Marcos signs laws opening new medical colleges in five provinces

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law bills establishing five new college of medicine programs in different state universities across the country, some of which are set to be the first public medical schools in their respective regions.

According to a statement by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Wednesday, Marcos greenlighted five legislative measures that formally create new medicine schools under five public universities in Benguet, Quezon, Northern Samar, Leyte and Albay. One college of medicine program focuses specifically on veterinary medicine.

Republic Act 11970 creates the Benguet State University - College of Medicine in La Trinidad, Benguet. Based on the latest records of the Commission on Higher Education, this is set to be the first state-run college of medicine in the Cordillera Administrative Region and the second school to offer a Doctor of Medicine program overall, with the first offered by private university St. Louis University.

Marcos also signed into law Republic Act  11971, which creates a college of medicine under the Southern Luzon State University in the province of Quezon. This is also set to create the first medicine school in Quezon.

The president also approved Republic Act 11972, which establishes the University of Eastern Philippines-College of Medicine in Catarman, Northern Samar, and Republic Act 11974, the Visayas State University-College of Medicine in Baybay, Leyte. Both are set to be the first to offer a Doctor of Medicine program in their respective provinces.

Marcos has also signed into law Republic Act 11973, which creates a College of Veterinary Medicine under the Bicol University in Ligao City, Albay. Currently, only one other public university in the Bicol region offers a veterinary medicine course, which is the Central Bicol State University in Camarines Sur. 

These newly signed laws allow the SUCs to proceed with offering a Doctor of Medicine Program, including an Integrated Liberal Arts and Medicine Program to “develop a corps of professional physicians and help strengthen the country’s healthcare system,” the PCO said.

These measures are also designed to “respond to