Kuwento ni Rosario: Narrating Social Medicine in the Contemporary Philippines

“Kuwento ni Rosario” (Story of Rosario) is a case study that has been widely used in the Philippine health sector to discuss the socioeconomic realities that influence health in the country. Drawing on oral histories, archival research, and auto-ethnographic reflections, this essay traces the genesis of this case study from the early 1980s and follows its iterations and figurations in health discourse until the Covid-19 pandemic. Through this metanarrative, I also unearth intersections between local and global movements, and offer insights as to the role of the “case study” or “case method” in public health and social medicine.