MANILA, Philippines – Hiniling ni Senador Francis “Chiz” Escudero sa Kongreso na kaagad ipasa ang ilang panukalang batas na naglalayong lumikha ng mas maraming public medical school sa bansa upang matugunan ang pangangailangan sa kalusugan ng Filipino.
Sa pahayag, sinabi ni Escudero na isang matibay na kadahilanan sa agarang paglikha ng public medical school ang karanasan ng bansa noong nakaraang pandemya ng Covid-19 na lubhang ikinagulantang ng lahat.
“If there is one painful lesson that the pandemic has taught us, it is the fact that even if we produce them on an industrial scale, we cannot have enough doctors. Because even before Covid-19 struck the Secretary of Health said we were already 114,000 short of doctors, in what could be described as our society’s pre-existing comorbidity,” aniya sa pahayag.
Inirekomenda ni Escudero ang paglikha ng public medical schools sa Benguet State University sa Cordilleras, Southern Luzon State University sa Quezon Province, University of Eastern Philippines sa Northern Samar, Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University sa La Union, at Visayas State University sa Southern Leyte.
“These schools are centers of excellence, consistently turn in excellent board examinations scores, and are research and innovation hubs,” paliwanag ng mambabatas.
Sinabi ni Escudero na nakahanda sa usaping pang-akademiko at pasilidad ang naturang sentro ng edukasyon bukod sa pagkakaroon ng pampubliko at pribadong pagamutan sa paligid nit na maaaring magbigay ng pagsasanay sa estudyante at faculty members.
Aniya, sususugan ng karagdagang medical school ang Republic Act 11509 o ang “Doktor Para Sa Bayan Act,” na pinagtibay noong December 2020.
Layunin ngbatas na makalikha ng medical scholarship at return service program para sa deserving students na gustong magkaroon ng degree sa Doctor of Medicine sa ating state universities and colleges.
“At present, the program is offered in 16 private schools and 16 state universities with funded slots for 3,600 scholars this year. The five bills I am introducing through this omnibus sponsorship speech will bring it to 21,” ayon sa senador.
Naghain din si Escudero na panukala na lilikha ng veterinary schools sa Bicol University sa Ligao, Albay at sa Southern Luzon State University- Catanauan Campus sa Quezon province.
“There is a national shortage of veterinary doctors today. This can be addressed by establishing more colleges of veterinary medicines, especially in the countryside where large animal health care remains an underserved need of the farmers who feed us,” ani Escudero. Ernie Reyes
