SPONSORSHIP SPEECH
COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 86
Senate Bill No. 1520
MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP ACT

Mr. President, esteemed colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, magandang hapon po sa inyong lahat: "Cure sometimes, treat often, and comfort always." Hippocrates

As known by everyone, Hippocrates is an ancient Greek physician who is traditionally regarded as the father of medicine. He is respected as such that the guiding obligations and proper conduct of doctors, which may or may not have been written by him, was named after him - The Hippocratic Oath. A tall ethical order to any physician who wishes to practice his profession.

This noble responsibility may be one of the reasons that there is a scarcity of doctors or physicians in the world. Or is it just the lack of opportunity, especially to Filipinos, to study and be licensed to heal the sick?

For this reason, dear colleagues, it is my privilege to co- sponsor Senate Bill No. 1520 or the Medical Scholarship Act principally authored by our Senate President and principally sponsored by our hardworking Chairman of the Committee on Higher Technical and Vocal Education, Senator Joel Villanueva.

Mr. President, recent data from the Professional Regulation Commission will show that there are 84,783 licensed Filipino physicians. Out of that, only 28,428 doctors are practicing in the country. For a population of more than 100 million, clearly 28,428 doctors are not enough to attend to everyone's medical needs. In fact, according to Philippine Statistics Authority, 6 out of 10 Filipinos die without seeing a doctor.

Nailantad ng COVID-19 ang masakit na katotohanan - kulang ang ating mga doktor. Sa kasamaang palad pa ay nabawasan pa ang kakaunti nang bilang ng ating mga doktor dulot ng kabayanihan ng mga ito na labanan ang COVID-19. Maraming salamat po sa inyong serbisyo! Sa kasalukuyan, 628 doktor ang kumpirmadong may COVID-19.

Mr. President, hindi maipagkakaila na hindi lahat ay nabibigyan ng oportunindad na makapag-aral ng medisina. Ang pagiging doktor marahil ang isa sa mga propesyon na tanging mayayaman at matalino lamang ang may kakayahang makapagtapos ng kursong ito.

Bukod sa daan-daang libong tuition fee, napakaraming kailangang gastusin bago makapagtapos ng medisina.

Maraming libro na kailang bilhin at basahin. Mga laboratory fees at medical equipment na kailangang bayaran. May balita pa nga na kailangan pa nilang bumili ng katawan ng namatay para mapag-aralan

Kaya naman, Mr. President, ang panukalang Senate Bill No. 1520 o Medical Scholarship Act ay magbibigay ng oportunidad sa mga may gustong mag-aral ng medisina. Wala na silang kailangang intindihin na bayarin. Maaari nang matupad ang pangarap ng marami sa ating mga kabataan na maging doktor at makapanggamot ng maysakit.

Ang panukalang ito ay makapagbibigay din ng continuous supply ng mga doktor lalo na para sa mga lugar na hindi naaabot o walang permanenteng doktor. Kakayanin na natin magkaroon ng isang doktor kada isang bayan.

Kailangan natin ng doktor. Kailangan natin ng maraming doktor. Ang pagsasabatas ng panukalang ito ay magbibigay daan para makamit natin ang ideal doctor-to-population ratio.

Hinihikayat ko ang lahat na suportahan ang panukalang ito upang mapabilis ang pagkakaroon natin ng sapat na doktor sa bansa.

Maraming salamat po!