By: Iris Chua So, RN, MAN, PhD
Dr. Teehankee was born in Amoy, China on February 3, 1880to parents of moderate means. He obtained his primaryand secondary education in the Anglo-Chinese College ofFoochow. He went on to study Medicine at the HongkongMedical College. In 1902, he immigrated to the Philippinesand served the country in his full capacity as a physicianuntil his death in 1943. Co-physicians who once workedwith Dr. Teehankee described him as:
“An outstanding physician who honored the HippocraticOath in setting a high professional standard, a civic leader,a health officer who blazed the trail in public health asa pioneer in his adopted country, as one who saved thePhilippines from probable epidemic bubonic plague. Aboveall … a perfect gentleman.” (Dr. Sixto Y. Orosa)
“Always kind, always considerate, always solicitous of thewelfare of his subordinates, a good father, a good friend, anda selfless counselor … He had profound and compassionateconcern for his patients and his fellow countrymen.” (Dr.Frank Co Tui)
Dr. Teehankee was a pioneer in many socio-civic, healthcare, and education services. He was the first Chinesephysician to practice Medicine in the Philippines, the firstChinese physician to work as public health officer for thePhilippine Health Service, the first medical director of theChinese General Hospital (now Chinese General Hospitaland Medical Center), founder of the Chinese GeneralHospital School of Nursing (now Chinese General HospitalColleges), and founder of the Filipino-Chinese MedicalSociety.
With his medical expertise in one hand and his dedicationto serve in the other, Dr. Teehankee inspired and influencedhis fellow physicians, other health team members, andstakeholders to engage in similar pursuits to uplift healthcare services during difficult and challenging times. ChineseGeneral Hospital Colleges continues to bear witness to thatpursuit as it enters its 100th year of mentoring excellence inhealth science education.
(Reference: CGHSN/CN souvenir book, 2001)
By: Iris Chua So, RN, MAN, PhD
Dr. James G. Dy, the President and Chairman of the Boardof Chinese General Hospital Colleges, is one of the mostrespected and remarkable businessmen and civic leaders inthe Philippines. He is also the President and Chairman of theBoard of several corporations involved in the music industry,film, pharmaceuticals, real estate, heavy and light machineries,electrical wiring device manufacturing, hotel, and travel. He alsoholds several key positions in different socio-civic organizationsrelated to commerce, charity, social welfare, humanitarian work,health care, and education.
His notable service in the Filipino-Chinese community andaccomplishments in trade and industry earned him severalrecognitions. Among which include “Outstanding Manilan Award”,“The Outstanding Filipino (TOFIL) Award for Humanitarian Service”,“Gusi Peace Prize Laureate for Social Service and Philanthropy”,and “Outstanding Chinese Business Leader Awardee”. He wasalso conferred honorary doctorate degrees from distinguisheduniversities in the Philippines – Doctor of Humanities from theUniversity of Pangasinan, Doctor of Business Administration fromthe Lyceum Northwestern University, Doctor of Humanities fromthe Central Luzon State University, and Doctor of Philosophy inTechnology Management from the Technological University ofthe Philippines. Despite the accolades, he stays resolute in hismission to help those in need and to give back to society.
As President, Chairman Emeritus, and CEO of the PhilippineChinese Charitable Association, Inc., owner and operator ofChinese General Hospital Colleges, Dr. Dy has taken greatmeasures to ensure the College’s continuous existence, expansion,and extension. Since 1989, he has been supporting the Collegethrough its ups and downs – subsidizing its operation, renovatingits structure, upgrading its learning facilities, leading its direction– entirely for meeting the standards for quality education at anaffordable cost.
Other than the BS Nursing program, Dr. Dy made possible theopening of other health science programs – BS Medical Technology(2012), BS Psychology (2012), Diploma in Midwifery (2012), BSRadiologic Technology (2013), BS Physical Therapy (2016), Doctorof Medicine (2017), Senior High School STEM Strand (2017), andCaregiving NC II (2018). He was passionate to start up the Doctorof Medicine program when he observed the declining number ofphysicians vis-à-vis the increasing number of students who aredenied admission to study Medicine at universities due to quotaand prohibitive cost of medical education. His zeal came from hispersonal mission to provide excellent and affordable healthcareto the Filipino-Chinese community. Being both a philanthropistand entrepreneur involved in hospital management and medicalmissions, Dr. Dy sought to bridge this gap with the opening ofthe College’s own Medicine program with a unique incorporationof Traditional Chinese Medicine in its curriculum. Investing onhigh technology laboratory resources, expert academicians andclinicians, and partner institutions in Taiwan, Dr. Dy hopes to seethe next generation of physicians contribute to the improvementof medical care in the country. His vision for the College is to attainuniversity status one day. It is his desire to provide more andbetter educational opportunities for students to advance in theircareer options and, ultimately, contribute to society as healthcare professionals.
Dr. Dy’s life story tells of his purpose and passion to lead and toserve. He is the pillar on which the College proudly stands. In hishands, the College remains steady and strong as it moves into thefuture.
