SEN. Joel Villanueva welcomed the establishment of five new medical schools in state universities across the country, saying the move brings the Philippines closer to quality health care.
Villanueva, principal sponsor and author of Republic Act 11509, or the Doktor Para sa Bayan Act, said the expansion strengthens the implementation of the law, which was enacted in 2020 to address health care inequality and the shortage of physicians in underserved areas.”This is a win for our youth aspiring to become doctors, for local communities and for every Filipino who deserves quality health care,” Villanueva said.The Commission on Higher Education recently approved the offering of Doctor of Medicine programs in five state universities beginning Academic Year 2026–2027.The newly approved institutions are Visayas State University in Region 8 (Eastern Visayas); Eastern Samar State University in Region 8; University of Eastern Philippines in Region 8; Benguet State University in the Cordillera Administrative Region; and Cotabato State University–Cotabato Regional Medical Center School of Medicine in Region 12 (Soccsksarge).”With these five new approvals, the number of state university and college medical schools has grown from 25 to 30, completing our goal of establishing a medical program in every region of the country,” said Villanueva, chairman of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education.To further support the program, Villanueva pushed for a P1.095-billion allocation for the Doktor Para sa Bayan program under the 2026 General Appropriations Act. The amount represents the highest budget granted to the program since it became law in 2021.”This is not merely an investment in education — it is an investment in lives,” Villanueva said.”Every doctor we train means countless patients who will receive timely and quality medical care,” he added.
