MEDICAL SCHOOL. Benguet State University will start offering programs under its newly-established College of Medicine by August 2024, initially for 50 students. The said college was established after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed Republic Act (RA) 11970 last December 20. (PNA file photo)
BAGUIO CITY – Officials and parents in the Cordillera are thankful for the law that established a medical college under the Benguet State University (BSU), noting that this will allow the region to produce more doctors.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed last December 20 Republic Act (RA) 11970, which established what is now called Benguet State University-College of Medicine.
Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas, in a message to the Philippine News Agency on Monday, said he is grateful to the President for the signing of the measure, as well as to Benguet Lone District Rep. Eric Go Yap “for championing House Bill No. 312 which laid the foundation for this initiative.”
“The establishment of the Benguet State University-College of Medicine is historic as it becomes the first institution of its kind in our province and the first state university in the region to offer Doctor of Medicine. This will contribute to the production of more physicians not only in Benguet but in the region as well, as we continue to address the critical needs of our healthcare system,” he said.
Diclas, a surgeon, said this development is expected to boost the province’s "Study Now, Pay Later" program for aspiring doctors from the 13 municipalities of Benguet, which provides financial assistance in the form of tuition fees, book allowance, and stipend.
“The future of healthcare in Benguet is brighter, and I am confident that the future graduates of the Benguet State University-College of Medicine will play a significant role in shaping a healthier Benguet and a healthier Cordillera,” he said.
The idea of opening a college of medicine at BSU stemmed from the installation of university president Felipe Comila in 2018, with groundworks starting thereon.
Comila said an initial 50 slots, to be divided into two sections, will be made available for aspiring physicians when classes start in August. The number will be increased to 60 students every year.
He said BSU-College of Medicine will allow more Igorots to have the mindset and confidence to take up medicine despite financial incapacity.
It can be recalled that Republic Act 11509 or the “Doctor para sa Bayan Law” was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in May 2021, establishing a medical scholarship and return service program for deserving students in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs). (PNA)
