1904: A private review class for pharmacy students was institutionalized as the Escuela de Farmacia del Liceo de Manila, the first school of Pharmacy run by Filipinos, in 1904 with Dr. Alexander Albert as Founder and Director. Classes are conducted in the building later occupied by Avenue Theater in Rizal Avenue, Manila. Dr. Albert held the school directorship until 1908.
1908: The Escuela produced its first batch of graduates – among them Filomena Francisco Guerrero and Matilde Arquiza Arroyo, the first Filipina Pharmacists.
1913: Filemon D. Tanchoco (B.S. Pharmacy, 1910) placed second in the Pharmacy Board Exams.
1915: With a steady increase in enrollment, the Escuela was transformed into Manila College of Pharmacy(MCP) with Alfredo Guerrero, Antonio C. Llamas, Feliciano Paterno, and Atty. Filemon D. Tanchoco, as incorporators. The school was authorized to confer post graduate and doctoral degrees in Pharmacy. The College was housed in a new building at the corner of Oroquieta and Zurbaran in Manila. With Dr. Leon Ma. Guerrero appointed as the country’s representative to the Panama Pacific Exposition, Dr. Albert became school director.
1918: The Pharmacy profession reached new heights around 1000 registered drugstores, boticas, and farmacias,in the country, 229 of them in Manila and suburbs. Many prominent pharmacies were graduates of the MCP.
1920: In a landmark case that put the integrity of the nascent pharmacy industry on the line, Atty. Filemon D. Tanchoco took the cudgels for the Filipino Pharmacist. He defended a group of pharmacists accused by the American government of selling adulterated preparations-based on the U.S. Pharmacopea and the National Formulary and of violating the Drug Law. Shortly thereafter, the Philippine Pharmaceutical Association was established.
1926: Construction began on a new building at the corner of Mayhaligue and Felix Huertas in Manila.
1929: The College of Dentistry was founded in response to a long felt need for the training of the youth for dental services. The institution became the Manila College of Pharmacy and Dentistry. Dr. Genaro Felizardo, who organized the college, served as acting head of college until appointment of Dr. Jose Francisco as the first dean. The opening of the College of Dentistry was the first step in the founders’ program of expansion and in affording the youth as institution devoted solely to the teaching and development of science courses.
1936: The college started developing competencies in mineral analysis with the creation of the mineral assaying department.
1938: The College began offering secondary education through Albert High School. The College started making laundry soap and later produces medicated soap.
1941: The College closed its doors as the Second World War breakes out. Japanese forces occupied its buildings and systematically looted its extensive facilities, laboratory, equipment, museum, among others, leaving only the shell of its two buildings.
1945 : The demise of two founders and the incapacitation of two others leave Atty. Tanchoco with the awesome task of reviving the College. Mustering their savings and energy, he and his wife Purificacion Gallego-Tanchoco, reopened the school with a new wing- the College of Liberal Arts. Classes started with tables and chairs made of bamboo and pinewood from crates. With Dr. Alfredo Guerrero as Dean, the school was renamed the Manila College of Pharmacy and Liberal Arts.
1946: Further expansion followed with the setting up of the College of Education, the Normal Department and the Elementary Department. The Board of Trustees reorganized the College into the Manila Central Colleges (MCC) with Atty. Filemon Tanchoco as Chairman and Dr. Alfredo L. Guerrero as the Dean of the College of Pharmacy. The Liberal Arts and Education colleges and the Normal Department were grouped under the Allied Colleges. Acting Dean Magdaleno Arellano was succeeded by Dr. Eugenia Reus-Beucler, an alumna, a year later.
1947: Responding to an appeal from students and community to continue operating the Afable College of Medicine and Surgery after the death of its founder, MCC acquired its facilities. Thus, MCC’s College of Medicine was born, with Dr. Alfredo Guerrero as the first Dean. The College of Nursing was opened after the Bureau of Private Schools granted MCC the permit to operate the first year of a four- year course. Permit to operate subsequent years of the course were secured thereafter. The Graduate School in Business Administration was also established, the only one of its kind focusing on scientific management, to offer the degrees of Master in Business Administration and later, Master in Public Administration. Dr. Leon Ma. Gonzales is the first Dean.
1948: Now with a diversity of approved courses, the MCC was granted the authority to become a bona fide university. Henceforth the institution was known as the Manila Central University. Atty. Tanchoco is the first MCU President.
1949: MCU acquired the Novitiate of San Jose in Caloocan with the end in view of eventually relocating the entire university there. The former novitiate building was renovated to house the College of Medicine. The 10-hectare campus was inaugurated in the same year. Not long afterwards, the MCU Hospital, Nurses’ Home, gymnasium and auditorium were constructed there as well. MCU conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Pedagogy on Dr. Luther B. Bewley, Adviser on Education Matters of the Office of the President.
1951: The College of Nursing was authorized to offer full four- year nursing course
1953: The Graduate Pharmacy building was erected. It housed the Industrial Pharmacy and Research Laboratory, the only one of its kind in the Far East. MCU conferred the degree of Doctor of Pharmacy honoris causa to Primo Arambulo.
1954: MCU’s Industrial Pharmacy and Research Laboratory was featured on the cover and editorial of the July 1954 issue of the American Journal of Pharmacy as well as in the August 1954 issue of the Pharmacy International. President Ramon Magsaysay received the degree of Doctor of Sciences in Public Health, honoris causa.
1955: The School of Midwifery was established.
1959: The College of Optometry was established, opening a new avenue of excellence in health science-based education.
1962: The MCU Medical Alumni Association was formed to foster fellowship and to promote the school spirit and camaraderie among the University’s medical graduates. Dr. Manuel S. Dijamco served as first MCUMAA president.
1963: Far and wide, the entire MCU family mourned the passing of the patriarch, Atty. Filemon D. Tanchoco.
1964: Purificacion Gallego-Tanchoco became MCU’s second president. In line with the trends of the time, MCU started offering BS Medical Technology as a subsidiary to the College of Pharmacy
1966: The Graduate Education Division offered masteral studies in Education. Luningning Tanchoco-Estanislao assumed post as Administrator of MCU Hospital.
1908: The Escuela produced its first batch of graduates – among them Filomena Francisco Guerrero and Matilde Arquiza Arroyo, the first Filipina Pharmacists.
1913: Filemon D. Tanchoco (B.S. Pharmacy, 1910) placed second in the Pharmacy Board Exams.
1915: With a steady increase in enrollment, the Escuela was transformed into Manila College of Pharmacy(MCP) with Alfredo Guerrero, Antonio C. Llamas, Feliciano Paterno, and Atty. Filemon D. Tanchoco, as incorporators. The school was authorized to confer post graduate and doctoral degrees in Pharmacy. The College was housed in a new building at the corner of Oroquieta and Zurbaran in Manila. With Dr. Leon Ma. Guerrero appointed as the country’s representative to the Panama Pacific Exposition, Dr. Albert became school director.
1918: The Pharmacy profession reached new heights around 1000 registered drugstores, boticas, and farmacias,in the country, 229 of them in Manila and suburbs. Many prominent pharmacies were graduates of the MCP.
1920: In a landmark case that put the integrity of the nascent pharmacy industry on the line, Atty. Filemon D. Tanchoco took the cudgels for the Filipino Pharmacist. He defended a group of pharmacists accused by the American government of selling adulterated preparations-based on the U.S. Pharmacopea and the National Formulary and of violating the Drug Law. Shortly thereafter, the Philippine Pharmaceutical Association was established.
1926: Construction began on a new building at the corner of Mayhaligue and Felix Huertas in Manila.
1929: The College of Dentistry was founded in response to a long felt need for the training of the youth for dental services. The institution became the Manila College of Pharmacy and Dentistry. Dr. Genaro Felizardo, who organized the college, served as acting head of college until appointment of Dr. Jose Francisco as the first dean. The opening of the College of Dentistry was the first step in the founders’ program of expansion and in affording the youth as institution devoted solely to the teaching and development of science courses.
1936: The college started developing competencies in mineral analysis with the creation of the mineral assaying department.
1938: The College began offering secondary education through Albert High School. The College started making laundry soap and later produces medicated soap.
1941: The College closed its doors as the Second World War breakes out. Japanese forces occupied its buildings and systematically looted its extensive facilities, laboratory, equipment, museum, among others, leaving only the shell of its two buildings.
1945 : The demise of two founders and the incapacitation of two others leave Atty. Tanchoco with the awesome task of reviving the College. Mustering their savings and energy, he and his wife Purificacion Gallego-Tanchoco, reopened the school with a new wing- the College of Liberal Arts. Classes started with tables and chairs made of bamboo and pinewood from crates. With Dr. Alfredo Guerrero as Dean, the school was renamed the Manila College of Pharmacy and Liberal Arts.
1946: Further expansion followed with the setting up of the College of Education, the Normal Department and the Elementary Department. The Board of Trustees reorganized the College into the Manila Central Colleges (MCC) with Atty. Filemon Tanchoco as Chairman and Dr. Alfredo L. Guerrero as the Dean of the College of Pharmacy. The Liberal Arts and Education colleges and the Normal Department were grouped under the Allied Colleges. Acting Dean Magdaleno Arellano was succeeded by Dr. Eugenia Reus-Beucler, an alumna, a year later.
1947: Responding to an appeal from students and community to continue operating the Afable College of Medicine and Surgery after the death of its founder, MCC acquired its facilities. Thus, MCC’s College of Medicine was born, with Dr. Alfredo Guerrero as the first Dean. The College of Nursing was opened after the Bureau of Private Schools granted MCC the permit to operate the first year of a four- year course. Permit to operate subsequent years of the course were secured thereafter. The Graduate School in Business Administration was also established, the only one of its kind focusing on scientific management, to offer the degrees of Master in Business Administration and later, Master in Public Administration. Dr. Leon Ma. Gonzales is the first Dean.
1948: Now with a diversity of approved courses, the MCC was granted the authority to become a bona fide university. Henceforth the institution was known as the Manila Central University. Atty. Tanchoco is the first MCU President.
1949: MCU acquired the Novitiate of San Jose in Caloocan with the end in view of eventually relocating the entire university there. The former novitiate building was renovated to house the College of Medicine. The 10-hectare campus was inaugurated in the same year. Not long afterwards, the MCU Hospital, Nurses’ Home, gymnasium and auditorium were constructed there as well. MCU conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Pedagogy on Dr. Luther B. Bewley, Adviser on Education Matters of the Office of the President.
1951: The College of Nursing was authorized to offer full four- year nursing course
1953: The Graduate Pharmacy building was erected. It housed the Industrial Pharmacy and Research Laboratory, the only one of its kind in the Far East. MCU conferred the degree of Doctor of Pharmacy honoris causa to Primo Arambulo.
1954: MCU’s Industrial Pharmacy and Research Laboratory was featured on the cover and editorial of the July 1954 issue of the American Journal of Pharmacy as well as in the August 1954 issue of the Pharmacy International. President Ramon Magsaysay received the degree of Doctor of Sciences in Public Health, honoris causa.
1955: The School of Midwifery was established.
1959: The College of Optometry was established, opening a new avenue of excellence in health science-based education.
1962: The MCU Medical Alumni Association was formed to foster fellowship and to promote the school spirit and camaraderie among the University’s medical graduates. Dr. Manuel S. Dijamco served as first MCUMAA president.
1963: Far and wide, the entire MCU family mourned the passing of the patriarch, Atty. Filemon D. Tanchoco.
1964: Purificacion Gallego-Tanchoco became MCU’s second president. In line with the trends of the time, MCU started offering BS Medical Technology as a subsidiary to the College of Pharmacy
1966: The Graduate Education Division offered masteral studies in Education. Luningning Tanchoco-Estanislao assumed post as Administrator of MCU Hospital.
