Hospicio de San Jose

Hospicio de San José is a Roman Catholic welfare institution in the City of Manila, the Philippines. It is the first social welfare agency in the country, and as a foster care institution has been a home for orphans, the abandoned, special needs, and the elderly.

Hospicio de San José is located on Isla de Convalecencia (Spanish, "Island of convalescence"), an eyot in the middle of the Pasig River, and can only be accessed via Ayala Bridge. It was formerly located in the Pandacan district. From there, it was transferred to Intramuros, Binondo, Nagtahan, and Echague. In 1810, the Hospicio was permanently relocated to Isla de Convalecencia.

Initially named the Hospicio General (General Hospice), Hospicio de San José was established during the Spanish Era in October 1778 by Don Francisco Gómez Enríquez and his wife Doña Barbara Verzosa. After being cured of a fever, Don Gómez Enríquez donated the sum of ₱ 4,000 to found the hospice that would take care of Manila’s “poor and unwanted children”, the physically and mentally handicapped, and aging people. The initiative and example of Don Gómez Enríquez was followed by other charitable people of Manila.

From 27 December 1810 and by Royal Decree, the hospice was governed by a Board of Directors chaired by the Archbishop of Manila. On 1 June 1866, through the suggestion to the Governor-General of the Philippines by a benefactor named Doña Margarita Róxas, the operation of the hospice became the responsibility of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.

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