurses’ Home in PGH compound restored"
''Inquirer'', October 31, 2021 Today, Bahay Silungan accommodates up to 66 nurses and 14 transient patients.
[Ramirez, Joanne Rae M]
"PGH’s Bahay Silungan: The healer is a home"
''Inquirer'', September 10, 2021
References
External links
Philippine General Hospital FoundationSentro Oftalmologico Jose Rizal (PGH Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences)UP-PGH Department of Anesthesiology
{{Authority control
Hospital buildings completed in 1909
Hospitals in Manila
Hospitals established in 1907
Buildings and structures in Ermita
1907 establishments in the Philippines
Cultural Properties of the Philippines in Metro Manila