TACLOBAN CITY – In a bid to address the shortage of doctors in its public health system, the provincial government of Northern Samar has welcomed 10 new grantees under its Provincial Government Medical Scholarship Program (PGNS), bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 37 since the program began in 2020.
The scholarship contracts were signed on September 30, 2025, at the Provincial Capitol in Catarman, witnessed by Governor Harris Ongchuan.
“We eagerly look forward to having you with us in serving the public when you become doctors. The province needs doctors, so our call always is to serve with a heart,” Ongchuan told the scholars, emphasizing the program’s goal of producing more medical professionals who will eventually serve in Northern Samar’s hospitals and rural health units.
Each scholar is entitled to a benefit package of up to P340,000 annually, covering tuition fees (P100,000 per semester), stipend (P35,000 per semester), book allowance (P30,000 per year), uniform allowance (P5,000 per year), and a licensure review fee of P60,000 for the medical board examination. In return, scholars are required to work under the provincial government after passing the physician licensure exam.
The PGNS, first implemented under the administration of then-Governor Edwin Ongchuan (now 2nd District Representative), has already produced five licensed physicians currently deployed in provincial hospitals.
Officials said the program reflects Northern Samar’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery by investing in local talent, ensuring that future doctors are not only trained but also encouraged to serve their home province.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
