Physical therapy in the Philippines
The history of physical therapy in the Philippines relates how physical therapy started in the Philippines and how it evolved as a profession through three significant phases in the history of the Philippines: from the American era leading to the Japanese occupation of the islands during World War II, and up to the modern-day time period of the independent Philippine Republics. It was introduced in the Philippines ahead of rehabilitation medicine.
American era (1898–1946)
University of Santo Tomas
Physical therapy training in the Philippines, in its early form, started when the Department of Medicine of the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery of the University of Santo Tomas established the Section of Electrotherapeutics during school year of 1908–1909, under the directorship of Dr. Bonito Valdes. The assistant director was Eulalio Martines and the professor of Therapeutics and Electrotherapy was Dr. Ignacio Valdes. In 1916, the curriculum used by the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery at the University of Santo Tomas to teach physiotherapy was alongside teaching radiography.Sternberg General Hospital
In August 1938, there was one US Army physical therapist assigned at the Sternberg General Hospital in Manila.Philippine General Hospital
In 1949, the Philippine General Hospital established its own Physiotherapy Section under the management of the Department of Radiology.Independent Philippine-Republics era (1946–present)
Schools of physical therapy
Undergraduate level
After the relocation of the Philippine Orthopedic Center in 1963 from Mandaluyong, Rizal to Quezon City, courses on physical therapy and occupational therapy courses were pioneered and introduced by Benjamin V. Tamesis, the then chief physician of the hospital. The two courses were later absorbed by the College of Medicine of the University of the Philippines, later transformed first as the School of Allied Medical Professions and then as the College of Allied Medical Professions. At one time, the UP SAMP was the only university in the Philippines offering a bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy.In June 1974, a course in Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy was offered by the Institute of Physical Therapy and the College of Rehabilitation Sciences of the University of Santo Tomas. During the time, the first two years of the four-year course was managed by the College of Science. The next two years was administered by the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery. There were 14 students who later graduated in 1977. The four-year course became a five-year course starting the school year of 1988–1989. The Institute became an autonomous entity within UST on December 15, 1993, converting the title of its head into a dean. The five-year academic program was designed to train aspiring allied medical professionals, such as physical therapist clinicians who would like to work in hospitals, out-patient physical therapy clinics, athletic and sports training facilities, skilled nursing facilities, hospices, corporate and industrial settings. In 1976, Virgen Milagrosa Institute located north of Manila, began offering the course in physical therapy which later converted to Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Therapy. In 1993, the San Juan de Dios Hospital and College began to offer a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy course with Dr. Bee Giok Tan-Sales as the founder and dean.
As of 2011, among the notable schools of physical therapy in the Philippines were the Angeles University Foundation, Emilio Aguinaldo College, Universidad De Manila, University of Philippines-Manila Campus, the University of Santo Tomas, the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation, the Cebu Doctors University, the De La Salle University- Health Sciences Institute, the Far Eastern University-Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation, the Mariano Marcos State University-Batac Campus, the Velez College, the Saint Jude College-Manila Campus, and the Iloilo Doctors' College.