History of Community Health Nursing

Date Event
1901

Act # 157 (Board of Health of the Philippines); Act # 309 (Provincial and Municipal
Boards of Health) were created.

1905

Board of Health was abolished; functions were transferred to the Bureau of Health.

1912

Act # 2156 or Fajardo Act created the Sanitary Divisions, the forerunners of present
MHOs; male nurses performs the functions of doctors

1919

Act # 2808 (Nurses Law was created) Carmen del Rosario, 1st Filipino Nurse
supervisor under Bureau of Health

Oct. 22, 1922

Filipino Nurses Organization (Philippine Nurses Organization) was organized.

1923

Zamboanga General Hospital School of Nursing & Baguio General Hospital were
established; other government schools of nursing were organized several years after.

1928

1st Nursing convention was held

1940

1941

Manila Health Department was created.

Dr. Mariano Icasiano became the first city health officer; Office of Nursing was created
through the effort of Vicenta Ponce (chief nurse) and Rosario Ordiz (assistant chief nurse)

Dec. 8, 1941

Victims of World War II were treated by the nurses of Manila.

July 1942

Nursing Office was created; Dr. Eusebio Aguilar helped in the release of 31 Filipino
nurses in Bilibid Prison as prisoners of war by the Japanese.

Feb. 1946

Number of nurses decreased from 556 308.

1948

First training center of the Bureau of Health was organized by the Pasay City Health
Department. Trinidad Gomez, Marcela Gabatin, Costancia Tuazon, Ms. Bugarin, Ms.
Ramos, and Zenaida Nisce composed the training staff.

1950

Rural Health Demonstration and Training Center was created.

1953

The first 81 rural health units were organized.

1957

RA 1891 amended some sections of RA 1082 and created the eight categories of rural
health unit causing an increase in the demand for the community health personnel.

1958-1965

Division of Nursing was abolished (RA 977) and Reorganization Act (EO 288)

1961

1967

Annie Sand organized the National League of Nurses of DOH.

Zenaida Nisce became the nursing program supervisor and consultant on the six special
diseases (TB, leprosy, V.D., cancer, filariasis, and mental health illness).

1975

Scope of responsibility of nurses and midwives became wider due to restructuring of the
health care delivery system.

1976-1986

The need for Rural Health Practice Program was implemented.

1990- 1992

Local Government Code of 1991 (RA 7160)

1993-1998

Office of Nursing did not materialize in spite of persistent recommendation of the

officers, board members, and advisers of the National League of Nurses Inc.

Jan. 1999

Nelia Hizon was positioned as the nursing adviser at the Office of Public Health Services
through Department Order # 29.

May 24, 1999

EO # 102, which redirects the functions and operations of DOH, was signed by former
President Joseph Estrada