Inspired by Dr. Jose G. Tamayo and his wife, Dr. Josefina Laperal Tamayo’s commitment and belief in the betterment of life through national development and transformation, Dr./BGen. Antonio Laperal Tamayo and Dr. Daisy Moran Tamayo founded the Perpetual Help College of Rizal (PHCR) on February 5, 1975.

The four-story school building was established along Alabang-Zapote Road, Las Piñas City and it catered to 185 students in the first two academic programs offered by the College – the Bachelor of Science in Nursing and the Secondary Course. The school expanded its reach when it established two (2) branches in 1995 and in 1996, the Molino and Calamba campuses respectively. 

The Molino Campus started its operations with an initial enrolment of 700 students while the Calamba Campus opened with 367 enrollees. From these small beginnings, the school began to expand in terms of curricular programs, faculty, research, community service, infrastructure, and professional development. Finally in 1997, PHCR recorded a milestone when it received its university status from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).