EASTERN Samar State University (Essu) is planning to open its own Doctor of Medicine program following the proposed partnership with the University of the Philippines-Manila School of Health Sciences.
Dr. Andres Pagatpatan Jr., university president, said the proposed program “is seen as a strategic move to bring quality, affordable, and accessible medical education to our fellow Estehanons.”
“This, moreover, is eyed as an important goal to ease the over-stretched physician to patient ratio in this part of the country, a relevant and recurring discourse while we are in the middle of the pandemic,” said Pagatpatan.
Meanwhile, the university president reiterated his goal of establishing Essu-Arteche as a regular campus through its inclusion in the General Appropriations Act for 2022.
Once declared as a regular Campus with a separate budgetary allocation, Essu-Arteche can serve the northern parts of Eastern Samar, such as the municipalities of Jipapad and Maslog as well as the neighboring municipalities of Northern Samar, particularly Gamay and Lapinig, according to Pagatpatan.
“The educational services that Essu-Arteche can offer will translate to significant improvements in the lives of the people in these areas,” he said during the congressional program dubbed "Baysay Eastern Samar Updates" by Representative Maria Fe Abunda last April.
Aside from its plan to implement a “gradual increase” in the salaries of job orders and lecturers, the university will also continue its online instruction through internet-connectivity support from the Department of Information and Communications Technology.
“This development serves as a fitting backdrop as Commission on Higher Education is preparing for a gradual transition to face-to-face interaction provided that universities follow Inter-Agency Task Force protocols,” added Mark Van Macawile, executive assistant to the university president and director for administrative services.
As this developed, Pagatpatan urged all stakeholders to “coalesce all efforts in providing quality education to everyone” amid the coronavirus pandemic. (SunStar Philippines)