The Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila welcomes the passage of Republic Act 11509 that grants scholarships to aspiring Filipino doctors subject to a return service agreement.
PLM has been actively devoting more resources into boosting its medicine-related programs as it hopes to contribute more to the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The “Doktor Para Sa Bayan Act” provides another platform for the University to boost its medicine courses and accept additional deserving students who want to pursue the practice.
Specific details on how students can avail of the scholarships will depend on the implementing rules and regulations to be crafted by the Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Health.
PLM established the School of Public Health in 2019 and conferred an honorary Doctorate Degree in Public Health on businessman and philanthropist Ramon S. Ang to recognize his efforts through San Miguel Corporation to aid the country’s coronavirus response.
“Public health is a priority area for PLM. Even prior to the global health crisis, PLM has taken steps to increase our enrollees pursuing medicine and related courses,” University President Emmanuel Leyco said. “The new unit will provide quality training and education to aspiring public health professionals and health policy practitioners, who will be our future frontliners.”
The PLM Board of Regents earlier planned to raise the number of enrollees at the College of Medicine to 200 first year students but was constrained by the lockdowns and the subsequent ban on face-to-face classes. Instead, the University decided to accept more freshmen students in health-related undergraduate programs such as nursing, psychology, biology, and nursing.
“As a public university, PLM is committed to uphold academic excellence, integrity, and social responsibility. Making quality education more accessible for our future doctors and medical professionals is one of the ways we contribute to nation-building,” President Leyco added.
The PLM College of Medicine is among the top performing schools in the country, posting a 97.58% passing rate and producing two board topnotchers during last year’s physician licensure examination.
PLM has been providing quality tertiary education to underprivileged but talented Manileños and students since 1965. For more information, visit www.plm.edu.ph.