BAGUIO CITY — The country may soon have enough doctors with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signing Republic Act No. 11509 that grants medical scholarships to deserving students who want to become physicians.
Baguio City Congressman Mark Go , the principal author of the Doktor para sa Bayan Act, said the law encourages students to take up Medicine and help improve the country’s doctor-patient ratio, which is currently at a dismal three doctors per 10,000 populations , according to the health department.
“Pursuing Medicine is no longer a far-fetched dream for underprivileged yet deserving students, who wish to rise above their circumstances and serve their respective communities. This landmark legislation of producing at least one doctor for each municipality is crucial in strengthening our country’s healthcare system,” Go said.
RA 11509 grants medical scholarship to deserving students, prioritizing qualified applicants from municipalities. It will cover tuition and other school fees, allowance for books, equipment, and uniforms, dormitory and transportation costs, internship fees, as well as medical board review and licensure fees.
In return, scholars are required to finish the Doctor of Medicine Program within a prescribed time frame, and will serve in their hometowns. The length of return service shall be equivalent to the graduates’ years under the scholarship grant, Go elaborated.
Congress allocated over P1 billion for the Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Health to increase scholarship slots for aspiring doctors and provide them with their needs in going to medical school.
Raymond Zarate, a student from a poor family who dreams of becoming a doctor, may be fulfilled with the Doktor para sa Bayan law.
“I will avail of the scholarship and hope to become a doctor someday and help sick people especially those in the barangays,” Zarate said. **JDP/JBZ- PIA CAR
