The dream for Cebu Normal University–Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (CNU-VSMMC) College of Medicine to finally have its own building is one step closer to fulfillment.
Gov. Gwen Garcia signed a usufruct agreement with CNU President Dr. Daniel Ariaso Sr. at the Capitol Gallery on Nov. 21, giving CNU the right to use the Capitol-owned “Lot 519-A” located in Brgy. Sambag II in Cebu City in close proximity to VSMCC.
The usufruct agreement covers a land area of 1,460 square meters and will be in effect for the next 25 years.
Dr. Ariaso, in his speech, said they will construct on the area a 21-storey building that will house the CNU-VSMMC College of Medicine, CNU College of Nursing, and other medical programs. The national government has already allocated an initial P120 million just to jumpstart the construction of the building.
“This is a big, big contribution not only to Cebu Normal University but to the entire Cebuanos in the Philippines. We will expand more programs so that we can cater to the educational needs of our beloved Cebuanos, and that we are prioritizing the poor but deserving students of the Province of Cebu,” the university president said in his speech.
CNU–VSMMC College of Medicine is the first state-funded medical school in Central Visayas. It offers scholarship grants to those who wish to study medicine, with the condition that they will serve in government hospitals in their hometowns for a certain number of years after becoming full-fledged medical doctors.
As of the moment it already has 157 enrolled students from first year to fourth year of medical studies.
Gov. Gwen said the location is crucial to the continued growth and success of CNU-VSMMC College of Medicine, as it is imperative for medical students to have maximum exposure to real practice in hospitals, mimicking the arrangements found at the University of the Philippine–Philippine General Hospital (UP PGH).
“This is the best learning ground that we can possibly have in the entire Visayas, if not in the entire country, because VSMMC also meets that required standard of excellence,” Gov. Gwen said.
She also lauded CNU for having been “the hallmark of excellence”, adding that the Capitol will always be supportive of it because everything good that it does always redounds to the benefit of the Cebuanos.
“This is a coming together of everyone who believes in excellence. Today we sign this usufruct agreement that will finally give a home to CNU’s college of medicine,” Gov. Gwen said.
“It is my supreme hope from the Cebu Normal University’s College of Medicine, in collaboration with the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, each and every future graduate of this college will serve with a heart, especially for the most underprivileged,” she added. | IPA