Baybay city: The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has approved the applications of three state universities in Eastern Visayas to offer the first and second-year levels of their Doctor of Medicine programs beginning academic year 2026-2027.
According to Philippines News Agency, the approved institutions are the Visayas State University (VSU) in Baybay City, Leyte; Eastern Samar State University (ESSU) in Borongan City; and the University of Eastern Philippines (UEP) in Catarman, Northern Samar. Additionally, Benguet State University and Cotabato State University-Cotabato Regional Medical Center School of Medicine have also been granted the authority to open Doctor of Medicine programs.
The initiative aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to expand medical and nursing education programs to address the country's shortage of doctors. The Philippines currently has only 7.92 physicians for every 10,000 people, which is below the World Health Organization's recommended ratio of 10 doctors per 10,000 population, as stated by CHED Eastern Visayas.
The three universities underwent rigorous evaluations by CHED and the Technical Panel for Medicine to ensure compliance with national standards. On May 18, the panel conducted an on-site evaluation at ESSU's main campus in Borongan City. A day later, a similar inspection was carried out at VSU's main campus in Baybay City, assessing academic programs, facilities, faculty qualifications, governance, and other requirements for establishing a medical school. UEP underwent an initial monitoring and evaluation visit by CHED regional office on March 25, as part of its bid to establish a College of Medicine.
"The assessment included inspections of laboratories, clinical learning spaces, and other essential facilities to determine the university's readiness and long-term capability to sustain the program," CHED added.
Education and health officials regard the approval of the three medical schools as a significant step toward strengthening the healthcare workforce in Eastern Visayas and expanding access to quality medical education for aspiring doctors in the region.
