Fe Del Mundo
(November 27, 1911 – August 6, 2011)
Group members:
Patrick Andaya
Ianne Miguel
Christine Palma
Mia Vitug
Cyrish Malubay
Charles Verdad
Cielo Grino
Randy Beros
Daryl Yu
Dianne Mabasa
Abstract:
Fe del Mundo, a well know pediatrician and scientist, has played an important role in the development of Pediatrics here in the Philippines. This paper aims to discuss Dr. Del Mundo, starting from her early life up until her death, together with her meaningful contributions and the awards that she acquired.
(November 27, 1911 – August 6, 2011)
Group members:
Patrick Andaya
Ianne Miguel
Christine Palma
Mia Vitug
Cyrish Malubay
Charles Verdad
Cielo Grino
Randy Beros
Daryl Yu
Dianne Mabasa
Abstract:
Fe del Mundo, a well know pediatrician and scientist, has played an important role in the development of Pediatrics here in the Philippines. This paper aims to discuss Dr. Del Mundo, starting from her early life up until her death, together with her meaningful contributions and the awards that she acquired.
Personal Life
Fe Del Mundo was the 6th of eight children of Bernardo Del Mundo and Paz Del Mundo. They lived in Intramuros, just near the manila cathedral. Her father, who was a lawyer of Marinduque, thaught his children how important it was to have high standards in life. He also showed them that independence and education is significant to have as a person. Her mother trained the kids diligence by making them wake up at 4am and do chores. Sadly when Fe turned 10 years old, her mother passed away.
Growing up, one of her sister died because of having Appendicitis. Her sister wanted to become a doctor someday and after her death, Fe decided that she will pursue this career in her sister's honor. Her three other siblings grew up to also become doctors themselves. Salvador, her brother, had a Ph. D. in Chemistry and became one of the top leading scientists in the Philipines. One sister (Carmen) had a doctoral degree, was a pharmasist, and an educator; another sister (Corazon) became a dentist.
Learning discipline, persistence and the value of education from her parents, Fe del Mundo and her other four (surviving) siblings were high achievers. Fe del Mundo attended her early years at the Intramuros Elementary School and Manila High School. At the early age of 15, she attended the University of the Philippines and became a graduate of Associate in Arts at 17. She then took up a 5-year Medical degree at the same institution and graduated in 1933. She was the graduate with the highest honors and awarded as the "Most Outstanding Scholar in Medicine" by the Colegio Medico-Farmaceutico de Filipinas.
After her graduation, she took her board exam and placed third in the medical board of examinations. She then took a job as an assistant clinical pathologist at her uncle’s laboratory, tutored students in mathematics, worked as a medical examiner for the National Life Insurance Company, lecturer in Centro Escolar University and St. Luke’s School of Nursing. (Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, 1997)
She was a pediatrician who contributed a lot in Pediatrics. According to the Magsaysay Awardees Digital Collection, Fe del Mundo expanded the role for Filipino pediatricians to encourage the people to live a healthy life and to start preventing the different diseases that
gradually spreading around. She adopted the international treatment for diarrhoea, which was called BRAT (Banana, Rice, Apple, Tea) Diet that have benefited and saved millions of children around the world. She had lots of roles in the society during her time, like being a practitioner, administrator, organizer, teacher, scholar, researcher, and author (Chua, 2013)
Many doctors at that time went to the US to continue their specialization in different field of Medicine. Fe del Mundo worked hard to acquire a scholarship grant for any medical school in the US. President Manuel L. Quezon offered her a full scholarship at any medical school and she chose Harvard University.
At that time, the student body of Harvard University did not accept any female students. If the faculty tries to consider any female applicants, the male students would protest that “whenever a woman proved herself capable of intellectual achievement, the area in question ceased to constitute an honor to the men who had previously prized it” (Matriculation of Women: 1871 – 1920). When Harvard University received Fe del Mundo’s application, the officials overlooked her gender and unknowingly enrolled her in the University. The mistake was realized when she arrived in Boston and found herself in an all-male dormitory. The head of pediatrics told that her record was strong and they had no reason to turn her away, thus, making her the First Female Student in Harvard. In addition, she was the only female student at that time.
After Harvard University, Dr. Fe del Mundo continued her postgraduate studies in Columbia University and Mount Sinai Hospital. She returned in Boston and took a Master’s Degree in Bacteriology in Boston University in 1940. She also took classes in Public Health at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). All her expenses were covered by the scholarship grant from the Philippine government. (Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, 1997)
Beside from being the first Filipino woman and the first female to be enrolled at Harvard Medical School, she was also the first Filipino Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatrics. Fe del Mundo was appointed as the the first lady president of the Philippine Pediatric Society and served for three terms from 1951 to 1953. She was the founder and first president of the Philippine Woman's Medical Association from 1949 to 1954, the first woman to be elected president from
1969 to 1970 of the Philippine Medical Association in its 65-year history. She is also the first Asian to be voted president of the Medical Woman's International Association from 1962 to 1966, and was on the Advisory Board of the International Pediatric Association from 1966 to 1970.
Dr. Fe del Mundo sat on the National Research Council. She was also the Expert Advisory Committee on Maternal and Child Health of the World Health Organization (WHO). Fe del Mundo wanted to build a medical center, which focuses in the development of the preventive medicine and would include research facilities and a program for delivering medical services to the rural areas where most of the Filipinos live. It was the reason why she opened the Children’s Home in a small Red Cross Building on January 10, 1942 with the help of Albert Holland, one of her leaders during internship (Magsaysay Awardees Digital Collection).
Fe del mundo worked in many medical institutions. She was once the Chairman of Pediatrics at the Far Eastern University. Besides Children’s Home, she also founded the Children’s Medical Center and the Institute of Maternal and Child Health. She was also the director of the City of Manila Children's Hospital, which eventually turned into North General Hospital and now known as the Jose Reyes Memorial Hospital. She wrote more than 150 scientific articles and became the editor-in-chief of the Textbook of Pediatrics and Child Health. For about twenty years, she has written a weekly health column for the Sunday Times Magazine of the Philippines. (Chua, 2003)
Dr. Fe del Mundo was a professor in Far Eastern University and Professor Emeritus of the said institution. She also served in various organizations like the Mental Health Association and the University of the Philippines Medical Alumni Society. She has published regularly in the journal of Philippine Medical Women's Association, Nutrition News, Philippine Journal of Pediatrics, and journal of the Philippine Medical Association. She was doing it since 1941. She also wrote in the Manila Sunday Times Magazine a weekly column for 20 years entitled “Baby and You”, a column which gave advice and guidance to parents for the prevention of childhood ailments.
Works and Awards
Fe del Mundo is a very remarkable person not just because of her educational attainments, but also because of her contributions in medicine and the awards she received.
She was a pediatrician who contributed a lot in Pediatrics. According to the Magsaysay Awardees Digital Collection, Fe del Mundo expanded the role for Filipino pediatricians to encourage the people to live a healthy life and to start preventing the different diseases that gradually spreading around. Another statement, according to Chua (2003), she adopted the international treatment for diarrhea which was called BRAT (Banana, Rice, Apple, Tea) Diet that have benefited and saved millions of children around the world. She had lots of roles in the society during her time, like being a practitioner, administrator, organizer, teacher, scholar, researcher, and author.
Another interesting fact mentioned by Chua (2003) was Fe del Mundo was an intellectual woman with many “firsts.” Beside from being the first Filipino woman and the first female to be enrolled at Harvard Medical School, she was also the first Filipino Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatrics, the first lady president of the Philippine Pediatric Society nd served for three terms from 1951 to 1953, founder and first president of the Philippine Woman's Medical Association from 1949 to 1954, the first woman to be elected president from 1969 to 1970 of the Philippine Medical Association in its 65-year history, the first Asian to be voted president of the Medical Woman's International Association from 1962 to 1966, and was on the Advisory Board of the International Pediatric Association from 1966 to 1970. According to the Magsaysay Awardees Digital Collection, she sat on the National Research Council. She was also the Expert Advisory Committee on Maternal and Child Health of the World Health Organization (WHO). Fe del Mundo wanted to build a medical center which would focus in the development of the preventive medicine and would include research facilities and a program for delivering medical services to the rural areas where most of the Filipinos live so she opened the Children’s Home in a small Red Cross Building on January 10, 1942 with the help of Albert Holland, one of her leaders during internship.
Fe del mundo worked in many medical institutions. She was once the Chairman of Pediatrics at the Far Eastern University. Besides Children’s Home, she also founded the Children’s Medical Center and the Institute of Maternal and Child Health. She was also the director of the City of Manila Children's Hospital, which eventually turned into North General Hospital and now known as the Jose Reyes Memorial Hospital. She wrote more than 150 scientific articles and became the editor-in-chief of the Textbook of Pediatrics and Child Health. For about twenty years, she has written a weekly health column for the Sunday Times Magazine of the Philippines. (Chua, 2003)
Magsaysay Awardees Digital Collection also explained the teaching career of Fe del Mundo. Accordingto it, she was a professor in Far Eastern University and Professor Emeritus of the said institution. She also served in various oraganizations like the Mental Health Association and the University of the Philippines Medical Alumni Society. Her writing career was also mentioned. It stated that del Mundo has published regularly in the journal of Philippine Medical Women's Association, Nutrition News, Philippine Journal of Pediatrics, and journal of the Philippine Medical Association. She was doing it since 1941. She also wrote in the Manila Sunday Times Magazine a weekly column for 20 years entitled “Baby and You”, a column which gave advice and guidance to parents for the prevention of childhood ailments.
Because of her great contributions in her field, she received many awards which proved how amazing she was.
According to the Magsaysay Awardees Digital Collection, she got the Award of Merit as “Founder and First Director of the North General Hospital” in 1948, Diploma of Merit for “Recognized Leadership as a Medical Researcher and Organizer for significant contributions tn the field of National and International
Pediatric Medicine” by the Philippine Federation of Private Medical Practitioners in 1959, Most distinguished alumnus for 1960 award from the University of the Philippines Medical Alumni Society, Presidential Award of Merit by the Civic Assembly of Women of the Philippines in 1961, Award of Merit for her lasting contributions to the art and science of medicine especially in the field of pediatrics by the Philippine Pediatric Society in 1963, Distinguished service award by the Philippine Medical Association in 1964, Elizabeth Blackwell Award presented to women doctors of world renown by Hobart and William Smith College in Geneva, New York, Most Outstanding Woman in Medicine by the Federacion International de Abogadas in 1968, Most Distinguished Alumna of the University of the Philippines by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association in 1972, Honorary Doctorates of Science from Medical Women's College of Pennsylvania and Smith College in the United States in 1970, Ayala Science Award in Medical Science for 1974 and in 1977, and Most Distinguished Pediatrician and Humanitarian Award from the International Pediatric Association.
She was indeed a great scientists who contributed a lot in the field of Pediatrics that produced a lot of benefits for the people. She deserved all the awards she received and we should all honor Fe del Mundo for her great works that even us could experience in the present days.
1933 - Most Outstanding Scholar in Medicine in the Philippines
1948- Merit as “Founder and First Director of the North General Hospital”
1959 - Diploma of Merit for “Recognized Leadership as a Medical Researcher and Organizer and [for] Significant Contributions in the Field of National and International Pediatric Medicine” by the Philippine Federation of Private Medical Practitioners
1960 - Most Distinguished Alumnus for 1960 Award from the University of the Philippines Medical Alumni Society
1961 - Presidential Award of Merit by the Civic Assembly of Women of the Philippines
1963 - Award of Merit “for her lasting contribution to the art and science of medicine especially in the field of pediatrics” by the Philippine Pediatric Society
1964 - Distinguished Service Award by the Philippine Medical Association
1966 - Elizabeth Blackwell Award Hobart and William Smith College in Geneva, New York.
1968 - Most Outstanding Woman in Medicine by the Federacion International de Abogadas
1972 - Most Distinguished Alumna of the University of the Philippines by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association
1974 – became Professor Emeritus of FEU
1974 - Ayala Science Award in Medical Science
1977 - Ramon Magsaysay award for public service by a private citizen
1977 - Most Distinguished Pediatrician and Humanitarian Award by the International Pediatric Association
1977 - 15th International Congress of Pediatrics award as most outstanding pediatrician and humanitarian
1980 - Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Award 1980 - conferred the rank and title of National Scientist of the Philippines 2010 - conferred the Order of Lakandula with the rank of Bayani by Former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
2011 - conferred the Grand Collar (Maringal Na Kuwintas) of the Order of the Golden Heart” by President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino
Media
Audio-Video Presentation on Dr. Fe Del Mundo during BCTA Awarding Ceremonies (Aug 2008)
Courtesy of Youtube, with permission from Vernes Go, video owner.
President Aquino's speech in honor of Dr. Fe Del Mundo
Courtesy of Youtube, with permission from Radio Television Malacanang, video owner.
References
Magsaysay Awardees Digital Collection. Official biography of Dr. Fe del Mundo from the Ramon Magsaysay Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.gov.ph/banner-artwork/fe-del-mundo/
Chua, P. (2003). A woman for all seasons: A tribute to a great teacher. Heart to Heart Talk. Retrieved from http://www.feu-nrmf.ph/drchua/pdf/F/FedelMundo.pdf
Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation. Fe del Mundo| Biography (1997). Retrieved from http://www.rmaf.org.ph/newrmaf/main/awardees/awardee/biography/190
Harvard Medical School, Joint Committee on the Status of Women. Matriculation of Women: 1871 – 1920. Retrieved from http://hms.harvard.edu/departments/joint-committee-status-women/resources/interesting-reports/matriculation-women-harvard-medical-school/1871-1920
Gallardo, Ester. 2011. “Dr. Fe del Mundo died at 99, received Grand Collar Presidential Award.” http://tuklasinnatin.wordpress.com/2011/09/17/dr-fe-del-mundo-died-at-99-received-grand-collar-presidential-award/. May 20, 2014
Salaverria, Leila. 2011. “Beautiful life as a doctor to generation of kids; 99.” Philippine Daily Inquirer. http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/37419/beautiful-life-as-doctor-to-generations-of-kids-99. May 20, 2014
“National Scientist Fe del Mundo: Grand Dame of Philippine Pediatrics and Medicine, 99.” http://www.nast.ph/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=299:national-scientist-fe-del-mundo-grand-dame-of-philippine-pediatrics-and-medicine-99&catid=1:news. May 20, 2014
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