TACLOBAN CITY – Eastern Samar took a major step toward addressing its shortage of doctors and strengthening its healthcare system as the Eastern Samar State University (ESSU) formally inaugurated its College of Medicine on Thursday, July 2, paving the way for aspiring physicians to earn a Doctor of Medicine degree without leaving the province.
The historic inauguration, held at the ESSU Main Campus in Borongan City, marked the realization of a long-standing vision to establish a government medical school in Eastern Samar and develop a pool of locally trained physicians who are expected to serve underserved communities across the province and the Eastern Visayas region.
The ceremony was attended by House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Representative Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan, who authored the law that created ESSU and is widely regarded as the “father” of the university. He also pushed for the establishment of the medical school from the 19th to the 20th Congress in partnership with Eastern Samar Lone District Representative Christopher Sheen P. Gonzales.
Libanan said he hopes future graduates of the ESSU College of Medicine will choose to practice in rural communities where healthcare professionals remain in short supply.
“My hope is that in the years ahead, the doctors serving rural health units and communities throughout Eastern Samar and Eastern Visayas will proudly say they are graduates of the ESSU College of Medicine,” he said.
“Our greatest achievement will not simply be building a medical school, but producing compassionate physicians who choose to serve where they are needed most.”
To further support the program, Eastern Samar Governor Ralph Vincent “RV” Evardone announced a scholarship partnership between the provincial government and ESSU through a memorandum of agreement signed during the inauguration.
Under the agreement, the provincial government will finance the education of 10 medical students for the current academic year, increase the number of scholars to 20 next school year, and sustain the program by supporting 10 scholars annually in the succeeding years.
Evardone also announced that the provincial government has earmarked P500 million for the rehabilitation and modernization of the Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital. Once upgraded, the hospital will become the teaching and clinical training facility for ESSU’s medical students.
The university likewise conducted the ceremonial enrollment of its pioneering medical students who will comprise the first batch of the Doctor of Medicine program for School Year 2026-2027.
University officials said the inaugural class is expected to reach 50 students, who were selected through a competitive admission process based on their National Medical Admission Test (NMAT) scores and academic performance.
Representing the faculty, Dr. Model Grace Montes-Buna pledged the commitment of the medical school’s faculty members to provide quality medical education while nurturing competent, ethical and community-oriented physicians.
She said the establishment of the College of Medicine represents a long-term investment in Eastern Samar’s healthcare system by producing doctors who understand the province’s culture, language and unique public health challenges.
“Our province deserves physicians who understand both the science of medicine and the realities of serving rural communities. This medical school is more than an academic program—it is an investment in our people. It is a promise that talented young men and women of Eastern Samar no longer need to leave home to pursue their dream of becoming physicians,” Buna said.
The inauguration was attended by ESSU President Andres Pagatpatan Jr., officials of the Commission on Higher Education, representatives of Tingog Party-list, local government officials, municipal mayors, and members of the university’s newly appointed faculty and staff.
The opening of the ESSU College of Medicine is expected to help address the persistent shortage of physicians in Eastern Samar and neighboring provinces by producing homegrown doctors who are more likely to practice in their communities, particularly in geographically isolated and underserved areas.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
