55 years of service since June 7, 1969

Maramag, where St. Joseph Southern Bukidnon Hospital is situated, is a town located in the southern part of Bukidnon. It is at the crossroad to Cagayan de Oro City, Davao City, Lanao Del Sur and Cotabato. Because of its strategic location, Maramag became the springboard for Jesuit missionary activities.

In the early 40’s, people had no one to turn to when they became sick or injured except to the missionaries. But the missionaries could only give what was available for common ailments and the “holy oils”. The seriously ill and injured were transported via the vehicle of the priest to the provincial hospital in Malaybalay, a six-hour drive over primitive roads. Because of this, many lives succumbed along the way though some were saved. The compassion of the Jesuit missionaries moved them to remedy this sad situation.

Father Ferrucio Leoni, SJ, the parish priest of Maramag that time saw the urgent need for a hospital. He raised funds for its construction. Thus, through the efforts of the Jesuits here and abroad headed by the late Father Horacio de la Costa, the Provincial Superior then, together with the contribution of generous individuals in the locality, made the dream of a hospital a reality.

Then Father Alfonso Flores, SJ, the Regional Superior, offered the management of the hospital to the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres after he was declined by three other congregations. Mother Madeleine Denoga, SPC, the first Filipina Provincial Superior of the congregation accepted the challenge. On February 1969, Sr. La Croix Ilagan, SPC and Sr. Henriette Schwebel, SPC visited the proposed site in Maramag. Two months later, the construction began under the supervision of Father Frank Webster, SJ and when he left for the USA Brother Wenceslao Caberio, SJ took over.

The dream was finally realized on May 1, 1970. Bishop Francisco Claver, SJ, first Bishop of the Prelature of Malaybalay blessed the new 25 bed capacity hospital and gave it the name SOUTHERN BUKIDNON HOSPITAL since it was to serve the people of Southern Bukidnon Province.

The first doctor was Dr. Carlos Gamboa but only stayed for a month, others followed but no one stayed long enough. It was Dr. Teofanes S. Agcopra who arrived in 1972 who stayed and served the hospital for 15 years. He was well known for his good patient management and most of all for his generosity and compassion for the poor. The first and only lay registered nurse was Mrs. Teresita Sale Macias; a Paulinian graduate who with the sisters cared for the sick unmindful of the time and kind of work there were. The sisters then trained young nursing aides and orderlies.

More people patronized the hospital and the Sisters saw the need for an expansion, thus with the approval of Bishop Claver, Sr. Filomena Dumayas, SPC requested funding from MISEREOR. The request was granted, so in 1979 the construction began and the building was blessed in October 7, 1982 by Bishop Gaudencio Rosales, DD, the successor of Bishop Claver.

The town became progressive; the roads were improved though not cemented yet and there were more vehicles travelling to southern part of Bukidnon, making Maramag accessible. With this development, several hospitals and clinics sprouted relatively near Southern Bukidnon Hospital, thereby lowering its bed capacity to 40. This adjustment was also necessitated by the ratio requirement of DOH.

During the 22nd foundation anniversary in 1992, Bishop Gaudencio Rosales added the name “St. Joseph” to the hospital’s appellation as a reminder to all that he is the hospital’s intercessor to God for the material and spiritual needs of patients, personnel and staff. Thus, the new name of the hospital is St. Joseph Southern Bukidnon Hospital.

On May 1, 1995, the hospital turned 25 and during the Jubilee Mass, The Society of Jesus represented by Father John Krebs, SJ, turned over the ownership of the hospital to the Diocese of Malaybalay through Bishop Honesto Pacana, SJ in the presence of almost all of the Diocesan Clergy, Doctors, hospital staff and personnel.

In 1998, St. Joseph Southern Bukidnon Hospital became more accessible to the people in the neighboring municipalities because of the widening and cementing of the national highway. The hospital services were improved to offer quality health care, thus on September 30, 2006 the doctors’ clinic was opened and on its 37th Foundation Anniversary in 2007, the new Intensive Care and Hemodialysis units were blessed by Bishop Honesto Pacana, SJ. The upgrading came about through the efforts of Sr. Aurora Caspe, SPC and Dr. Edmundo Garcia, the Medical Director. The progress was unstoppable; the machines and equipment were upgraded; new services were added in the laboratory; the Neonatal Intensive Care and Post-anesthesia Care Units were opened and private rooms had to be added to cater to the needs of the patients who wanted privacy and comfort.

To date, SJSBH has increased its bed capacity to 56. It has already acquired a single slice CT scan and an Ultrasound. Other services: TB-DOTS that received a plaque of recognition from DOH in 2016 for its valuable support in achieving the indicators for the National Tuberculosis Program; newborn screening in which it received an achievers award from DOH for its exemplary performance in 2016; and received a certificate of commitment to practice mother-baby friendly initiative. In 2015, through the initiative of Sr. Teresita Parreño, SPC, the administrator, made possible the construction of a three-storey medical arts building housing 17 doctors’ offices, a rehabilitation medicine unit, a small canteen and a function room that is open for outsiders with an affordable rent . The dietary department and the canteen offer catering services for those who will use the function room.

In January 2017, the hospital received funding from the Sisters of St. Paul, Hong Kong Province for the renovation of the wards and some private rooms; procure new beds and side tables. Last November 2017, the hospital received another blessing from a generous donor, a brand new patient transport vehicle complete with amenities that are needed to transport patients.

The Nursing Service Department is in consortium with St. Paul University Dumaguete for its post graduate program on Masters in Nursing Administration. All the middle managers of the nursing department are graduates of Masters in Nursing Administration. This program is open to nurses from other hospitals too who wanted to pursue post graduate studies. At present we have 13 post graduate students taking up Masters in Nursing Administration.

St. Joseph Southern Bukidnon Hospital, Inc. continues to soar high and make a difference in health care through its services and compassionate care.