Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 11) – The Senate has augmented next year’s budget of state universities and colleges (SUCs) offering medical degree, in line with the implementation of the medical scholarship bill.
“Our proposed budget included additional budget for state universities and colleges that have medical schools, in pursuant to our bill, ‘Doktor Para Sa Bayan [Act]’,” said Senator Pia Cayetano on Wednesday during the plenary debates on the proposed ₱4.5 trillion national budget for 2021.
The Congress ratified last month the Doktor Para Sa Bayan Act, which aims to have one doctor per town in the country by providing scholarship to deserving but financially-challenged students from state universities and partner private schools.
The bill also provides that there should be at least one medical school in each region nationwide.
According to the Commission on Higher Education, there are currently eight state-run schools offering doctor of medicine program: Mariano Marcos State University, University of Northern Philippines, Cagayan State University-Tuguegarao, Bicol University, West Visayas State University, University of the Philippines Manila School of Health Sciences in Leyte, University of the Philippines Manila, and Mindanao State University-Marawi City.
Moreover, Senator Joel Villanueva said an additional budget of ₱450 million will be allocated to the three SUCs applying to open their medical schools: Western Mindanao State University, Cebu Normal University, and University of Southeastern Philippines.
“There’s an additional ₱315 million seed funds, within CHED for potential SUCs, who are yet to apply to offer medical program,” Villanueva added.
The proposed measure will only need the President’s signature for it to become a law.
