Senator Joel Villanueva, principal sponsor of the Doktor Para sa Bayan Act, welcomed the establishment of additional medical schools nationwide, saying this development moves the Philippines closer to the goal of ensuring that every community has access to doctors and quality healthcare.
Villanueva said the expansion strengthens the implementation of Republic Act 11509 or the Doktor Para sa Bayan law, which he authored in 2020 to address long-standing healthcare inequality.
“This is a win for our youth aspiring to become doctors, for local communities, and for every Filipino who deserves quality healthcare,” Villanueva said.
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) previously approved Doctor of Medicine programs at five state universities, starting in Academic Year 2026–2027.
“With these five new approvals, the number of SUC medical schools has grown from 25 to 30, completing our goal of establishing a medical program in every region of the country,” the chairperson of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education said.
The newly approved medical programs will be offered in the following institutions:
- Visayas State University (VSU) – Region VIII
- Eastern Samar State University (ESSU) – Region VIII
- University of Eastern Philippines (UEP) – Region VIII
- Benguet State University (BSU) – Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)
- Cotabato State University – Cotabato Regional Medical Center School of Medicine (CCSU-CRMC) – Region XII
Villanueva said the expansion will strengthen the Doktor Para sa Bayan (DPSB) program by widening access to medical education in the regions and helping address the persistent shortage and uneven distribution of doctors nationwide.
For 2026, Villanueva also pushed for a ₱1.095-billion allocation for the DPSB law under the General Appropriations Act, marking the program’s highest budget since its enactment 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.