Petition to rename Upper Valley Community Hospital to Dr. Juan P. Rosete Memorial Hospital


There is a petition requesting the provincial government of South Cotabato to consider renaming the under construction Upper Valley Community Hospital  to Dr. Juan P. Rosete Memorial Hospital in honor of the late Dr. Juan P. Rosete, M.D. FPAFP. 

The Upper Valley Community Hospital is an extension facility of the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital (SCPH) located in Brgy. Dajay, Surallah,  South Cotabato. (construction updates here)

The petition states that Dr. Rosete is a public servant who have dedicated more than half of his lifetime in furtherance of health services for the Filipino people, more particularly, South Cotabateños, and the early pioneer-settlers in the Province of South Cotabato.

To know more about Dr. Rosete, here is an article about his life and works sent to SouthCotabatoNews.Com through our email.
Dr. Rosete: A Noble Man Worth Remembering
It’s a good thing that there’s this man named Dr. Juan Pobre Rosete who was blessed with a pure heart because he had eagerly served his fellowmen with his entire life. But now a question lingers in everyone’s mind: How can a noble person like him be remembered even when he’s gone ahead of us? 
Aren’t we familiar of Rizal Street and Magsaysay Park? Just enumerate all the places or any public establishments which were named after the Presidents or National Heroes and you’ll found out that one thing are common among them: the people behind it had significant contribution to the nation. 
Dr. Juan Pobre Rosete illustrates a perfect example of a man worthy of recognition. Born in Paoay, Ilocos Norte, this child was like any other ordinary child but his innocence on the outside world was filled up with reality which made him decide to choose a career that he knew could make a difference. During his early childhood year, an incident happened when he broke his arm which made him wish to be a doctor. Not so long when he pursued his dream. He took up his pre-medicine at UP College of Liberal Arts in 1929 then proceeded to medicine proper at UST and graduated in 1934. In May 1934, he passed the Board of Medical Examiners. And in 1936, he also passed the Competitive Examinations for Commission in the Medical Corps, Reserve with relatively standing no. 14 among 400 applicants. By then, he was commissioned as First Lieutenant, Medical Corps, Reserve. In 1940, he also passed the Junior Hospital Physician. 
Dr. Rosete was outstanding in terms of his medical profession. His first experience was in the military where he was a medical inspector from 1936 to 1938. In 1938 to 1941, he tried all government jobs such as in Charity Sweepstakes, Bureau of Public Works and Bureau of Education. He was also a Teacher Physician in Baybay National Agricultural School at Leyte in 1940. At that time, war broke and he met the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life. It was Jan 1944 when he got married to Perpetua Ortega even at the height of war. In 1941 to 1946, he was assigned as Regimental Surgeon in the Leyte Area Command, 95th Infantry, and later on 94th Infantry then to 96th Infantry USAFFE. As a guerilla, he was assigned to “No Mans Land” where he treated casualties in the field as well as civilians injured. After the war, by 1947, he was appointed as Medical Officer in Banga Settlement District wherein he treated settlers in a mini hospital. He made a petition signed by settlers asking President Quirino to develop Koronadal Allah Valley under the auspices National Development Company. In 1949, he worked as Resident Physician in Cotabato Provincial Hospital. November of the same year, he was appointed as Health and Welfare and Hospital Director of the Allah Valley Project at Surallah and surrounding districts of Banga, Surallah, Norala and Columbio. He was active as medical officer not until in 1954, when he retired from government service and established the first Allah Valley Hospital in Surallah, Cotabato. What struck this pioneer doctor most was his compassion for his patients most especially the indigents and veterans. He was not selective at all, that whoever needed medical assistance, he responded to them even when sometimes he was not paid in return. He treated all cases but took more on Surgery, Gynecology, Urology and above all Obstetrics. His desire to help was made known to the people. Truly a public servant. 
He was even active in some Civic Activities. One great contribution he had made as the First President of Banga Catholic League was the start of building of the church. He was also the President of Cotabato Medical Society and the First President of Reserve Officers Legion of South Cotabato. He was also a Member and Fellow of Philippine Academy of Family Physicians and President of Family Planning Association for Region XI. 
He was also involved in politics. After his retirement from government, he was one of the first elected officials of Banga, Cotabato as Councilor. Also, one highlight would be when he helped in the Final step of a bill which was the creation of South Cotabato. He personally approached President Marcos and asked to certify the urgency of the Bill which resulted to its immediate approval. Upon South Cotabato was created, he cooperated with Gov. Morales for the Provincial Medical Care Council which he headed from 1972 to 1987. He also constructed many primary clinics and a Medicare Clinic and Hospital in Glan, South Cotabato. 
With respect to his experience as Veteran, he was a member of Veterans Legion, joined Veterans Federation of the Philippines, was Vice Chapter Commander to Millado before his death, assumed the position as Chapter Commander of First South Cotabato, elected as Regional Vice President for Region XI in 1985 and was re-elected from 1987 to 1990. As Veteran and First President of Reserve Officers Legion, he was able to acquire from the Sweepstakes equipment for Health and Welfare and Veterans use in the province. He and his team had outreached medical missions in different barrios and towns especially in Muslim populated barangays as well as NPA penetrated areas. No matter what situation he found himself in, he always found a way to be an excellent-service provider for everyone around him without discrimination. 
Dr. Rosete had so much heart and never stopped giving of himself even until his retiring age where he remained to be a public servant through giving daily consultations. It must be the reason why he gained the respect that he truly deserves and was blessed with ten children who become successful and professionals in their various fields.  
With all his contributions, may be in medical or non-medical fields, it is appropriate to recognize this great man. And a way of paying tribute to Dr. Juan Pobre Rosete is to entitle the Upper Valley Hospital after his name. His countless deeds for the welfare of Cotabato people are sufficient enough to propose his name to be the hospital’s official label. In line with his desire which is to continue serving the people especially the poor suffering below the poverty-line, victims of oppression or cross-fire between ideologies, the jobless, the homeless and their under-nourished children, hand in hand, we may continue his legacy by honoring him. Just like the presidents and national heroes, he also had historical significance and can be considered to have contributed to the positive development of national pride through the good example exhibited by his name.   
Dr. Rosete is a great loss to the South Cotabato community but all his worth remembering works will never fade as we allow to make this tribute possible.(Mary Kristine Jinon)

The petition also enumerated some of Dr. Rosete's outstanding accomplishments as a public servant:

  1. May 1934 – Passed the Board of Medical Examiners;
  2. 1936 – Passed the competitive Examinations for Commission in Medical Corps, Reserve with relative standing number 14 among 400 examiners;
  3. Passed Junior Hospital Physician;
  4. 1936-1938 – Medical Inspector, 4th Military area, Palawan upon commissioned as First Lieutenant, Medical Corps, Reserve, PA;
  5. 1938-1940 – Physician, National Charity Clinics, BPW;
  6. 1940-1942 – Teacher Physician, Baybay National Agricultural School, Baybay, Leyte;
  7. July 1942 – Medical Officer, Southern Leyte Guerillas, Maasin Leyte;
  8. December 1942 – absorbed by Leyte Area Command under Col. Kangleon;
  9. 1944 – Assigned as Regimental Surgeon for 95th Infantry, 94th Infantry and 96th Infantry PA in Ormoc corridor [No-Man’s Land];
  10. 1945 – attached with the 8th U.S. Army and the 41st Infantry, Army USAFFE stationed at Ormoc Leyte before returning to civilian life as Teacher/Physician, Baybay National Agricultural School [BNAS], Baybay, Leyte;
  11. January 1947 – appointed Medical Officer of the National Land Administration, Banga Settlement District, Cotabato;
  12. 1949 – Resident Physician, Cotabato Provincial Hospital, Cotabato City; Health and Welfare Director and Hospital Director – Rice and Corn Administration, NDC, Koronadal and Allah projects, operated a small stage Acute Hospital and assigned as Clearing Officer and Tractor In-Charge where he learned mechanical farming and all stages of land cropping;
  13. November 1949 – Appointed by the General Manager of the Rice and Corn Production Administration [RCPA] as Health and Welfare and Hospital Director of the Allah Valley Project at Surallah and surrounding districts of Banga, Norala and Columbio, where he created and established the First Allah Valley Hospital equipped with facilities provided by the NLSA which was instrumental in treating serious medical cases particularly on surgery, gynecology, urology and more importantly obstetrics;
  14. August 7, 1967 – Dr. Rosete’s biggest contribution for the province of South Cotabato came upon the request of former South Cotabato Governor, Sergio B. Morales, M.D., former Assemblyman Hilario “Ayong” De Pedro and Jose Sison, to lobby with President Ferdinand E. Marcos to certify the Pendatun Bill, H.B. 3868, “An Act creating the Province of South Cotabato”, which House version was already passed and approved on May 20, 1966. Dr. Rosete succeeded in convincing Pres. Marcos to certify the said H.B. as “Urgent” and was subsequently approved by the House of Senate on August 8, 1967 subject to a plebiscite on November 1967. The rest is history; South Cotabato will be celebrating its 48th Foundation Anniversary on July 18, 2013. At that time, no local politician can effectively lobby with President Marcos, being the President of the Nacionalista Party while local politicians were members of Liberal Party, hence, they requested Dr. Juan P. Rosete, M.D. FPAFP to try his luck, being a physician and known to him as they were province mates in Ilocos Norte. 
South Cotabateños, what's your take on this petition to rename the Upper Valley Community Hospital to Dr. Juan P. Rosete Memorial Hospital, leave a comment through the comment box below and please share this post.



Previous Post Next Post