History

 Organized medicine in the Philippines traces its origin to 1902 when a group of 8 Americans and 2 Filipinos met to form the Manila Medical Society at the Office of the Government Laboratory. The charter members of the MMS were Paul Casper Freer, William Everett Musgrave, Richard Pearson Strong, John Donelan, Oscar Tague, Bowman C. Crowell, Victor Heiser and John R. McDill, who holds the distinct privilege of being its first president. Dr. Trinidad Pardo de Tavera and Dr. Jose Albert were the first Filipino members of the Society.

The sanitation of the City as well as the health of the inhabitants was an early concern of the American military authorities. Problems of excreta disposal in the rivers, flooding during rains and overcrowding in “interiors”, which were the forerunners of our squatters, were rampant. Smallpox, cholera, yaws and leprosy were the leading diseases.

With the exception of the period of the War when meetings were prohibited there has been an active medical society in the City. The Manila Medical Society served as the forerunner of the then Philippine Islands Medical Association, now Philippine Medical Association, which it precedes by one year two months and 6 days. While its by-laws have been changed several times, the basic goals of organized medicine in Manila has remained unchanged. The Society was formed to sustain quality medical practice and to serve the citizens of Manila and it continues to seek those goals today.

Mission Statement and Priorities

The Manila Medical Society being an organization of physicians, has as its mission to recognize the health care needs of the community; foster the delivery of appropriate, efficient, ethical and effective health care,to assist its members, and to maintain the quality and image of the profession.

Priority issues for the Society are its 1) indigency services; 2) environmental sanitation; and 3) continuing professional education.

As it marches onward to its next one hundred years, it will continue to seek new paradigms that are timely and relevant to the needs of its physician members and the community which it serves.

For this year, it has adopted the theme: “MMS Physicians Meeting the Challenges of Nation Building”.The Society hopes to become an active part in 1) regulatory and legislative representation; 2) assistance in practicing in a managed care environment; 3) promoting preventive care, and 4) improving the image of the physician in the community.

This website is a step towards achieving this goals. It will serve as link to members, as well as, a means for promoting IEC materials to patients and non-members.


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