By Mariela Angella Oladive
The West Visayas State University College of Medicine (WVSU-COM) is enhancing its capacity and upgrading facilities with a PHP 300 million funding allocation aimed at advancing medical education in the region.
The funding, secured through the efforts of Senator Pia Cayetano, is financing the construction of two annex buildings, now 90 and 93 percent complete. These facilities will include a skills laboratory and a simulation lab equipped with advanced tools to train medical students in modern clinical techniques.
“This project’s impact is immeasurable. It’s a significant development that will greatly improve the quality of our program. Although we already have a strong medical curriculum, this will further enhance it,” said WVSU President Dr. Joselito Villaruz during a site visit with Senator Cayetano on Wednesday, Nov. 27.
The upgrades will allow the college to increase its annual student intake from 120 to 160 starting next year, supported by the introduction of the West Visayas State University Expedited Select Tract for Medicine (West MED). This accelerated program enables senior high school graduates to complete medical studies in seven years instead of the usual eight.
“These 40 new students will be carefully selected—the cream of the crop. This is the first time we’re offering this program,” Villaruz added.
Senator Cayetano, chairperson of the Sub-Committee on Finance overseeing higher education and health, expressed pride in the project’s progress, emphasizing its importance for the university and the region’s healthcare system.
“This has been a long-standing dream to provide robust support for medical students, not just in Iloilo but across the region. I’m proud to have secured funding for this worthwhile project. It’s a personal victory for the students and faculty and a collective victory for the people who will benefit from better healthcare,” she said.
Cayetano also highlighted the alignment of health and education as cornerstones of sustainable development, referencing scholarships available under the Doktor Para sa Bayan Act, or Republic Act (RA) 11509.
Signed into law on Dec. 23, 2020, the act established the Medical Scholarship and Return Service (MSRS) program. This initiative offers scholarships to deserving students in state universities and colleges (SUCs) or partner private higher education institutions (PHEIs) in regions without SUC medical programs.
As one of the country’s top medical schools, WVSU-COM is helping address the shortage of doctors in underserved areas. Its expansion is expected to provide more opportunities for aspiring doctors while improving healthcare services in the region.
