Throughout history, it is always men who are receiving recognition for their
contributions, while women are either just living in their shadows or
not given enough talk for the credit at schools during history
lectures. Alongside great women who proved this country that
they are more than the stereotypes our patriarchal system has
imposed, there lived Fe del Mundo--she was one of the proofs
why they should not just teach history, but also HERstory.
Fe del Mundo was born in 1911 in Intramuros, Manila.
At a young age, she witnessed how lacking the children's care
was at the time, as three of her siblings did not survive infancy,
while her older sister died due to appendicitis. Nevertheless, it is
the tragic death of her sister, Elena, which affected her most;
after Elena’s passing due to an abdominal infection, Fe found out
in her sister’s journal that she wanted to become a doctor. Since
then, Fe had the passion to pursue being a doctor as well,
especially for children--as she wants them to be able to chase
their dreams, instead of being buried even before they could
begin to dream.
At the age of 15, she began taking her path in the
medical field at University of the Philippines-Manila Campus,
where she graduated as a valedictorian in 1933. This led her to being recognized by the
former president, Manuel Quezon, who offered her a scholarship that opened her to great opportunities in the
United States. There, she was able to further her studies at different universities and also hospitals (Children’s
Hospital in Boston, University of Chicago, and Johns Hopkins), where she focused on pediatrics, especially
malnutrition. Aside from pursuing her graduate studies, she also led research on dengue fever, polio, and
measles, which made a great contribution for its cure today.
Despite spending time abroad, her compassion for her own country had not died, so she went back in
1941, with the dedication to help her fellow Filipinos. For two years, she was caring for children at the hospice
she set up on the campus of University of Santo Tomas, which the Japanese were using as an internment camp
at that time; because of this she earned the title “Angel of Santo Tomas.” After the Japanese drove her away
from UST, she moved to North General Hospital as its director, earning her being the first Filipinas to lead a
government hospital.
As she continued her journey on sharing her care and talent, she sold everything she owned to open the
first pediatric hospital in the Philippines, which is now known as “Fe del Mundo Medical Center.” During that
time, every child kept having ‘diarrhea,’ as diagnosed by ‘pediatricians’ who insisted that their cure for it is to
puke, leaving the children even more dehydrated. Thankfully, Fe developed the BRAT diet, which stands for
banana, rice, apple juice, and toast--this then helped prevent severe dehydration; such a method is even used
worldwide. Indeed, she made a significant change in the healthcare industry, as plenty of children survived
because of her, including those with abdominal issues that cause the death of her sister, Elena.
Simultaneously, Fe is also providing healthcare in rural areas, where she got recognized for devising an
incubator made out of bamboo, bringing its accessibility to areas without electricity--saving yet again the lives of
infants. Other than that, she also taught about proper nutrition, family planning, and sexual health; she
believed that improving quality of life for the underprivileged begins in reducing the number of unwanted
pregnancies.
Truly, Fe del Mundo is the embodiment of her name that translates to “Faith of the World.” And while
she served as the faith of plenty of children she saved due to her persevering interest in a ‘male-dominated’ field,
her faith in God still remains to be her greatest influence. There is no doubt why she managed to accumulate
awards and titles during her lifetime, including being regarded as the “First National Woman Scientist of the
Philippines.” Lastly, her remains being buried at the “Libingan ng mga Bayani” are indeed the right way to
commemorate how she paved herstory with her brilliant mind and big heart.
ABERIN, ELOISA ROSE D.
BSBA-MM 1E
