Dr. Jose P. Rizal Memorial District Hospital is a provincial hospital located at Bucal, Calamba City, Laguna, it is classified as secondary hospital, the chief of hospital is DR. GONZALO C. LAVARIAS, JR. the authorized bed capacity is 100 bed capacity, the average number of in-patient per day is 106 and out-patient is 148.The first known doctors in Calamba Laguna were Dr. Jose P. Rizal, Dr. Silvestre Ubaldo and Dr. Candido Habaña.In the late 20th Century which marked a new era in Philippine history, changes in poltics, economics, social culture, science and technology, a vast number of people change the way they live.
The American liberal policies in education, sent many young Filipinos to school and in the early 1900s, they were inspired by Rizal’s heroism, popularity and dedication to the medical profession, many Calambeños became doctors. Among them were: Arcadio Ochoa, Agapito Alzona, Manuel Arambulo Sr., Maximo Alcasid, Sesinando Rizal, Sr., Mercedes Uichangco Florencia Chipeco Alano, Maria Villanueva Resurecion, Eriiberto aguilar, Leonardo Banaybanay, Lorenzo Habacon, Eusebio Panganiban and wife Pacita Panganiban, Juan Cardenas, Florencio Alcasid, Jose Flores, Florentino Elazaegui, and wife Remedios Estaniel Elazegui.These early Calamba doctors were legends. Their devotion to their calling and obligation were overpowering.
Even when the Calamba Emergency Hospital had already been built at the back of the town’s municipal building in 1952, they still responded even to unceremonious house calls, braving the darkness of the night and the eerie barrio roads on the old fashioned calesaThe primary medical clinic in Calamba was the Calamba Emergency Hospital It was a two-bed medical clinic housed in a two level structure made of timber on a 700 square meter parcel given by the Llamas family in 1952. Dr. Agapito Alzona was the Oficer-in-Control. He was helped by Ms. Aniana Surbano, the Managing Medical caretaker. The clinic was a project of previous Laguna representative Dominador Chipeco and was an extension of the Laguna Provincial Hospital in Sta. Cruz.The national government on July 1, 1957, took over the operation, finance and maintenance of the hospital under the General Appropriation Act and RA 1939 also known as Financing Act or popularly called Provincial or Municipal Aid. This transformed the medical care center into a 25-bed hospital. Dr. Juan C. Cardenas became the Chief of Hospital, Mr. Florencio Nevalga, the Administrator and Ms. Luz P. Belarmino the Chief Nurse.
Dr. Lourse Panaligan replaced Dr. Juan C. Cardenas in 1975. During the term of Dr. Panaligan the hospital was upgraded into a 50-bed capacity hospital. Dr Lourse Panaligan died in 1978 and was replaced by Dr. Nestorio E. Tiu, Jr. on May of the same year. On the following year, March 31, 1979, fire gutted the hospital down to the ground. A temporary hospital was immediately organized the following day. The whole Calamba community came to help with cash, used beddings, basic medical instruments and whatever they can give that a hospital may need. Then Secretary Clemente Gatmaitan of the Department of Health, with the help of Regional Director Dr. Edilberto Fernando, immediately released funds for the beds, equipment, and instruments.
The temporary hospital stood and operated for two months.The temporary hospital was then moved into a private structure close to the Open Market. At the opening of the school year, at that point Representative Felicisimo San Luis started a indigency fund with unlimited amount for the clinic .Then again, Dr. Nestorio E. Tiu made portrayal to previous First Woman Imelda Marcos, at that point Legislative leader of Metro Manila and Director of the Service of Human Settlement for the development of another emergency clinic building. A pre-manufactured structure given by Representative Felicisimo San Luis and Assemblyman Jose Yulo started to ascend on a 8,000 sq. meter part given by the Dominican Request at Brgy. Bucal, It was trailed by the development of a two-story principle building, regulated by the Ministry of Public Works with assets given by the Ministry of Human Settlements.