The Philippines may soon be home to five new medical schools that will aim to produce “quality doctors” after a House panel approves proposed measures that will establish a College of Medicine in various parts of the country.
Baguio City Rep. Mark Go, the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education’s chairperson, also emphasized the need for the soon-to-be-established medical schools to comply with the “standards, principles, guidelines of CHED (Commission on Higher Education).”
“We just offer this College of Medicine in all parts of the country to have more doctors. We want to produce quality doctors. I think ‘yun ang (that’s the) premise. This is a very important consideration that we have to take, and that’s the very reason why an additional provision in the bills will be included,” the lawmaker said.
The House panel approved the establishment of medical schools in the Southern Luzon State University’s main campus in Lucban, Quezon (House Bill 2541 by Quezon 4th District Rep. Keith Michael Tan); Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University South La Union campus in Agoo, La Union (HB 2807 by La Union 2nd District Rep. Dante Garcia); and the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines Cagayan De Oro campus (HB 973 by Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez).
The proposed measure will also open medical schools at the Benguet State University (HB 312 by Benguet Rep. Eric Go Yap and the University of Eastern Philippines in Catarman, Northern Samar (HB 2479 by Northern Samar 1st District Rep. Paul Daza).
Daza said there is a “golden opportunity” in Samar Island to open a medical school because a bill was passed in the 18th Congress to establish a regional medical center that’s located nearby the University of Eastern Philippines in Catarman.
“That medical center will be funded in 2023. The target initial completion date is 2024. A golden opportunity for us to establish a medical school that would have a tie-up with that new regional medical center,” he added.
CHED Commissioner Mark Libre, who is also in charge of the University of Science and Technology in Southern Philippines, shared during the committee hearing that the establishment of a College of Medicine in the university is backed by a feasibility study.
“Nevertheless, the full support of our faculty, of our students, and even the alumni and the members of stakeholders who are actually with 100 percent support for the establishment of the College of Medicine. With this, the Board of Regents duly approve the establishment of the College of Medicine,” he said.
CHED Commissioner Frederick Mikhail “Spocky” Farolan, director of the commission’s legal and legislative service, raised “no objection” to the creation of medical schools in the said areas “considering that they have been, in fact, the location and the need in the areas vetted and assured by our regional office, we support the recommendation.”
However, he stressed that the operations of these medical schools can also start “once they have all the requirements and that they have the capacity, equipment, and even the facility and faculty required for medical education institution.”
Go told Farolan not to “make things difficult” for the institutions.
“I think by coming out with the simplified provision where all of them should comply with the policies, guidelines, and regulations as may be determined by the Commission on Higher Education,” the lawmaker added.