Brent Hospital and Colleges, Inc.
January 2008

Humble beginnings

Almost simultaneously, with the establishment of Mission Centers in Northern Luzon, Bishop Charles Henry Brent, DD, the first Episcopal Church bishop of the Philippines, started a mission center in Southern Philippines, particularly in Zamboanga. On September 27, 1904, the first Episcopal service in Zamboanga was conducted by Colonel Edward Davies, a layman and a devoted member of the Brotherhood of St. Andrew. Later, Bishop Brent sent the Rev. Irving Spencer to Zamboanga to take care for the American congregation. Bishop Brent visited Zamboanga in the same year, and General Wood invited him to be the chaplain of the soldiers who were on a punitive expedition against those who ambushed the 17th American Army Detachment. Bishop Brent accepted the invitation. On October 1905, the Holy Trinity Church in Zamboanga was consecrated.

Military doctors of the US Army’s 7th Cavalry, under the command of General John Pershing, set up a six-bed dispensary clinic during the “pacification” campaign in Mindanao. This clinic was situated along Cawa-cawa shoreline, now R.T. Lim Boulevard, but was then known as Moro Settlement. This settlement was later transferred to what is now known as Campo Islam.

General Pershing, a very good friend of Bishop Brent, requested Governor General Howard Taft to appoint Bishop Brent as chaplain of the 7th cavalry. It was under his ministry that General Pershing was converted and baptized.

After the military campaign, the dispensary clinic was turned over to the Episcopal Church. It eventually grew into a hospital; and in 1914, it was called Zamboanga Hospital. Its financial needs were fully supplied by the church. It was then established as a charitable hospital. Services, medicines, and other medical and surgical supplies were given free to those who could not afford and full pay for those who could. On the same site, St. Alban’s School was built primarily for Muslim boys near Holy Trinity Church, Episcopalian residents who were mostly Americans and other English-speaking people. The Rector, Reverend McCutheon, opened a printing press, publishing a newspaper in Tausug. Adjacent to the hospital, a girl’s school was put up where Muslim girls learned the 3 Rs (Arithmetic, Reading, and Writing), and home-making works like lace making, weaving, etc. In 1915, a dispensary in Jolo began operating under Ms. Leslie Thomson. The most daring project undertaken by Bishop Brent in Mindanao was the roving dispensary. It was a boat named “Peril” which traveled from shore to shore with its nurses providing health services to the sick people. It is sad to note, however, that after Bishop Brent’s departure from the country, none of his projects continued operating.

Some projects in Mindanao perished when Bishop Brent left the country for France in 1918 because the Board of Mission in the US stopped its financial support. On September 1, 1918, the Commonwealth Government of the Philippines put up Zamboanga General Hospital which is now known as Zamboanga City Medical Center. To give distinction on its being a church owned and operated, and in honor of its founder, Zamboanga Hospital was renamed as Brent Hospital.

In 1942, the Japanese occupation forces took over the hospital; and in 1945, due to naval shelling and bombing of the American liberation Forces, the hospital was totally razed to the ground and operations stopped.

In 1946, with an urgent need again for a hospital in the city, the Episcopal Church put up a temporary building on the same 1.996 hectares prewar site. Sawali was used for walling and war surplus G.I. sheets for roofing. Small as it seemed to be, still it housed a thirty-bed open ward, five private rooms, operating and delivery room, laboratory, pharmacy, dispensary, and offices.

Having raised sufficient funds locally and abroad, the church constructed the present building with white sand towed from Sta. Cruz Island at a cost then of R150,000. It was dedicated in February 4, 1952. It served everybody regardless of race or religion. Its outreach services extended up to Upi, Maguindanao known as the Upi Mission Clinic, some 150 kilometers east of Zamboanga City.

As the years went on, the Dietary wing was renovated in 1974, and now become the Private Room Wing. A separate building was constructed to house the Dietary Department, and that increased the hospital’s bed capacity from sixty to seventy-five to better meet the health needs of the growing populace.

In 1980, there was a renovation of the ward wing at the ground, and now named the De Luxe units that were fully furnished. Ateneo de Zamboanga, now Ateneo de Zamboanga University, opened its College of Nursing in 1978. It affiliated with Brent Hospital for Clinical Experience of its third and fourth year students.

In 1982, an emergence of a new structure occurred. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved and registered the “Brent Hospital Incorporated,” a non-stock, non-profit, benevolent, charitable, and scientific hospital with a cross section of the community comprising the incorporators. The Chosen Mission of Erie, Pennsylvania, donated some hospital equipment that expanded the services of the hospital.

In alliance with the mission of the church, Brent Hospital opened the School of Midwifery in June 1983, with the Muslim community lobbying for its approval with MECS. The first batch, graduated in 1985 with one of the graduates attaining the second spot in the board exam and five others in the top ten. The following year, Brent topped the board exam with six others in the top ten and seventeen in the top eleventh to thirtieth.

The College of Physical Therapy opened in 1994, the College of Nursing in 2002, then the College of Medical Technology in 2003. Aside from these Baccalaureate courses, the One-Year Health Aide Course opened in 1986, but was later closed since there were no more enrollees. The Aircraft Maintenance Technology Course was opened in 1997; but due to the low number of enrollees, it was closed.

With the permit from TESDA, the Caregiver Training Program was opened in February 2003, and the Accreditation of the Caregiver Assessment Center was granted in May 2003. It is the first Caregiver Assessment Center in Region IX. During the school year 1998–1999 with CHED (CMO27S.1998), the preparatory course, Associate in Health Science Education (AHSE), operated until school year 2005–2006 to pave way and to adopt the CHED’s General Education Program upon the opening of school year 2006–2007. In October 2006, another TESDA permit was granted for the opening of the Medical Transcription Course.

Aside from these developments, the hospital has its healthcare facilities to cater to the needs and demands of the populace and its students.

Present times

Brent Hospital and Colleges Incorporated, an institution under the Episcopal Church, has its philosophy rooted in the beliefs of the church that established it. The Episcopal Church, like other Christian churches, has tried to exemplify the life and teaching of Christ—that of healing the sick, teaching, and preaching the gospel. Serving man in his “Integral Wholeness” that is caring for his mind, body, and soul is then the motivating factor for the church to establish schools, hospitals, dispensaries, and other forms of medical services, besides the churches themselves.

To the church, therefore, the hospital is an invaluable arm in its healing ministry. Since it is a service to man, God’s own image, and in praise of Him, it is felt that nothing but the best should be rendered in such church hospitals.

BHCI is a nonstock, non-profit, and benevolent religious institution with the hospital and a school operating under one administration. The hospital which is accredited and licensed by the Department of Health (DOH) and Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (Philhealth) as a tertiary general hospital with 100 bed capacity. It caters to people from all walks of life, rendering service to medical, surgical, orthopedics, obstetrics, gynecology, pediatrics, and rehabilitation for physical therapy patients. The school, on the other hand, is for its scientific education to students. Both the hospital and the school are operating with the profound belief that “Service to Man is Service to Humanity.”

The Board of Trustees of BHCI is headed by Bishop Danilo L. Bustamante (Chairman), Engineer Efren F. Arañez (Vice-Chairman), Rev Vicente M. Climaco (Secretary) and Rev. Wylan Rey N. Piñera (Treasurer). The members are Engr. Paterno Titus Padua, Dr. Rosendo R. Pacia, Jr., Rev. George O. Panisigan, Pastor Nemesio Trinidad, Jr., Atty. Ricardo S. Baban, Jr., Dr. Bonificia B. Tumbangan, Rev. Benjamin D. Suenan, Rt. Rev. James Manguramas, Rev. Mariano T. Karganilla, Jr., and Dr. Linda Ann D. Belleza.

Timothy T. Moiket joined BHCI as the Chief Executive Officer.

The school’s administrative structure is composed of the academic units and the offices of administration and services. The academic units are the College of Physical Therapy, College of Nursing, College of Medical Technology, Midwifery, Caregiver Department, Medical Transcription, and Caregiver Assessment Center.

The offices of administration and services are the School Director’s Office, Registrar’s Office, Cashier’s Office, Dean of Students Affairs (DSA) and Chaplain Office, Guidance Counselor Office, Alumni Affairs Office, Library, Computer Laboratory, Maintenance, Athletics, Supreme Student Government, Synapse Office, and Dental Clinic.

BHCI envisions of being a leading institution in developing competent and dedicated professionals in the Health Sciences and other fields, and in providing excellent medical and other health services to the community for the glory of God and service to humanity. BHCI is committed to providing excellent medical and other health services to the community by training and developing responsible health professionals. In consonance with its mission, the college aims to provide an outstanding teaching and learning environment, to impart a broad and well-rounded education, to undertake relevant researches that will enrich knowledge, to undertake sustainable community development programs, and to inculcate Christian values and work ethics in the service for others.

Today, BHCI has six educational programs: the School of Midwifery, the College of Physical Therapy, the College of Nursing, the College of Medical Technology, the Caregiver Course, and the Medical Transcription Course. These sprang from the very evident need for trained allied medical professionals in Zamboanga City, the rest of the peninsula region, and overseas as well.

The total number of students for the second semester of school year 2007–2008 is two thousand thirty seven, with one hundred thirteen faculty members of the different colleges.

Flagship Courses

The College of Physical Therapy is dedicated to excellence and leadership in physical therapy education, research, and clinical service. It is committed to train physical therapists to restore physical function and performance, to prevent physical injury and disease, to promote wellness, and to advance rehabilitation science. The curriculum is geared toward providing quality education that offers opportunities for lifelong learning at multiple academic and professional levels, upholding the highest standards of professional behavior through conscientious ethical decisions, increasing awareness, visibility and recognition of profession of physical therapy, and fostering leadership among faculty and students for physical therapy practice, education, and research.

The College of Nursing envisions having graduate nurses who can function effectively in any setting expected of his/her profession and who can continuously strive for optimum level of competency and leadership toward global competitiveness. It is committed to provide a sound professional foundation for the acquisition of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values which are rooted in Christian faith. The curriculum is geared toward the development of a fully-functioning professional nurse in any setting capable of rendering safe, efficient, effective, and compassionate services for promotion of health, prevention of illness, alleviation of suffering and restoration of health, and the utilization of research to contribute to global competitiveness.

The College of Medical Technology envisions a quality laboratory service through quality education. The college is committed to the pursuit of quality laboratory service by providing a holistic education and training for maximum development of the student’s potential through the acquisition of basic knowledge, skills, attitude, and values for character formation, community awareness, and spiritual growth. The goals of the college are to maximize the student’s potential by engaging them in activities which would stimulate their creativity, imagination and sense of scientific inquiry; to inculcate positive values, sense of commitment to work, compassion and concern for others; to initiate and establish intellectually that accuracy, reliability, and precision during an actual work is the major protocol of this profession; and to graduate a knowledgeable, well-rounded, and humane professionals in the field of Medical Technology. The college prepares to open a ladderized program for BS Medical Technology Course for the next school year upon the approval of the CHED office of the PASMETH proposal.

The School of Midwifery envisions a reputable school that help uplift the health status of the Filipino through safe motherhood by developing integrally formed, highly disciplined, and professionally competent midwives. The school seeks to help the country uplift the health status of the Filipino through safe motherhood. It hopes to increase awareness of the students regarding plight of pregnant women and help them appreciate the importance of family solidarity through community health programs. It aims to provide its students the solid foundation for its graduates to gain degree of competence. Overall, it is the mission of the School of Midwifery to provide a high standard midwifery education that is both the profession and the country as a whole.

The Caregiver Course envisions excellence in the course with graduates whose care is globally competitive. The course is committed to provide quality education and appropriate skills, knowledge, and attitude to be relevant and responsive to the global demands of health care. The course is now on its Batch 30, with on-going enrollment for Batch 31. It has one hundred percent TESDA passers. Almost thirty percent of the students are PGMA scholars. The students have their clinical and home based rotations. Most of the graduates are locally employed; and some are now working in Hong Kong, Canada, London, Netherland, and Taiwan.

The Medical Transcription Course commits to develop a morally upright, culturally enriched, and globally competitive Medical Transcribers. The course hopes to provide a sound learning environment for knowledgeable and technically prepared Medical Transcribers mindful of their moral obligations. The course now has its third batch.

The General Education Program ensures students with perceived general education as unified and related curriculum, courses within the general education curriculum should share certain components so that students clearly recognize common threads woven into the tapestry of their educational experience. The program is designed to ensure that students acquire a broad understanding of mankind’s cultural heritage in both the arts and sciences, think logically, critically, and creatively; communicate clearly and effectively, and develop skills, values, and attitudes essential to living meaningful and responsible lives.

Source: Manila Bulletin Online

 
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