Discovering Philippines

Teaching and Health Care

For a long time, health care, welfare and teaching tasks were carried out by the religious orders.

Thanks to the zeal and initiative of the Dominicans, Jesuits, Augustinians and Franciscans, a number of teaching centres and hospitals were built and established. In the 19th century, the concern for public education led to the creation of ordinary schools, the administration being responsible for the projects and building works undertaken for these.
In 1571 the Jesuits built the "Real Colegio de San José" and in 1594 the Franciscans founded the "Colegio de Santa Potenciana", both of which were established by order of the king, Philip II, who provided the necessary funding for these. The "Colegio de San Juan de Letrán" and the "Colegio de Santa Isabel" were founded in the first third of the 17th century to take in orphans and the destitute of Manila, while the Dominicans founded the "Colegio de Santa Catalina de Sena" with private donations, this latter becoming an Ordinary School for Schoolmistresses in the 19th century.

In 1611, the Dominicans founded the "Colegio de Nuestra Señora del Santísimo Rosario" which was the founding body of the University of Santo Tomás. In 1680, this University, which already awarded degrees, was granted the title of Royal and Pontifical.

One of the first buildings to be erected in Manila, around 1564 and by the Franciscans, was the "Hospital Real". In 1587 the Dominicans founded an important medical centre in Tondo, the "Hospital de San Gabriel", which was demolished in 1744. The "Hospital de Santa Ana", founded in 1596 by the Franciscan Juan Clemente, was later to become the "Hospital de San Juan de Dios" and the "Hospital de San Lázaro", and is the oldest hospital in the whole of the Orient.

Project for the reconstruction of the Manila Ordinary School for Schoolmistresses. Alejandro Olano. 1894. AHN In the 19th century, the Santa Catalina de Sena school, founded in the late 17th century, was converted into the Ordinary School for Schoolmistresses. It had to undergo certain modifications to adapt it to this new use.

Project for the reconstruction


Project for the reconstruction

Project for the reconstruction of the Manila Ordinary School for Schoolmistresses. Alejandro Olano. 1894. AHN

Project for the reconstruction of the Manila Ordinary School for Schoolmistresses. Alejandro Olano. 1894. AHN The reconstruction of this building followed the Rules for the construction of buildings in Manila, which were established as a result of the earthquakes of 18 and 20 July 1880 and constituted a building code which was a pioneer in its field.

Project for the reconstruction


Hospital of San Juan de Dios The "Hospital of San Juan de Dios". Luis Céspedes in Colección de planos... 1876. BETSICCP, Madrid After the hospital was rebuilt and equipped with two hundred and fifty beds, it was run by the Sisters of Charity.


The "Hospital of San Juan de Dios". Luis Céspedes in Colección de planos correspondientes a varias de las construcciones realizadas o proyectadas por la Inspección General de Obras Públicas de las Islas Filipinas. 1876. BETSICCP, Madrid Founded in 1596 by the Brotherhood of Mercy, it was rebuilt after being destroyed in the 1863 earthquake. Hospital of San Juan de Dios


School of San Juan de Letrán School of San Juan de Letrán, in Manila. AGI This was housed in a good, stone-built edifice, and was the first building to be seen on entering the city from the Santo Domingo quay.


Assembly room of the Santo Tomás university in Manila. Álbum de vistas de la Universidad y Colegios... 1887. BN The King, Philip IV, became the protector of this university and arranged for a papal bull to transform it from college into university, the first in Asia. In 1620, it opened its doors as a public teaching centre. Santo Tomás university


Library Library of the Santo Tomás university in Manila. Álbum de vistas de la Universidad y Colegios... 1887. BN This was created at the request of the archbishop of Manila in 1610, and before long it had its own printing press which had been imported from Europe.


Rear façade of the Manila Ordinary School for Schoolmistresses. Exposición de Madrid. 1887. BN Manila Ordinary School


Patio of the Manila Ordinary School Interior patio of the Manila Ordinary School for Schoolmistresses. Exposición de Madrid. 1887. BN


Interior of the Manila Ordinary School for Schoolmistresses. Exposición de Madrid. 1887. BN Manila Ordinary School for Schoolmistresses


San José College San José College, Manila University. The entrance to the pharmacy and medicine classrooms. Álbum de vistas de la Universidad y Colegios... 1887. BN


Façade of the school of San Juan de Letrán, in Manila. Álbum de vistas de la Universidad y Colegios... 1887. BN This was founded between 1830 and 1850 by Juan Gerónimo Guerrero, a friar. It belonged to the Dominican order and had a small church of the same name.  San Juan de Letrán


San José school Façade of the San José school. Álbum de vistas de la Universidad y Colegios... 1887. BN This was founded by Philip II in 1585. It was closed during the 17th century, but in 1777 it was reopened and resumed its function as a teaching centre.


Project for a school in Bulacón. Luis del Rosario y Rivas. 1893. AHN In the Philippines, public buildings changed their use with certain regularity. In this case, an old building was reformed in order to convert it into a public school.

Project for a school


Project for a school Project for a school in the town of Vigan, in Ilocos Sur. Ramón La Hermosa in Colección de planos... 1876. BETSICCP, Madrid

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Discovering Philippines Copyright © 2004 Robert S. Gardner