Senator Francis Escudero says the education sector, including the establishment of more medical schools around the country, will be strengthened with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. enactment of seven education-related laws affected certain state universities and colleges (SUCs).,
Escudero made the observation following reports that the President has signed into law the seven bills last Dec. 20.
“I thank President Marcos for his expeditious action,” he said.
Among the measures signed into laws were Republic Act (RA) 11970,which creates the Benguet State University College of Medicine; RA 11971 on Southern Luzon State University’s College of Medicine; RA 11972 setting up the University of Eastern Philippines College of Medicine; and RA 11974 providing for the creation of the Visayas State University College of Medicine.
RA 11973 allows Bicol University to have its own College of Veterinary Medicine.
“We are now closer to our goal of offering medical courses in various parts of the country to meet the health needs of the Filipino people,” Escudero said, adding that the country was already 114,000 short of doctors even before the COVID-19 pandemic based on data from the Department of Health.
Aside from addressing the current shortage of medical professionals in the government service, the state also must anticipate the future increases in population growth.
“Even if our population increase decelerates and stabilizes at 1.5 million a year, this would still have to be matched with new entrants to the medical profession,” Escudero said.
The other two bills signed by the President were RA 11968 which converts the San Isidro Satellite campus of the Leyte Normal University (LNU) into a regular campus; and RA 11969 which makes the Bataan Peninsula State University (BPSU)-Bagac Extension Campus in Bagac, Bataan a regular campus.