Manila: The medical education in the Philippines is now expanding with the approval of Doctor of Medicine Programs in five state universities and colleges (SUCs), according to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). This is in line with the directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to further increase the number of healthcare professionals through expanded medical and nursing education programs nationwide.

According to Philippines News Agency, the application approval, following a thorough evaluation and deliberation, will help strengthen the overall healthcare system. 'By expanding medical program offerings in state-funded institutions, CHED ensures that aspiring and deserving doctors from diverse regions can pursue their medical dreams locally, ultimately strengthening the country's healthcare system and community-based health service delivery,' it said late Wednesday.

The SUCs with newly-approved medical programs are the Benguet State University in the Cordillera Administrative Region; the Visayas State University, Eastern Samar State University and the University of Eastern Philippines, all in Eastern Visayas; and the the Cotabato State University - Cotabato Regional Medical Center School of Medicine in Soccsksargen. Benguet State University is the first SUC in CAR to secure a medical program.

The five SUCs can now operate for the first and second-year levels of their respective Doctor of Medicine programs, beginning on Academic Year (AY) 2026 to 2027. The approval also aligns with the government's mandate to address the shortage of Filipino medical doctors under the Doktor para sa Bayan Act, especially in underserved areas like Samar, Leyte, Cordilleras and Central Mindanao.

'With these new approvals, the administration has successfully established at least one SUC with a medicine program in every region nationwide, with the exception of the newly created Negros Island Region (NIR), which is poised to be the next priority,' the CHED said.