Founded on September 2, 1922 as Filipino Nurses Association (FNA) in a meeting of 150 nurses presided by then Anastacia Giron Tupas (Mrs. Tupas), the FNA was incorporated in 1924. The International Council of Nurses accepted the FNA as one of the member organizations during the Congress held in Montreal, Canada on July 8-13, 1929. The FNA became the PNA (Philippine Nurses Association) in 1966, which was the same year that the office at 1663 F.T. Benitez Street, Malate, Manila was inaugurated. Today there is a total of 368,589 licensed nurses (February 2005) in the Philippines and produces an average of 13,000 new nurses every year. The PNA was awarded the Most Outstanding Accredited Professional Organization by the Professional Regulation Commission in 2003 besting 40 other professional associations and was five-time nominee for the same award. International Affiliations: International Council of Nurses; World Health Organization Nursing Law. The New Philippine Nursing Act of 2002, Republic Act No. 9173, was passed on October 2002 with the aim of uplifting the standards of nursing in the country. Nursing Education. There are about 350 Nursing schools in the Philippines which is regulated by the Commission on Higher Education.