Circuiting Manila 4: Philippine General Hospital

* a recently-shot close up of the center façade of PGH

* a peek inside the lobby

Our visit to PGH (and eventual passing through UPM) was initially to attend a program on some exhibits concerning the Morong 43. But since we never got to that elusive Elevator Lobby, we took the chance to take a few shots of the place and dig in a bit about the place.

UP Manila (UPM), as all UP constituents know, is the oldest UP campus of the system, established in 1908. Its precursor was the Philippine Medical School established three years earlier. It is found at Ermita, Manila.

Philippine General Hospital, or PGH, meanwhile, is at present under UPM but traces its roots from Kautusan Bilang 1688 of the Philippine Commission as a division of the Department of Education in 1907. On December 8, 1908, then Dean C. Worcester laid the cornerstones of the building. It was finished not more than a year later: November 30, 1909. It was later opened to the public on September 1, 1910 and formally inaugurated nine days later, September 10.

* chande-chandelier!

* the second UP Manila Oblation

* a sculpture that I failed to know the name; found in front of the Calderon Hall, seen en route to Robinsons Ermita

The hospital then went under many different agencies: Interior Dept., 1915; Public Education Dept., 1933; and Office of the President, 1939. During the Japanese Occupation, it was placed back under the Public Education Department. In 1945, it was transferred under the Philippine Civil Affairs Unit. It was finally put under UPM through Presidential Decree 94. Repairs and improvements have been ongoing since 1947 until 1990.

In celebration of the 100 years of existence of UP, a second UP Manila Oblation was placed just in front of the main building of PGH on June 18, 2008 (the first one is found in front of the Rizal Hall of UPM). Although the base of the work is still Guillermo Tolentino’s Oblation, Grace “Gigi” Javiewr Alfonso did some additional works to come up with this paticular UP Manila Oblation.

Although I cannot say that the place is an ideal place for ‘exercising’ being tourist (I mean, it is a hospital in the first place), it is good to know at least a few important history tidbits about UP, which is after all my alma mater.

[How to go to PGH: From ‘LRT’, which is the Gil Puyat LRT Station, take the LRT and drop off at Pedro Gil Station. A short walk would bring you to PGH. On the same block you’ll find UPM.]