The first state-funded medical school in Central Visayas is poised to have a dedicated building facility that will rise on a Capitol-owned lot along B. Rodriguez Street in Cebu City.
The Capitol has agreed to grant the Cebu Normal University–Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (CNU-VSMMC) College of Medicine the right to use the subject property under usufruct agreement for an initial 25-year-period as an aid towards the promotion of quality and affordable medical education in the country today.
“We have defined the lot. Please do a joint survey so you will know exactly where it is,” Gov. Gwen Garcia told CNU Vice President for Administration Dr. Joseph Tubilan and VSMMC chief Dr. Gerardo Aquino in a meeting at the Capitol on Friday, April 26.
The facility will be located “very near” VSMMC, allowing for students’ first-hand experience and abundant exposure to public service in the medical field. It will have an initial allocation of P120 million from the national government just to jumpstart construction.
The meeting was also attended by Assistant Solicitor General Gilbert Medrano and Commission Higher Education (CHED 7) director Maura Cristobal. The parties are set to formalize their commitment through the signing of a usufruct agreement in the coming days.
Dr. Tubilan, expressing optimism about the development, thanked Gov. Gwen for the Capitol’s support as this will have a transformative impact on the state’s strengthening of medical education.
“Nalipay kaayo mi sa meeting ganeha with Gov. Gwen kay finally duna na gyoy luna ang College of Medicine, unya duol pa gyud sa VSMMC nga karon ang atong mga bata naa diha. Dili na sila layo and they will have all the exposure sa reyalidad, especially sa pagpanambal sa atong panglawas,” Dr. Tubilan told Sugbo News.
Established in 2021 at the height of the pandemic, CNU-VSMMC College of Medicine offers scholarship grants to those who dream and are qualified to study medicine, under a return of service agreement prescribed by RA 11509 or “Doktor Para sa Bayan Act”.
Under the said law, qualified students can study medicine for free at CNU-VSMMC College of Medicine. In return, after becoming full-fledged doctors, they will serve in government hospitals in their hometowns for a certain number of years. | BJR