REWRITE!!
The SAN JUAN DE DIOS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION, INC. (HOSPITAL), Fomerly HOSPITAL DE SAN JUAN DE DIOS, is the oldest hospital in the Philippines. The Hospital started with the arrival of the Franciscan missionaries in the country on June 24, 1578. Among them was a lay brother, Fray Juan Clemente. Unable to learn the language of the natives, he devoted his time studying the medicinal value of the tropical plants in curing diseases of the sick and the poor. The Franciscan porteria in Intramuros was converted into a dispensary. Later that year, Fray Clemente built a nipa hut and bamboo hospital with two wards of 300 square meters each. This was furtehr expanded into three wards with the arrival in 1590 of Fray Juan Fernandez de Leon, who later became the first hospital chaplain.
In April 16, 1594, the Confraternity of Mercy (Hermanidad de la Misericordia) was initially established to look for aids and support of the third ward. Eventually in 1596, it took charge of the hospital.
A fire and an earthquake in 1603 and 1645 respectively drained Confraternity's resources which made them decide to hand over the management of the hospital to the Brothers of St. John of God. It was then known as Hospital de San Juan de Dios.
The Brothers devoted themselves to the care of the sick and performed their task with zeal. The hospital was restructed and wards were named. In 1863, another earthquake destroyed the hospital. On August 29, 1866, the Spanish government ordered the trasnfer of the religious order to Cavite. The hospital was temporarily entrusted to the Council of Inspectors.
Two years later, the Council turned over the hospital's admisnitration to the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. This was in conformity with teh Royal Order of Queen Isabella II of Spain.
In 1880, an earthquake partially destroyed the hospital. Two years later, the hospital was once again rehabilitated.
During the Spanish period most patients were indigents. With the advent of the American regime, the number of patients increased when "pay patients" were admitted.
In 1913, the School for Nursing was established. it gained reputation as one of the best Nursing Schools during the Pre-World War Period. In 1936, the Hospital de San Juan de Dios became the largest private hospital in the country. However, it was completely destroyed during the Liberation of Manila in 1945.
In 1952, the HOSPITAL DE SAN JUAN DE DIOS was relocated to its present location along then the Dewey (now Roxas) Boulevard. It was operated as a private tertiary hospital with an outpatient service section completely dedicated to servicing indigent patients. At present, the hospital has an authorized two hundred forty seven (247) bed capacity. In 1972, the departmentalization of the hospital began with the establishment of the four clinical departments: Medicine, Obstetrics and GYnecology, Pediatrics and Surgery. TRaining programs for residents were put up in 1979-1980, while the Post-Graduate Intern Training Program started in 1981.
The HOSPITAL SAN JUAN DE DIOS became an Educational Foundation in 1991. It is now known as SAN JUAN DE DIOS EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION INCORPORATED (Hospital), a non-stock, non-profit organization dedicated to help the poor.