The Veterans Memorial Medical Center (formerly known as Veterans Memorial Hospital) was established in 1955 with full

US Government The federal government of the United States (U.S. federal government or U.S. government) is the national government of the United States, a federal republic located primarily in North America, composed of 50 states, a city within a feder ...

assistance under the US Veterans Administration to provide quality hospitalization, medical care and treatment to Filipino veterans as provided by U.S. public law. The patients were originally those who suffer from service-connected disabilities arising from their services with the USAFFE, recognized guerrilla units,

Philippine Scouts The Philippine Scouts ( Filipino: ''Maghahanap ng Pilipinas'' or ''Hukbong Maghahanap ng Pilipinas'') was a military organization of the United States Army from 1901 until after the end of World War II. These troops were generally Filipinos a ...

, and

Philippine Commonwealth Army The Philippine Army was established on December 21, 1935, as the Army of the Philippines, with a general headquarters in Manila, and units and formations based throughout the provinces of the Philippines. The Philippine Army was initially o ...

, which was later extended to AFP retirees and their dependents.

History

The Veterans Memorial Medical Center was established pursuant to ''Public Law 865'', 80th U.S. Congress on July 8, 1948 which provided $9.4 million for the construction of a hospital facility with the land to be donated by the Philippine government. The law was implemented in the country by an agreement between the U.S. and the Philippines signed by then Pres.

Elpidio Quirino Elpidio Rivera Quirino (born Elpidio Quirino y Rivera; ; November 16, 1890 – February 29, 1956) was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the sixth president of the Philippines from 1948 to 1953. A lawyer by profession, Quirino ente ...

and the U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Myron Cowen. Various amendments have been introduced and the latest is ''Republic Act 6948'' which has liberalized the definition of veterans which now included the

Armed Forces of the Philippines The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The ...

(AFP) retirees. Likewise, the hospitalization benefit was extended to the veteran dependents. It is one of three units under the Philippine Veterans Affairs Office (PVAO). PVAO is a bureau under the Department of National Defense. The other two units under PVAO are the PVAO Proper, and Military Shrines Service. The land was originally intended to be location of Executive Mansion or the new Malacañan Palace on the original masterplan of Quezon City in 1939. It is now being eyed to be privatized as part of the Quezon City Central Business District Redevelopment Plan or

Triangle Park Triangle Park, also known as the Quezon City Central Business District, is a central business district in Quezon City, Philippines. It is organized around five districts namely: Commons, Downtown Hub, Emporium, Residences at Veterans and Tria ...

Service Coverage

Filipino veterans covered under this program embrace: # The Philippine Revolutionary Forces that took up arms against the Spaniards and the Americans during the past Philippine revolutions and wars, # members of the First Philippine National Guards, either before or after its integration into the Army of the United States of America, # Filipino citizens who are enlisted and or commissioned and served during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

under the Allied Armed Forces, #

who were in the service prior to October 6, 1945, with wartime service, # USAFFE with wartime service in the Philippines, # Recognized

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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

guerrilla units in the Philippines and # AFP units that participated in the

Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...

. All that a patient needs to present in seeking admission is a certificate of his military service from the Philippine Veterans Board and this plus his marriage certificate and birth certificate of minor child if the dependent is in need of hospital care. Emergency cases, however, may be brought to the hospital directly after which pertinent papers may be secured later on.

Prominent personalities admitted

* Former President

Emilio Aguinaldo Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (: March 22, 1869February 6, 1964) was a Filipino revolutionary, statesman, and military leader who is the youngest president of the Philippines (1899–1901) and is recognized as the first president of the Philippine ...

(died 1964) * Former President

Sergio Osmeña Sergio Osmeña Sr. (, ; 9 September 1878 – 19 October 1961) was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as the fourth president of the Philippines from 1944 to 1946. He was vice president under Manuel L. Quezon. Upon Quezon's sudd ...

(died 1961) * Former President

(admitted 1956) * Former Iglesia ni Cristo Executive Minister Felix Manalo (died 1963) * Former Senator

Benigno Aquino Jr. Benigno "Ninoy" Simeon Aquino Jr., (; November 27, 1932 – August 21, 1983) was a Filipino politician who served as a senator of the Philippines (1967–1972) and governor of the province of Tarlac. Aquino was the husband of Corazon Aqui ...

(admitted 1980) * Former President

Joseph Estrada Joseph Ejercito Estrada, (; born Jose Marcelo Ejercito; April 19, 1937), also known by the nickname Erap, is a Filipino politician and former actor. He served as the 13th president of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, the 9th vice presi ...

(admitted 2001) * Former President

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal Arroyo (, born April 5, 1947), often referred to by her initials GMA, is a Filipino academic and politician serving as one of the House Deputy Speakers since 2022, and previously from 2016 to 2017. She previously ...

(admitted 2011), was under hospital arrest until her release on July 21, 2016.

References

Sources

* Department of National Defense Publication, 1962 Edition

External links

* Veterans Memorial Medical Center and the PVA

{{Authority control Hospital buildings completed in 1955 Hospitals established in 1955 Hospitals in Quezon City Military hospitals in the Philippines Buildings and structures in Quezon City Department of National Defense (Philippines) 1955 establishments in the Philippines