The hospital fell to its knees with its operations severely compromised during the turbulence that was World War II. Yet we still see acts of heroism that makes for CGH’s gloried past: The hospital doing its duty despite a skeletal crew, its high-ranking officials becoming POWs, and, in the bombing of Manila during the final days of the war in 1945, admitting over 500 wounded patients despite lack of space – turning corridors and hallways as makeshift wards.
The 1950s will see the resurgence of a new dawn for the hospital with refurbishments and improvements of its façade and facilities. We follow its continued expansion through the 60s, 70s and 80s with the construction of more buildings, including the CGHMC Colleges.
The Japanese Invasion in World War II led to the fleeing of the Chinese from Manila for fear of persecution. Prominent Chinese personalities and CGH Directors left the hospital operations to a skeleton crew composed of “the Principal, the Chief Nurse, some graduate and some student nurses, two junior resident physicians and some male helpers”.
In the Liberation of Manila, the understaffed hospital accommodated the casualties of war and toiled to provide the medical and surgical care expected of a hospital. Despite overfilling the hospital with patients, and bearing the physical scars of the war, she persevered and continued to minister to the individuals who trooped to her doors.
The apathy of post-war mentality lingered and services of the Chinese Hospital suffered until rehabilitation efforts to revive the hospital were started. By 1948, a new Charity Pavilion was constructed across the main hospital and in 1950 a refurbished CGH was inaugurated. At this time, Dr. Pedro Mayuga, the Director of the Philippine Bureau of Medical Services of the DOH approved the hospital for training and teaching and medical luminaries took part in these activities. The CGH was well on its way to being a first -in-class medical facility.
Urged on by the clamor of services for a resurgent population and buoyed by donations from a generous Chinese Community, the next four decades saw the progress and improvements of the buildings, facilities and professional development of the CGH. The one story Cu-Unjieng Chest Pavilion in 1953, the Cheng Tsai Jun Memorial 100-bed Charity Ward in 1967, the addition of a second floor to the Cu-Unjieng Chest Pavilion in 1968 for the TB and Infectious Disease patients (the Annex building housing our present Covid ER Triage and RT-PCR Testing site).
The present (Main) Building 1 was completed in 1969 followed by the 3-storey Emergency Room Building in 1971, the 6 storey School of Nursing in 1975 and the 6 storey, L-shaped Annex to the Main building (now Building 2) in 1983.
- The present (Main) Building 1 was completed in 1969 followed by the 3-storey Emergency Room Building in 1971, the 6 storey School of Nursing in 1975 and the 6 storey, L-shaped Annex to the Main building (now Building 2) in 1983.
Annex Building TB & Infectious Disease Pavilion Marker, Annex down lobby
(Reference: The Story of the Chinese General Hospital by Willie T. Ong, MD)
