THE Cebu City Council has approved 70 new positions for specialized resident physicians at the Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) to strengthen the city’s public health system and ease physician workload.
City Ordinance 2804, authored by Councilor Michelle Abella-Cellona, institutionalizes CCMC’s residency training program, covering Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Obstetrics/Gynecology (OB-GYN), and Surgery.
Cellona explained the program ensures a steady flow of trained specialists and aligns hospital staffing with standards of the Department of Health, Civil Service Commission, and Department of Budget and Management.
It also helps prevent physician burnout through a more even distribution of clinical duties, she said.
The new medical residency positions will be distributed as follows: pediatrics (20), surgery (18), internal medicine (17), and OB-GYN (15).
Under the measure, approved on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, the resident physician or medical officer 3 positions, with salary grade 21, will be temporary appointments that are renewed annually based on performance and clinical evaluations.
A residency training committee will oversee each specialty, managing curricula, applicant screening, and performance evaluations.
Applicants must be Filipino citizens, doctors of medicine, Republic Act 1080 eligible, and of good moral character.
Cellona said patient volume at CCMC is expected to increase by 50 to 70 percent as the hospital expands from its current 225-bed capacity to 700 beds over the next five years, highlighting the need for additional trained staff.
Funding for the 70 posts will come from CCMC’s Personnel Services budget. / EHP