Senator Pia Cayetano Champions Medical Education with Visit to WVSU College of of Medicine
November 28, 2024
Senator Pia Cayetano Champions Medical Education with Visit to WVSU College of Medicine
ILOILO CITY - Senator Pia S. Cayetano visited the West Visayas State University (WVSU) yesterday, November 27, to see first-hand the ongoing construction of two buildings for its College of Medicine, a project she supported through her initiatives as Senior Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance. One of the buildings will house the state-of-the-art skills and simulation laboratory, while the other building will provide additional learning spaces as more students are encouraged to take up a medical degree, following the passage of the Doktor Para Sa Bayan Act. University President Dr. Joselito F. Villaruz and Dr. Victor A. Amantillo Jr., Dean of the College of Medicine, toured the Senator around the said facilities.
Throughout the Senator's tenure overseeing both health and education budgets in the Senate, Cayetano has championed several initiatives to expand WVSU's capacity to admit more students into their medical degree program, including constructing additional buildings, improving facilities, modernizing laboratories, and enhancing student programs. These efforts align with the Senator's broader advocacy of strengthening medical education across the Philippines.
"We've spent over a billion pesos supporting medical education projects through the Seed Fund in just a few years," Cayetano shared, reflecting on the progress since she first handled the budget for State Universities and Colleges (SUCs). Since 2021, this initiative has prioritized funding for both new and existing medical SUCs to increase their carrying capacity and enhance their facilities. The program ensures medical students have access to quality infrastructure and resources necessary for their professional development in healthcare.
"This represents our commitment to building a stronger healthcare system by investing in both facilities and future medical professionals" Senator Cayetano explained, adding that similar support is also being provided to students of allied health courses.
In addition to the Seed Fund and support for increasing the carrying capacity of existing medical SUCs, Cayetano's initiatives also include budgetary support for operations of newly approved medical SUCs. WVSU, established in 1902 as the Iloilo Normal School, has evolved into one of the region's premier educational institutions. It is the only other State University with its own Teaching Hospital aside from the University of the Philippines (UP). Its College of Medicine, recognized by CHED as a Center of Development, continues to produce top-performing medical professionals for Western Visayas and the rest of the country.
"I'm really proud of being able to find the funding for these kinds of worthwhile projects. It is a personal victory for the medical students and faculty here, but it is a collective victory for the people of the province, of the region," the Senator added.
The Senator's support for WVSU is part of her comprehensive approach to improving the quality and access to medical education nationwide. During recent budget deliberations in the Senate, she emphasized the need for sustainable and long-term investment in SUCs, particularly in their medical and allied health programs, to address the country's healthcare workforce needs.#
Senator Pia Cayetano, Nangunguna sa Pagsulong ng Medical Education sa Pagbisita sa WVSU-COM
ILOILO CITY - Bumisita si Senadora Pia S. Cayetano sa West Visayas State University (WVSU) kahapon, Nobyembre 27, upang personal na tignan ang dalawang itinatayong gusali para sa College of Medicine nito. Ang proyektong ito ay bahagi ng mga isinulong ng Senadora bilang Senior Vice Chair ng Senate Committee on Finance. Isa sa mga gusali ang magsisilbing makabagong skills and simulation laboratory, habang ang isa naman ay magbibigay ng karagdagang classrooms, bilang paghahanda sa pagdami ng mga estudyanteng inaasahang kukuha ng medikal na kurso dahil sa pagpasa ng Doktor Para Sa Bayan Act. Kasama ng Senadora sina University President Dr. Joselito F. Villaruz at Dr. Victor A. Amantillo Jr., Dean ng College of Medicine, sa kanilang pag-iikot sa mga pasilidad.
Sa kanyang panunungkulan bilang tagapamahala ng mga badyet para sa kalusugan at edukasyon sa Senado, patuloy na isinusulong ni Cayetano ang pagpapalawak ng kapasidad ng WVSU na tumanggap ng mas maraming mag-aaral sa kanilang programa sa medisina. Kasama rito ang pagpapagawa ng karagdagang mga gusali, pagpapahusay ng mga pasilidad, modernisasyon ng mga laboratoryo, at pagpapaigting ng mga programa para sa mga mag-aaral. Bahagi ang mga ito ng mas malawak na adbokasiya ng Senador na palakasin ang medikal na edukasyon sa buong Pilipinas.
"We've spent over a billion pesos supporting medical education projects through the Seed Fund in just a few years," ani Cayetano, at tinanaw ang paglago ng pondo para sa mga State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) mula nang kanyang hawakan ito. Simula noong 2021, binigyang prayoridad ng inisyatiba ang pondo para sa mga bago at kasalukuyang medical SUCs upang mapataas ang kanilang kapasidad at mapaganda ang kanilang mga pasilidad.
"This represents our commitment to building a stronger healthcare system by investing in both facilities and future medical professionals" dagdag pa ni Cayetano. Aniya, ganito din ang suportang kanilang ibinibigay para sa mga estudyante ng allied health courses.
Bukod sa Seed Fund at sa pagpapalawak ng kapasidad ng mga medical SUCs, kabilang din sa mga inisyatiba ni Cayetano ang paglalaan ng badyet para sa operasyon ng mga bagong aprubadong medical SUCs. Ang WVSU, na itinatag noong 1902 bilang Iloilo Normal School, ay isa na ngayong pangunahing institusyon sa rehiyon. Ito ang nag-iisang State University, maliban sa University of the Philippines (UP), na may sariling Teaching Hospital. Ang College of Medicine nito, na kinikilala ng CHED bilang Center of Development, ay patuloy na humuhubog ng mga medical professionals para sa Western Visayas at sa buong bansa. "I'm really proud of being able to find the funding for these kinds of worthwhile projects. It is a personal victory for the medical students and faculty here, but it is a collective victory for the people of the province, of the region," saad pa ng Senador.
Ang suporta ni Senador Cayetano sa WVSU ay bahagi ng kanyang mas malawak na adbokasiya na mapabuti ang kalidad at accessibility ng sa pag-aaral ng medisina sa buong bansa. Sa mga nakaraang talakayan sa badyet sa Senado, binigyang-diin niya ang pangangailangan para sa pangmatagalan at patuloy na pamumuhunan sa ating mga SUCs, lalo na sa kanilang medical at allied health programs, upang matugunan ang kakulangan sa healthcare workforce ng bansa.
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