THE FIRST PHILIPPINE NURSES WERE ILONGGAS
~
The Union Mission Hospital at Iloilo city in the Philippines was housed in a nipa building from 1900 to 1905, when the first permanent buidings were constructed. It was built on the pavilion plan and it's capacity was thirty beds. In 1911, additions of concrete were made and its capacity was doubled. They have five private rooms; 2- semi-private with 6-beds each, 1-for men and 1-for women, and all the other beds are free.
~
We have the distinction of being the first Mission Hospital in the whole Philippines.
~
Our training school for Nurses in Iloilo City was 2-years in advance of the government one in Manila and one year ahead of St. Paul's Hospital also in Manila.
~
In 1906, the hospital was ready for the opening of the training school for nurses. Dr. and Mrs. Hall were able to get Miss Amelia Klein, an American government nurse to boost their medical team. Dr. Mackle, an American surgeon joined the hospital and who later on carried the medical responsibility when the Halls went on six month furlough in the U.S.
~
Four young girls, namely Felipa de la Peña of Panit-an, Capiz; Nicasia Cada of Oton, Iloilo, Dorotea and Basilia Caldito both of Leon, Iloilo, who joined the hospital as laundry women eventually comprised the first class of the Union Mission Hospital Training School for Nurses in the Philippines.
~
Mrs. Mary Hall, Elizabeth Brinton, and Amelia Klein, all trained registered nurses in America composed the training staff. The first epoch in the unfolding of the nursing profession in the Philippines got its humble historic beginning at the Union Mission Hospital Training School for nurses on Iznart Street, Iloilo City, 1906.
~
After months of intensified training of the pioneer nurses, Basilica Caldito quit and only three young women left to blaze new trails for the nursing profession in this country. The Union Mission Hospital Training School for Nurses was administered by the Presbyterian doctors and nurses of America.
~
Presently, the Union Mission Hospital is located in Jaro, Iloilo City and renamed The Iloilo Mission Hospital.
~
(Main source: Eye Opener by: Rodolfo P. Gumabong -The News Today on Line)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~oo0oo~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Revolutionary Hero in the Province of Antique  

(By: DinggolAranetaDivinagracia - IlonggoNationMovement) ​ 

GEN. LEANDRO LOCSIN FULLON was born on March 13, 1877 in Hamtic, Antique. He was a young student at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Manila, when the revolution against Spain broke out in 1896. Shortly before the revolutionary government was being organized by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, he joined the Katipunan.

On September 6, 1898, he returned to Antique as Head of the expeditionary forces to Panay sent by Aguinaldo with 140 revolutionary officers and 350 men. Upon his arrival in Pandan, Antique on September 21, many Antiqueño volunteers joined his forces.

Gen. Leandro Fullon established a revolutionary government in Pandan and in the neighboring town of Culasi with election of their local officials. On Nov. 22, 1898, Fullon's forces captured the Antique provincial capital of San Jose de Buenavista and a Revolutionary Provincial Government was formed with the following officials: Angel Salazar-Governor, Santos Capadocia-ViceGovernor, Anacleto Villavert Jimenez and Jose Fontanilla-Councilor of Justice, Anselmo Alicante-Councilor of Internal Revenue and Vicente Gella-Representative to Malolos Congress.

The revolucionarios he led, also encountered several fierce battles against the Spanish forces in the towns of San Miguel, Pavia and in the outskirts of Jaro in Iloilo City . More notably, the battle of Oton to Arevalo together with Gen. Angel Corteza and Gen. Pablo Araneta both of Molo, Iloilo City; where he was honored as having fired the "first shot". When the revolutionary government in the Visayas was later organized, he was appointed the Politico-Military Governor of Antique.

When the U.S. forces invaded Iloilo on February 11, 1899, Gen. Leandro L. Fullon joined in the resistance together with his cousin Gen. Pablo S. Araneta and other ilonggo revolutionary leaders of the Estado Federal de Bisayas.

In the early part of 1900, he returned to Antique to continue the struggle for freedom and independence against the new foreign invaders. After his forces became weakened due to heavy casualties, battle losses and weary of war and poorly armed, they were soon overwhelmed by the new and well-armed enemy. And on March 22, 1901 he was forced to surrender.

After the civil government was organized by the American regime, he was appointed Provincial Governor of Antique, a post that he held until his death in Oct. 16, 1904.

Antiqueños honor Gen. Leandro Locsin Fullon at the National Shrine where his equestrian life-size statue was erected on top of his tomb in the land of his birth, Hamtic --in the Province of Antique, Philippines. ~~~

Footnote:(Early History * Genealogy)
Rev. Juan Sayson Locsin, (third son of Agustin "Sin Lok" Locsin) who became the "Cura Parroco" of Bugasong, Antique in 1834 fathered Lucio Locsin (Gobernadorcillo of Tibiao, Antique) and Dionisia Locsin (married to Leon Solis). Lucio who died in 1893 at age 90 has a natural son named Mariano Locsin, the father of Justa Locsin who married Justo Fullon.
~
Justo and Justa Locsin-Fullon settled in Hamtic, Antique where their children were born; namely: Leandro, Baltazara, Luisa and Jose (Retired as School Supervisor).
~
The Revolutionary hero of Antique Gen. Leandro Locsin Fullon has a daughter in Manila named Paz who married Roberto Pacificador of the Rentas Internas. They are the forebears of the Pacificador-Locsin clan in the province of Antique.