Medical students hold rally, ask CHED’s speedy action

CEBU, Philippines - At least 300 students of the Southwestern University College of Medicine (SWU-CM) aired out their concerns to the Commission on Higher Education by staging a picket rally outside the government office yesterday morning.

The medical students coming from all year levels, in cooperation with the National Union of Students of the Philippines and the Rise of Education Alliance, are asking CHED regional director Dr. Freddie Bernal to take immediate action in addressing their needs amid the conflict on the ownership of the medical program.

Jake Vicera, the representative of the medical students, said they have been "greatly disturbed" in the legal crossfire between the Southwestern University (SWU) Inc. and the SWU-Matias H. Aznar Memorial College of Medicine (SWU-MHAMCM) on which is entitled to run the medical program.

“All we are asking is for them to spare our future as medical doctors from the issue between the two institutions. We could no longer focus on our studies because we are worried; our families as well have expressed their concerns,” he said.

Vicera said they demand CHED to issue their special order numbers for graduation and the visa renewals for foreign medical students and write a letter to FAIMER - World Medical School Directory to allow SWU graduates to take foreign licensure examinations.

Vicera said CHED-7 refused to comply with the decision from its national office to issue special orders to the 2015 graduates, to coordinate with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Bureau of Immigration in relation to the visas of the foreign medical students, and to write a letter to FAIMER.

He also said CHED-7 failed to follow the stay of execution order issued by the Office of the President last August suspending the CHED resolutions dated June 9, 2014 and December 17-18, 2014 and the cease-and-desist order it issued against SWU-CM.

He said that around 23 SWU-CM graduates in April 2015 were not issued SO numbers so they can take board exams. Around 60 foreign medical students were also affected with the non-renewal of their visas and were afraid they can be considered as illegally staying in the country if CHED still does not intervene.

The students assembled around 9 a.m. yesterday and marched to the CHED office in Lahug, Cebu City. Vicera said they got disappointed when Bernal did not appear before them considering that they had to reschedule their classes yesterday to hold the picket rally.

“Kami tanan diri naglagot sa iya. Do you think we would waste our time coming here? We have a very busy schedule and we spend four hours of our time coming here because of him,” he said.

The regional director only showed up and faced them at around 11 a.m. when the media outfits covering their activity already left, according to Vicera.

During their dialogue, Vicera said Bernal did not give them any reassurance to address their concerns.

“The same old story. He is not willing to help us. His answers are inconsistent. We have videos to prove it,” he said.

The FREEMAN tried to reach Bernal but failed to get his statement since he was on a meeting according to his staff.  —(FREEMAN)