Lawmaker Urges P1 Billion More for SUC Medical School Development

BORONGAN CITY, Philippines — To speed up the development of medical schools in state universities and colleges (SUCs), 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan is urging Congress to allocate an additional P1 billion in next year’s budget. Libanan said the additional funding is needed to produce more doctors and address the country’s persistent shortage of physicians, especially in underserved and rural communities. “We are pushing for an allocation of at least another P1 billion for the Seed Fund for the development of medical schools in SUCs in the proposed 2027 national budget,” Libanan said. Congress created the Seed Fund in 2021 with an initial budget of P150 million. Funding under the Commission on Higher Education (CHED)’s annual budget has since grown to P250 million in 2022, P250 million in 2023, P275 million in 2024, P150 million in 2025 and P440 million in the 2026 General Appropriations Act. The fund helps SUCs build their medical programs by improving instructional capacity, acquiring teaching resources, upgrading libraries and establishing advanced laboratory facilities. According to Libanan, the number of SUCs operating medical schools has increased from 25 to 30. Last month, CHED allowed five more SUCs to offer the first and second-year levels of Doctor of Medicine programs starting academic year 2026-2027.