(Photo Courtesy, UEP)
TACLOBAN CITY — The University of Eastern Philippines (UEP) in Catarman, Northern Samar has opened its College of Medicine, a move expected to help address the shortage of doctors and expand access to medical education in the province and neighboring areas of Eastern Visayas.
The university formally launched the college on July 13, introducing its Doctor of Medicine program that will accept first- and second-year students beginning Academic Year 2026–2027.
The establishment of the College of Medicine was authorized under Republic Act No. 11972, which was signed into law on December 20, 2023.
UEP President Cherry Ultra said the new medical school reflects the university’s commitment to producing physicians who will serve communities with limited access to healthcare.
She also said the program would promote an understanding of the connection between environmental sustainability and public health.
The college currently has 41 medical faculty members and four non-medical personnel recruited from international, national, and provincial hospitals.
During the launch, Dean Dr. Franklin Gali presented the college’s academic direction, faculty, and 10-year development plan.
The long-term plan includes the construction of a P300-million College of Medicine complex, the upgrading of anatomy and histology laboratories, the establishment of a simulation center and research office, and the development of a Level III teaching hospital.
The first phase, covering 2026 to 2027, will focus on securing approval for a five-year development program for the proposed teaching hospital and strengthening the college’s academic and research facilities.
The succeeding phases include expanding clinical affiliations, establishing a telemedicine training program for geographically isolated municipalities, graduating the college’s pioneering batch by 2031, and requiring successful graduates to render return service after passing the Physician Licensure Examination.
The college also plans to establish a Center for Tropical Medicine and Disaster Health Research, secure national accreditation, expand postgraduate programs, and introduce a Bachelor of Science in Midwifery program by Academic Year 2034–2035.
During the ceremony, Commission on Higher Education Regional Office Director Maximo Aljibe formally awarded the certificate of program compliance for UEP’s Doctor of Medicine program, confirming the university’s authority to offer the degree.
Northern Samar Gov. Harris Christopher Ongchuan announced that the provincial government would provide 10 scholarship slots for deserving Doctor of Medicine students.
The scholarship program is intended to help develop more local physicians who could eventually serve communities in the province.
Former Northern Samar First District Representative Paul Daza, the principal author of Republic Act No. 11972 and a member of the UEP Board of Regents, also urged local government units to provide funding for medical scholars.
Daza cited the law’s provision supporting scholarships for qualified and underprivileged students and highlighted ongoing infrastructure projects supporting the university, including funding for the College of Medicine building.
The opening of the UEP College of Medicine marks the university’s first medical degree program and is expected to strengthen the region’s capacity to train physicians and improve healthcare access in Eastern Visayas, particularly in underserved and geographically isolated communities.
(ROEL T. AMAZONA)
