Our Lady of Fatima University

Our Lady of Fatima University (formerly known as Fatima Medical Science Foundation, Inc., and abbreviated as OLFU) is a Higher Education Institution in the Philippines known for its allied medical sciences programs and also offers Basic Education units (Pre-School, Grade school, and Junior High School), Senior High School, Undergraduate, Graduate, and Post Graduate degrees. It was established in year 1967 by Jose Olivares and his son-in-law, Dr. Vicente M. Santos Sr. OLFU currently has six campuses located in Valenzuela City and Quezon City in Metro Manila, Antipolo in Rizal, San Fernando City in Pampanga, Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija and Santa Rosa City in Laguna.
History.
Founded in 1967 by Jose Olivares and his son-in-law, Dr. Vicente M. Santos Sr., the university grew out of Our Lady of Fatima Hospital. The hospital became the primary provider of medical and health care services for Valenzuela. Olivares was an entrepreneur and previously a chemistry professor at Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines. Santos rose from humble origins in Hagonoy, Bulacan, graduated from the University of Santo Tomas, became an obstetrician-gynecologist, and delivered over 96,000 babies during his 40 years of service.
The college seeks to promote the virtues of "Veritas et Misericordia" (Latin for truth and compassion).
The founders set about improving the facility from a general hospital to a teaching hospital for health care providers such as nurses and midwives. This began in 1973 with the founding of Our Lady of Fatima College of Nursing.
Dr. Santos and his wife Juliet Olivares-Santos continued the school's expansion, including the 1979 establishment of Fatima College of Medicine with the pioneer batch graduating in 1983. While Fatima still focuses mainly on medical and allied health studies, in the 1990s the college diversified, starting programs in computer science, maritime education, education, psychology, biology, tourism and business.
The college became a university in December 2002, with Dr. Vicente M. Santos Sr. as its founding president. Upon his death, his wife, Dr. Juliet O. Santos, became the university's second president. By year 2008 up to present, Dr. Caroline Marian S. Enriquez was appointed by the Board of Trustees as the third president of the University.
The next years further saw an increase in infrastructure development. New buildings were established in the Valenzuela and Quezon City campuses, with additional nursing virtual laboratories and simulators. This paved the way for Fatima's College of Nursing to be designated by CHED as a Center of Development in late 2008. Fatima's expansion continued with the establishment of additional campuses in Antipolo, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, and Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
Owing to recognitions, it has received through voluntary accreditation of its programs within the framework of the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines, the university voluntary subjected itself to CHED's Institutional Quality Assurance through Monitoring and Evaluation (IQuAME) in 2008. In 2009, after being evaluated, it was placed in Category A(t) as a mature teaching university.
In recognition of its accomplishments, the Commission on Higher Education through CEB Resolution No. 076-2009 granted autonomous status to the university for five years from March 11, 2009 to March 30, 2014.
Campuses.
Valenzuela Campus.
The main campus is located in Valenzuela City, on the outskirts of Metropolitan Manila. The main campus houses the College of Medicine Building and the St. Martin de Porres Building where the College of Dentistry and College of Business and Accountancy are situated. Also found in Valenzuela is the Fatima University Medical Center, a partner institution of the College of Medicine.
Another cluster of Valenzuela Campus buildings are at the vicinity of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. This location houses the College of Hospitality and Institutional Management, College of Maritime Education and Basic Education Department.
The Valenzuela City Campus also exclusively houses the College of Medicine, College of Dentistry, and College of Maritime Education.
Quezon City Campus.
In 1996, Our Lady of Fatima University constructed its second campus in Quezon City along Regalado Avenue in Fairview—- the Fatima Eye and Rehabilitation Center Building which also housed the Physical Therapy program.
In 1998, a new eight-storey building overlooking the scenic La Mesa reservoir was constructed. The acquired property goes back in history as the residence of the former Philippine President Elpidio Quirino. In its early years, several curricular programs were offered in the Quezon City Campus, namely: Education, Tourism, Business Administration, Computer Science, Information Technology, Nursing, Pharmacy, Medical Technology, Psychology and Biology. In addition, Basic Education (Elementary and High School) was also opened; housed in a five-storey building.
Antipolo Campus.
In year 2007, the OLFU Antipolo campus was built for the residents of Rizal and its nearby communities. In 2008, the first building –Vicente M. Santos Building– was completed and was spearheaded by Mrs. Racquel Braganza until year 2010. Initially there were 10 programs offered by the campus at that time. The campus during its first operation was nurtured by 39 faculty members and was assisted by 17 non-teaching staff. In 2011, Engr. Wilfredo M. Basilio became the 2nd Campus Administrator up to the present.
OLFU Art Gallery.
The Our Lady of Fatima University, Antipolo campus held the opening of the Fatima University Gallery's first art exhibit, 'Breaking New Ground' on February 26, 2012. The exhibit paid homage to the paintings and sculptures of masters and contemporary artists such as Arturo Luz's "Borobodur and Carnival Forms", his paintings "Homage to Eusebio Sempere" and "Homage to Eduardo Chillida". The exhibit displays Federico Aguilar Alcuaz's "Manila Abstract (ceramic jar)", "Seascape", and "Untitled (Trees)", along with Fernando Amorsolo's piece, "Ruins of Manila". It displays "Jerry Elizalde Navarro" works, "Abdulmari Imao"'s Sarimanok and other works of multi-awarded modern and contemporary Filipino artists.
Pampanga Campus.
Our Lady of Fatima University-Pampanga is ta non-sectarian, privately owned university at the heart of the provincial capital, the City of San Fernando.
OLFU acquired the East Central Colleges (ECC), an educational institution of higher learning on the 12th of April 2012. Located on B. Mendoza Street, Sto. Rosario, ECC was a 67-year old educational institution known for its legacy of offering affordable and accessible quality education to "Kapampangans" and the nearby regions. The establishment of the Pampanga Campus ushered in the education espoused by Our Lady Fatima University.
OLFU Pampanga is composed of 11 Colleges in the fields of: Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science (MedTech), Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Arts & Sciences, Business & Accountancy, Hospitality & Institutional Management, Computer Studies, Education, Criminal Justice and Engineering. These Colleges together present 20 program offerings. Additionally, the University has Senior High School, Junior High School and Graduate School programs.
Nueva Ecija Doctors' College, Inc. Campus.
Our Lady of Fatima University (OLFU) manages and operates the Nueva Ecija Doctors’ College, Inc. (NEDCI) on Maharlika Highway, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija effective November 9, 2015.
Being established as an educational institution in 1970, NEDCI provided OLFU Cabanatuan Campus a fertile ground of academe experience on which OLFU immediately began building on through infusing its initial program offerings and widespread facilities upgrade. From its time of acquisition, continuous infrastructures were built such as: a fully air conditioned multi-purpose gym and auditorium, (the 1st in Region III Nueva Ecija sport Complex), 3-storey classroom, most of which are air-conditioned. Modern equipment for the laboratories were purchased to have a simulated hospital/hotel necessary for the training of their students.
The campus offers bachelor's degree in Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science, Pharmacy, Psychology, Accountancy, Accounting Information System, Business Administration, Hospitality and Tourism Management, and Criminology. The campus also welcomes the Senior High School Students with the ABM (Accountancy, Business, and Management), STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), HUMMs (Humanities and Social Sciences), and GAS (Generic Academic Strand).
Laguna Campus.
The sixth OLFU campus with a 4.5 Hectares of land is set to rise in what is known as the “Lion City of South Luzon” – the highly progressive City of Santa Rosa, Laguna.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held on 20 October 2018 to formally initiate the construction phase of the campus. Present were OLFU's Management Committee led by University President Caroline Marian S. Enriquez. CHEd Director, Dr. Julieta Paras, was on hand to witness the event.
OLFU Sta. Rosa will rise on a four-hectare property in Macabling. This Laguna Campus will initially house a five-storey school building complete with modern amenities for its future students. The new campus is set to open its doors in June 2019.
Accreditation.
Fatima College of Physical Therapy, Fatima College of Pharmacy, Fatima College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, Fatima College of Nursing and Fatima College of Dental Medicine, programs are accredited by the Philippine Association of and Universities-Commission on Accreditation. The Association of Schools, Colleges and University-AAI also accredited Fatima's Graduate School and the College of Arts and Sciences.
The Fatima College of Medicine is accredited by the New York State Education Department and the Illinois State Board of Education. The College of Maritime Education is ISO Certified ISO 9001:2000 and is included in the Commission on Higher Education's "white list" as a qualified provider of maritime education. The College of Medicine is accredited by Association of the Philippine Medical Colleges. It was listed in the World Health Organization Geneva Recognized Medical Schools. It is accredited furthermore by the Illinois State Board of Education and New York State Board of Education and is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education to administer Title IV Program.
Accomplishments.
The first graduate class of 1976 garnered a 100% passing average in the Nursing Board examinations. Less than a year after becoming a university, the Commission on Higher Education, recognizing the “enormous contribution of the Our Lady of Fatima University in the growth and prominence of tertiary education in the country and the Asia-Pacific and its commitment through quality education, research and extension work” granted deregulated status to the university through CHED Resolution No. 393-2003 dated October 27, 2003.
It is the first and only Philippine medical school to have an institutional clerkship program with a foreign hospital. The university has sent over 100 medical students for clerkship training at the Brooklyn Medical Center and Peninsula Hospital in New York City and the Jackson Park Hospital in Chicago. Fatima has graduated more than 30,000 medical and allied medical health practitioners from all disciplines. During the 2011 Physician Licensure Examinations, the university dominated half of the list of top ten board passers.
Fatima University Medical Center and Virtual Laboratories.
Near the College of Medicine is the Fatima University Medical Center which is a 150-bed hospital on the university campus. The center is an institutional partner that serves as a teaching tertiary hospital, equipped to give students hands-on experience and exposure. It is furnished with medical, diagnostic and surgical equipment. It houses a first class emergency room, intensive care unit, with centralized monitors, physical rehabilitation clinic, pulmonary laboratory, ophthalmology clinic, and ENT clinic.
Fatima creates a "hands-on classroom" providing students with patient care experience. Equipped with training manikins and simulators, Fatima provides students exposure to medical procedures.
Athletics.
The 'Fatima Phoenix' commonly called Team Fatima are chosen athletes who compete in basketball, volleyball, badminton, taekwondo, cheer dancing, track and field, chess, billiards, and swimming. These are students represent the university in NAASCU, PRISAA and other competitions. In 2010, in its second foray into the NAASCU competition, Fatima Phoenix finished fourth overall champion in competing in nine sports.