CEBU, Philippines — To provide a home to Cebu Normal University’s College of Medicine, the Cebu Provincial Government has signed a usufruct agreement with the state university to facilitate the construction of the CNU-Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) College of Medicine building.
Under the agreement, the provincial government will allow CNU to use the Capitol-owned property, lot 519-A, near VSMMC in Barangay Sambag 2, Cebu City, for the next 25 years.
The 1,460-square-meter lot of the Capitol will be intended for the construction of a medical arts facility.
Currently, the CNU’s College of Medicine has 157 enrolled students. It is the first state-funded medical school in Central Visayas, established to address the shortage of healthcare professionals, particularly in underserved rural areas.
It aims to offer free education to financially-challenged students through the Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program under Republic Act 11509 also known as "Doktor Para sa Bayan Act."
Under this law, once graduated, they will serve in government health centers, ensuring accessible healthcare in remote communities.
The facility has an initial funding of ?125 million and will be built near VSMMC, allowing medical students first-hand exposure to real-world medical practice.
Additionally, CNU President Daniel Ariaso Sr. said that the medical building will be a 21-story building with five floors of parking.
He said that upon the completion of the facility, they are planning to house the College of Nursing there as well. Currently, the College of Nursing is at the Cebu CNU-Main Campus.
“Para isa na ang ating medical courses in one building so that they can complement with one another,” Ariaso Sr. said.
He also assured to “fast-track” procurements for the soon-to-rise medical facility.
“We want to give also a modest and world-class building for our students under the medical courses and the Health Sciences, and Nursing. So, this is a big contribution not only to Cebu Normal University but to the entire Cebuanos in the Philippines,” Ariaso said in his speech.
He added that CNU will expand more programs to cater to the educational needs of the Cebuanos as they are prioritizing the poor but deserving students of the province.
Currently, the state university is expanding its campuses in Argao Town and Alegria Town in southern Cebu and in Catmon town in northern Cebu.
During the signing ceremony, Governor Gwendolyn Garcia emphasized that this initiative will serve as a means for future medical practitioners to provide heartfelt service to underprivileged communities.
"Each and every future graduate of this college will serve with a heart, especially for the most underprivileged and we always remember their Hippocratic Oath," said Garcia. —/BRP (FREEMAN)