THEN…
The Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City, way back in the year 1918, was just a Sick Ward set up by the District Engineer’s Office in Davao for the care and treatment of the sick laborers known as “SAKADAS”, who were then brought in to help the development of Davao.
In 1919, by virtue of Special Act of the Philippine Legislature, which was passed in 1917, to establish a hospital in the non-Christian Provinces of which Davao Province was one, a building was constructed at its old sitein downtown Davao which became the Davao Public Hospital.The area of which was donated by a rich businessman named Mr.Juna Villa-abrille (it is now Davao Mental Hospital). No inauguration was conducted at the completion of the hospital building. It was immediately opened to serve the sick with a 25-bed capacity.At that time, the District Health Officer for the Province of Davao was Dr. Eugenio de Jesus. He was at the same time designated, in addition to his other duty, as the Chief of the Davao Public Hospital. Later, Dr. Simeon Macasaet, Sr., succeeded him, then by Dr. Jose Ebro, Dr.Cresenciano Doles, then Dr. Benito M. Panganiban. Finally, the following Chiefs of Hospital were appointed and approved by the Department of Health; Dr. Manuel P. Babao, Dr. Alberto A. Gahol, Dr.Reynaldo A. Jacinto,Dr.Jovenal G. Quintana, Dr. Asuncion Paraan, Dr. Gerardo D. Cunanan, and now Dr.Leopoldo Vega.
In December 1941, during World War II, the Japanese Imperial Army occupied the facility. Presently, an inconspicuous pillar stands as a sole reminder that this facility was once occupied by the imperial army. Like most government and private institutions in the Philippines, the Davao Public Hospital disintegrated during the World War II.
The American forces then took the facility after the liberation on May 2, 1945. It became the 25th Station Hospital for the use of American Armed Forces.
On August 23, 1945, the entire