𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐀: 𝐆𝐎𝐕. 𝐏𝐀𝐌 𝐆𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐒 𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐓-𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐈𝐓𝐎𝐋’𝐒 𝐌𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐒
The Cebu Provincial Government has signed an agreement with the consortium of Cebu Normal University and Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (CNU-VSMMC) College of Medicine to establish scholarship grants for deserving Cebuano medical students with a heart for service.
However, Governor Pamela Baricuatro made it clear that the screening and selection process will be left entirely to the school’s sound judgment. Neither provincial officials nor political leaders will have any role in determining who will be admitted, ensuring that the process remains free from politicization.
“I have no intention of getting myself involved in choosing the candidates, and I hope the other public servants also will not get involved here, because this is an academic practice and our only involvement here is the scholarship for the future doctors in our institutions,” Gov. Baricuatro said in a press briefing at the Capitol on February 18.
“Let the best ones get into the institution without any interference from the Province of Cebu or any political leaders for that matter,” she added.
The governor was joined by CNU President Dr. Laurence Garcia; VSMMC Chief of Hospital Dr. Gerardo Aquino; CNU-VSMMC College of Medicine Dean Dr. Jarungchai Vatanagul; and Capitol Piso Health Consultant Dr. Nikki Catalan.
𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗔 𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗬 𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗢𝗙 𝗗𝗢𝗖𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗦
She reiterated that the province supports the program to help ensure a steady stream of doctors for its 16 hospitals — four provincial hospitals and 12 district hospitals. The Capitol’s role, she said, will be limited to funding the scholarships, while CNU-VSMMC College of Medicine will retain sole discretion over admissions.
Under the agreement signed by the Capitol, the Department of Health Central Visayas, and CNU-VSMMC College of Medicine last February 14, the Provincial Government will shoulder the tuition of qualified medical students in exchange for a return-of-service commitment.
Scholarship beneficiaries — after becoming licensed physicians — must render service in Capitol-run hospitals or other government health facilities in the province for a period equivalent to twice the duration of their scholarship. For a four-year medical scholarship, this translates to an eight-year return of service, significantly strengthening the pool of medical personnel in Capitol-run and other government-funded health facilities across the province.
“This really has big impact on the continuity of our doctors. If we can produce at least 50 medical school graduates every year, dili nata maglisod og pangita og doctors para sa province. We will be assured already nga naa tay doctors sa atoang district hospitals,” Gov. Baricuatro said.
𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘-𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗠𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗢𝗟 𝗜𝗡 𝗖𝗘𝗕𝗨
In private medical schools in Cebu, annual tuition ranges from about P250,000 to as high as P330,000, according to Dean Vatanagul.
As the only state-funded medical school in Cebu, CNU-VSMMC College of Medicine offers significantly lower tuition. The Provincial Government will shoulder the annual tuition of qualified students at the following rates: P74,000 for first-year students; P76,500 for second-year students; and at least P78,000 for both third- and fourth-year students.
Gov. Baricuatro said scholarship funds will initially come from the Governor’s Office, with hopes of securing a larger allocation next year and in the years ahead as the Provincial Government moves to institutionalize the program.
𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗢𝗟𝗔𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦
The medical school is also a recipient of national government scholarship grants through the Medical Scholarship and Return Service (MSRS) program under the Doktor Para sa Bayan Act (Republic Act No. 11509). When the school first opened in 2021, it received more than 50 MSRS scholarship slots. This year, however, the number has dropped to just nine. To sustain the program’s operations, the Capitol will cover the scholarships of the remaining 41 students.
Dr. Garcia said annual admissions remain capped at 50 students due to limited faculty and facilities of the school, as it prioritizes producing high-quality graduates prepared for community service. He expressed hope that the construction of the CNU-VSMMC College of Medicine’s own building will eventually allow an increase in enrollment, as well as expanded scholarship support from both the national government and the Capitol.
“If we can just produce 50 doctors every year, in 4 years, you have 200 doctors that would serve the province. Dako na kaayo nag impact, to start with,” Dr. Aquino said. |𝑪𝑨𝑷𝑰𝑻𝑶𝑳 𝑷𝑰𝑶, 𝑷𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒐𝒔 𝒃𝒚 , 𝑨𝑺𝑪, 𝑨𝑹𝑱
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