Senate approves Medical Scholarship Act on final reading

The Senate, via a 22-0 vote, has approved the Medical Scholarship Act—a measure which provides free medical education—on third and final reading on Monday.

The bill, number Senate Bill 1520, specifically seeks to cover medical students' tuition and other school fees, required textbooks, uniform and living allowances, among others.

“This measure comes at the most opportune time as our country continues to battle against the devastating health impacts of COVID-19. This law will help the healthcare system sector to be better prepared for similar health emergencies in the future,” Senate President Vicente Sotto III said.

“We believe that our underprivileged but deserving students, who wish to provide for a better life for their families and to serve the country and its people as physicians, should be given the opportunity to do so. Because it is through their dedicated service that our healthcare system becomes more resilient, and gains a better chance of withstanding any pandemic,” Senator Sonny Angara added in a separate statement.

The free medical education, on the other hand, will be provided only if the scholars will enter a return service agreement to ensure that they will practice their profession in the Philippines within a specific period after getting a professional license.

'We are at war'

Senator Joel Villanueva, principal author of the measure, noted that the bill is also very crucial considering that there are only nine public medical schools in the country while medical education remains the most expensive course in the Philippines.

“We are at war and the doctors are the combatants. Just as we train soldiers in peace time, so must we train more in times of war. So, let it be now, with doctors and physicians,” Villanueva, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education panel, said.

“Ngayon po, kahit sinong Pilipino, anuman ang antas sa buhay, kaya nang tuparin ang pangarap na maging doktor,” Villanueva added.

Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, on the other hand, cited that the bill will prevent the current situation wherein six out of 10 Filipinos die without seeing a doctor.

“Katulad ng iba nating mga kababayan, ang aking pamilya po ay nakaranas din ng pagdadalamhati noong binawian ng buhay ang aking dalawang musmos na kapatid dahil sa pangkaraniwang sakit nang hindi man lamang nakapagpa-doktor. Isa po ang aming barangay noon ang hindi naabot ng doctor, ang Barangay Bato, Sta. Cruz, Davao Del Sur,” Dela Rosa said.

“Under this bill, we will be helping and encouraging those students who were born into a painful situation of them having dreams, yet not having the resources to turn those dreams into reality. We are offering a chance for our poor but deserving students to reach their goal to become doctors,” he added. — BM, GMA News