The birth of the UP College of Nursing

In June 1948, Julita Sotejo, who had written a thesis on "A University School of Nursing in the University of the Philippines," and had earned her Master of Science in Nursing Education from the University of Chicago, became the first dean of the UP College of Nursing.

The 38 nursing students, out of 153 applicants, were like the others at UP, participating in student organizations and social affairs on campus. But they woke up and prepared early for breakfast and ward work immediately after. After a quick lunch at the Philippine General Hospital Dining Hall at 11:30 a.m., the students would then rush off to the new Diliman campus for their Liberal Arts classes. The classes started at 1 p.m. and in the days following World War II, commuting from the Padre Faura campus to Diliman meant only a ride of fresh air and the sight of green wide open spaces. Returning to the Nurses Home in Manila would mean the end of a long day.

In the wards, the students had to come up with a nursing care plan answering who, why, when, where and how. The result would be a comprehensive, scientific, informed and compassionate plan of care for the patient. This was ingrained in their clinical experience.

Then UP president Bienvenido Gonzales, who had recommended the college’s establishment, once remarked: "The College of Nursing was my last baby and last babies are usually great favorites. But my affection for your school goes much farther than that for my confidence in Filipino womanhood as the ‘best men in the country’ go with it."

Three graduates made it to the top 10 of the April 1952 Nursing Board Exams: Maria Redona Couper, Zenaida Panlilio-Nisce and Leonora Liwanag. Two were appointed to positions traditionally held by doctors: Josefina Tamayo-Fermin became assistant director for administration of PGH, and Virginia Orais became director of the Health Manpower Development and Training Service of the Department of Health (DOH).

Several others also served in DOH: the late Alicia Abarquez and Milagros Catibayan-Manalo were in the Bureau of Quarantine. Leonor Vera-Cruz Tabiaas was RHU nurse in Lumban, Laguna. Rosemary Runez Tabora was nurse instructor II of Health Region I; Rosalinda Magpantay-Batongbacal was regional nurse supervisor for Health Region IV, while Primitiva Andres Paet was nurse instructor II, RHDTC, Quezon City. Quirina Rabago-Claveria was chief nurse of the Baguio City Health Department; Liwanag was nurse VI of the National Family Planning Service, and Nisce was nurse VI of the Communicable Disease Control Service.

Four went on to teaching and worked locally and abroad: Virginia Domingo-Stivers joined Silliman University and later the UP College of Nursing; Couper taught in Chicago; Clarita Pacis became a faculty member of the PGH School of Nursing and later the UP College of Nursing; Othonia Dinoso-Viray was former faculty member and later dean of the Sta. Rita School of Nursing. Anita Santos-Williams was ob-gyne nurse at the University of Chicago Hospital.

The late Remedios Cortes Pavia was a retired head nurse of the emergency ward of St. Elizabeth Hospital in Chicago, and the late Rosario Castro-Domingo was chief nurse of the PGH operating room.

Nursing Class 1952 is the golden jubilarian at the UP Grand Alumni Homecoming and Reunion on June 15 at the UP Bahay ng Alumni in Diliman. The class hopes to hear from their other colleagues: Carmen Alcala-Tiongson, Francisca Anteola-delos Reyes and Rosalina Sevilla-Baltazar.