Funding has been secured under the 2026 national budget to support aspiring doctors through a government scholarship initiative focused on public service. A total of P186 million has been designated for the Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), aimed at strengthening the country’s healthcare workforce.
The allocation, disclosed by House Minority Leader Marcelino Libanan on Monday, is expected to help expand access to medical education for qualified students, particularly those coming from communities with limited healthcare resources. The program is designed not only to support students financially but also to ensure that graduates eventually serve in areas that need medical professionals the most.
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Addressing Gaps in Healthcare Access
Lawmakers emphasized that the scholarship program is part of a broader effort to respond to the ongoing shortage of doctors in remote and underserved regions. By prioritizing students from disadvantaged backgrounds, the initiative seeks to create a pipeline of healthcare workers who are more likely to return and serve their communities.
“By financially supporting deserving medical students, especially those from underserved communities, we are also helping address the chronic shortage of doctors in far-flung and impoverished areas,” Libanan stated.
“We want more Filipino physicians to serve where they are needed most,” he added.
A wide network of SUCs across the country will participate in the program. These include: Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, Mariano Marcos State University, University of Northern Philippines, Cagayan State University, Isabela State University, Bulacan State University, Batangas State University, Cavite State University, Southern Luzon State University, Bicol University, West Visayas State University, Bohol Island State University, Cebu Normal University-Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center, University of the Philippines School of Health Sciences, Samar State University-Samar Island Institute of Medicine, Western Mindanao State University, University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines, University of Southeastern Philippines, Mindanao State University-General Santos City, Sultan Kudarat State University, University of Southern Mindanao, University of the Philippines Manila, Palawan State University, Caraga State University, and Mindanao State University-Marawi City.
Priority Sectors and Qualification Requirements
The program gives preference to applicants living in municipalities and provinces with low doctor-to-population ratios and high poverty rates, as well as those in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas or communities affected by disasters or conflict.
“Priority is given to applicants residing in municipalities and provinces with low doctor-to-population ratios and high poverty rates, geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, and disaster-prone or conflict-affected communities,” the lawmaker explained.
Additional priority will also be extended to applicants from families earning below P450,000 yearly, Indigenous or ethnic community members, and dependents of community health volunteers. To qualify, applicants must be Filipino citizens who have completed or are finishing a pre-medical course required for a Doctor of Medicine degree.
“They must also obtain the required National Medical Admission Test (NMAT) score prescribed by the Commission on Higher Education and their chosen SUC, and pass the admission requirements of the participating school,” Libanan said.
Scholars who complete the program are required to fulfill a return service obligation, ensuring that their training benefits communities in need. For many Filipinos, especially those in rural and underserved areas, this initiative could mean improved access to healthcare services, reduced travel for medical care, and a stronger, more evenly distributed healthcare system nationwide.
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