The University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) School of Medicine was overwhelmed with enrollees after it was launched last year, according to relectionist Senator Joel Villanueva.
“According to USEP, overwhelmingly happy ang mga kabababayan natin dito na nangagarap maging doctor,” Villanueva said in an interview.
Villanueva, who met with the officials of USEP and the Davao del Norte State College last week at DusitD2 in Davao City, authored Republic Act No. 11509 or the Doktor para sa Bayan Act that aims to produce more physicians by offering more scholarship opportunities to students. Scholars receive free tuition and allowances, including costs of undergoing review for the licensure exams.
The law provides for a return service mechanism where the scholar “shall be integrated into the public health and medical service system and shall receive the appropriate civil service rank, salary and related benefits. The scholar shall serve in a government public health office, government hospital, or any accredited government health facility … for at least one year for every scholarship year availed of.”
“Itong USEP gusto kong ibalita na itong Doktor Para sa Bayan libreng tuition, gadgets, uniform, internship, and insurance. When you passed the board exams you will be, there’s a guaranteed jobs available for you. May suweldo ito at kung ilang taon kang ginastusan ng gobyerno, yun ang taon din ang i-si-serve mo sa kapwa mo Pilipino,” Villanueva told media.
In May 2018, USEP also signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Davao Regional Medical Center (DRMC) as the MD program’s partner hospital.
USeP, being the lone SUC approved by CHED to operate the MD program in the Davao Region, continues to live up to the University’s mantra of building dreams without limits.
Meanwhile, Villanueva said there are still 900 municipalities in the country with zero doctors. He said the country would be needing 12, 600 doctors every year until 2030.
