Cebu Province inks MOA for medical scholarship, medicine residency training program

CEBU CITY – The Cebu Provincial Government with governor Pamela Baricuatro signed two landmark memorandum of agreements (MOAs) with the Cebu Normal University (CNU) in consortium with Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) to establish the Provincial Medical Scholarship Program and a Practice-Based Family Medicine Residency Training Program that aims to build a sustainable and community-centered medical workforce across Capitol-run hospitals in Cebu.

“The agreements establish the forming a two-pronged strategy to produce new doctors while upgrading the competencies of those already serving in government hospitals.  For example, a student supported for four years will serve eight years in provincial public health offices or Capitol-run hospitals upon passing the Physician Licensure Examination,” Capitol Public Health Consultant Dr. Elisse Nicole Catalan told media during the Ato Ang Sugbo, Healthcare Heroes Appreciation Night” held on February 13, at the Capitol.

Dr. Catalan said that beginning academic year 2026–2027, the Provincial Government will fund additional scholarship slots, covering full tuition and other academic fees to expand scholarship opportunities for qualified but financially disadvantaged Cebuano medical students.

“The scholars will render two years of return service in Cebu Province for every year of scholarship received,” Catalan bared, adding that this is a strategic move to address physician shortages and reinforce hospital-based healthcare services for Cebu Province.

The Province will provide funding, assist in screening applicants, and coordinate return-service deployment. The academic consortium (CNU-VSMMC) will select scholars and monitor their academic performance.

The program directly addresses the long-standing challenge of physician distribution, particularly in geographically distant municipalities and underserved areas, while creating a structured pipeline of doctors committed to serving Cebu, Catalan added.

Residency Training for Provincial Doctors

The second MOA establishes a Practice-Based Family Medicine Residency Training Program for doctors assigned to Cebu Province’s provincial and district hospitals.  Accredited by the Philippine Academy of Family Physicians and implemented by Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center with oversight from the Department of Health Region VII, the program allows provincial doctors to undergo structured residency training while continuing hospital service, Dr. Catalan explained.

The training includes lectures, supervised clinical work, case discussions, and regular evaluations.   Governor Baricuatro said the Province will maintain salaries and benefits for participating physicians while ensuring compliance with training standards. VSMMC will design and oversee the curriculum.

Dr. Catalan noted that the program is designed to strengthen primary care capacity, improve chronic disease management, and bring specialist-level primary care expertise closer to communities, particularly in rural and island municipalities.

“This is a long-term investment in health system sustainability.  We are strengthening our pipeline of future physicians while upgrading the competencies of doctors already on the ground, ensuring that quality care is available across all levels of our provincial hospital network,” Dr. Catalan emphasized.

According to Catalan, the twin initiatives signal the Cebu Provincial Government’s commitment to institutionalizing durable solutions to physician shortages and improving service delivery across Cebu’s healthcare system.

With these agreements, Dr. Catalan said that Cebu Province adopts a comprehensive human resource development strategy, producing future doctors through scholarship support while simultaneously elevating the expertise of those already serving in government hospitals. (Photos: Google Images)