The History of San Antonio District Hospital [Nueva Ecija]

This is a short history of San Antonio District Hospital, the primary medical services provider from my hometown in the province of Nueva Ecija.

The San Antonio District Hospital was created via Republic Act 3925 on June 18, 1964. This decree enacted the formation of what was then called the San Antonio Emergency Hospital. In the year 1965, the sum of P30,000 was budgeted for the hospital’s operation. While the exact year of the construction of the said hospital was not on record, it was previously located in Barangay Población.

The History of San Antonio District Hospital [Nueva Ecija]

As the hospital grew in operation, it needed a bigger space, so it was eventually transferred to its present location in Barangay San Mariano, and was in time renamed San Antonio District Hospital, signifying also its expansion in terms of expertise and medical services offered.

Here is a copy of RA 3925, from The Lawphil Project

H. No. 3461 / 60 OG No. 44, 7184 (November 2, 1964)

[ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 3925, June 18, 1964 ]

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN EMERGENCY HOSPITAL IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF SAN ANTONIO, PROVINCE OF NUEVA ECIJA, TO BE KNOWN AS SAN ANTONIO EMERGENCY HOSPITAL, AND AUTHORIZING THE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS THEREFOR.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. There shall be established, under the direct supervision of the Director of Medical Services, an emergency hospital in the Municipality of San Antonio, Province of Nueva Ecija, to be known as San Antonio Emergency Hospital.

SECTION 2. The sum of thirty thousand pesos is hereby authorized to be appropriated out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the establishment, operation and maintenance of said hospital during the fiscal year nineteen hundred sixty-five. Thereafter, such sums as may be needed for its operation and maintenance shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved, June 18, 1964.

What is the mandate of San Antonio District Hospital?

San Antonio District Hospital in Nueva Ecija

The San Antonio District Hospital is mandated:

“To provide services in general medicine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology and general pediatrics. Major and minor surgeries in the field of surgery and ob-gyne can be performed at the operating room of the hospital. The hospital also provides community-initiated health services.”

Vision

San Antonio Nueva Ecija’s vision:

“We envision San Antonio District Hospital as a third level referral hospital rendering quality healthcare services to all residents in the southern part of Nueva Ecija especially the poor and the underprivileged sectors of the society.”

Mission

San Antonio District Hospital has a three-pronged mission:

To provide quality healthcare services to all the people of our catchment area and its neighboring towns, especially among the indigent or underprivileged sector of the society.
To encourage and solicit the full support of local officials and active participation of the community in all healthcare programs.
To provide an ideal venue for the training of nursing affiliates and other healthcare providers

San Antonio District Hospital in Nueva Ecija marker

What is a district hospital?

District hospitals are public hospitals that provide secondary medical care or specialized healthcare services in a local area. These secondary care providers are more advanced than primary care clinics, but not as specialized or high-tech as major medical institutions.

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(Tagalog version)

Ang Kasaysayan ng San Antonio District Hospital sa Nueva Ecija

Napakapalad ng ating bayan dahil mayroon tayong sariling district hospital, ibig sabihin noon ay hindi na natin kailangan pang dumayo ng malayo o ibang lugar para makakuha ng serbisyong medikal.

Alam nyo ba?

Ang San Antonio District Hospital ay dating matatagpuan sa Barangay Poblacion, sa loob ng compound ng munisipyo ng ating bayan at unang nakilala sa pangalan na “San Antonio Emergency Hospital.”

Ito ay inilipat kalaunan sa mas malaki at mas modernong pasilidad sa Barangay San Mariano at dahil na rin sa paglawak ng serbisyong pangkalusugan na ibinibigay nito, ang ospital ay nakilala sa kasalukuyan nitong pangalan na “San Antonio District Hospital.”

Documenting the historical aspects of my hometown

One of my personal initiatives is to document events, customs, traditions, places, buildings, and even businesses with historical significance in my hometown, San Antonio, Nueva Ecija.

In 2006, when I opened this blog site, my goal was to document the traditions and customs of my hometown, San Antonio in Nueva Ecija. However, I never got around to fulfilling that goal because of a lack of reference materials and the extensive work that research may entail.

With social media, though, I was able to reconnect with people from my hometown and was able to gather a few pieces of information from residents of my hometown, both young and town. Even with the little information I gathered, I want to push through with my original objective for blogging and document the historical aspects of my hometown on this website. This is my own little way of giving back to my beloved hometown.

You can also get to know more about my hometown through this Facebook page I created: Tara Sa San Antonio [Nueva Ecija].