January 29, 2025

The Caraga Region will now have its first public medical school as the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) authorized the Caraga State University (CSU) to offer a Doctor of Medicine Program effective Academic Year 2025-2026.

CSU will be the twenty-fifth (25th) state university to offer a Doctor of Medicine program in the Philippines.

“Among the flagship programs of the Marcos administration is expanding access to medical education in order to ensure that we will produce more doctors who will serve the underserved areas. With the approval of CSU to operate the Doctor of Medicine program, we are now down to 1 region left without a SUC that offers medical education, and we are very close to fulfilling the mandate of the Doktor Para sa Bayan Act,” CHED Secretary Popoy De Vera said.

As the first SUC in Caraga Region to offer a Doctor of Medicine program, CSU will facilitate the implementation of Republic Act No. 11509 or the Doktor Para sa Bayan law.

Doktor Para sa Bayan law aims to improve access to medical education by offering quality education at more affordable rates in SUCs and by providing MSRS for poor but deserving students.

The MSRS scholars are required to provide a return service system in far-flung and underserved communities upon passing the licensure examination.

“With CSU’s organizational commitment, we can now produce more doctors, who will go to underserved areas specifically in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas or in municipalities without government physicians in need of health personnel,” De Vera said.

“CSU-School of Medicine is the first ever medical school of Caraga and future home of five-star physicians. The approval of this program will be a moment of hope and pride as it has been long awaited, and it will mark the beginning of a brighter future for equitable healthcare services in the region,” CSU President Rolyn C. Daguil said.

Prior to the passage of the Doktor Para sa Bayan law there were only eight (8) SUCs with medical schools with five (5) in Luzon, two (2) in the Visayas and one (1) in Mindanao.

There are now 25 SUCs offering Doctor of Medicine programs; 11 in Luzon, 5 in Visayas, and 9 in Mindanao including the Caraga State University.

A total of 2,971 poor but deserving students enjoy scholarships in public and private-partner medical schools in the country under the Doktor Para sa Bayan law. They will practice in underserved areas upon graduation through a return service agreement as part of their scholarship grant.

(SIGNED)
J. PROSPERO E. DE VERA III
Secretary
Commission on Higher Education