Senate approves Doktor Para sa Bayan Bill

Aiming to provide free medical education in the Philippines, the Senate ratified the final version of the Doktor Para sa Bayan Bill on Thursday, October 15, 2020.

Reconciling the Senate Bill No. 1520 and House Bill No. 6756, the now Doktor Para sa Bayan Act mandates the government to provide medical scholarships at State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) for all students who wish to take medical courses but cannot afford to pay for medical school.

"The coronavirus pandemic has only exposed and exacerbated the Achilles’ heel of our healthcare system: the shrinking supply of Filipino medical doctors. Imagine, we only have 3 doctors per 10,000 population, far from the ideal ratio of 10 doctors per 10,000 population," Senator Joel Villanueva, sponsor of the bill, acclaimed.

Students who want to avail of the scholarship from municipalities without government physicians shall be prioritized. But to qualify for the scholarship, students must pass the National Medical Admission Test and entrance exam required by the medical school.

In return, graduates of the program who will become licensed physicians are required to fulfill the mandatory return service agreement by serving his/her hometown or any municipality that is determined as underserved by the Department of Health.

If the scholar fails to serve the mandatory service, they will pay twice the full cost of the scholarship, including other benefits and related expenses.

Words by Khim Satuita

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