Eastern Samar State University-college of Medicine
Filed on May 25, 2026, and referred to the Committees on Higher, Technical and Vocational Education, Ways and Means, and Finance; it has been pending in the committee since then with no recorded action.
The bill addresses healthcare access and medical professional shortages in Eastern Samar.
The bill responds to ongoing healthcare access challenges in Eastern Samar.
Eastern Samar State University-college of Medicine
This bill establishes a College of Medicine at the Eastern Samar State University in Borongan, Eastern Samar, aimed at improving healthcare access and training medical professionals in the region.
Compared with current law:
No College of Medicine in Eastern Samar.
Establishes a College of Medicine to train local physicians.
The bill aims to establish a College of Medicine at the Eastern Samar State University to improve healthcare access and train competent physicians in the region.
Source · full text✦ Dashed tags are AI-suggested nuance; solid tags follow the committee taxonomy.
Stalled: the bill has sat in committee for over four months with no action since its referral on May 26, 2026.
No floor deliberations yet — this measure has not reached plenary. Its committee-stage actions appear under Legislative history above.
Senale Office of the Secretary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session 26 MAY 25 P2:48 SENATE 2154 RECEIVED BY: S. No. - Introduced by Senator Bam Aquino AN ACT ESTABLISHING A COLLEGE OF MEDICINE IN THE EASTERN SAMAR STATE UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF BORONGAN, PROVINCE OF EASTERN SAMAR AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR EXPLANATORY NOTE The Province of Eastern Samar continues to face challenges in healthcare access due to the limited number of medical professionals serving the area. Geographic distance from major medical centers and the shortage of physicians in underserved communities contribute to difficulties in accessing timely and adequate healthcare services. This bill seeks to establish a College of Medicine in the Eastern Samar State University in the City of Borongan, Province of Eastern Samar. The proposed College of Medicine will primarily offer a Doctor of Medicine program aimed at developing competent and community-oriented physicians who can help strengthen the healthcare system in Eastern Samar and the Eastern Visayas Region. The establishment of a local medical school is expected to help expand opportunities for aspiring medical professionals from the province while encouraging the training and retention of doctors in underserved communities. It will likewise support research, extension services, and other initiatives responsive to local public health needs. The proposed measure is intended to contribute to improving healthcare access and addressing the shortage of medical professionals in Eastern Samar and nearby areas. IIn view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought. Bam Aquins
Senate TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) Office of the secretary REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session 26 MAY 25 P2:48 SENATE RECEIVED BY: S. No. 2154 Introduced by Senator Bam Aquino AN ACT ESTABLISHING A COLLEGE OF MEDICINE IN THE EASTERN SAMAR STATE UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF BORONGAN, PROVINCE OF EASTERN SAMAR AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
Section 1. Establishment. - There is hereby established a College of Medicine
in the Eastern Samar State University located in the City of Borongan, Province of 3 Eastern Samar, which shall be known as the "Eastern Samar State University-College 4 of Medicine."
Sec. 2. General Mandate. - The Eastern Samar State University (ESSU)-College
6 of Medicine, hereinafter referred to as the "College", shall primarily offer a Doctor of 7 Medicine Program, including an Integrated Liberal Arts and Medicine Program 8 consisting of basic science and clinical courses and using a learner-centered, 9 competency-based, and community-oriented approach. The primary goal of the 10 College shall be to develop a corps of professional physicians to strengthen the healthcare system of the country, as well as to respond to the human resource development needs of the Province of Eastern Samar and the Eastern Visayas Region. The College is also mandated to undertake research and extension services and 14 provide progressive leadership in these areas.
Sec. 3. Governance. - The governance of the College shall be vested in the
16 Board of Regents of the ESSU, hereinafter referred to as the Board, whose powers
1 and functions are defined under Republic Act (RA) No. 9312, entitled, "An Act 2 Converting the Eastern Samar State College (ESSC) into a State University to be known as the Eastern Samar State University, Integrating Therewith the Maydolong National 4 Agricultural School in the Municipality of Maydolong, Province of Eastern Samar and 5 Appropriating Funds Therefor", and other applicable laws and regulations, unless 6 otherwise provided or amended elsewhere in this Act.
Sec. 4. Administration. - The administration of the College shall be vested in
8 the Dean of the College insofar as may be authorized by its Board.
Sec. 5. The College Dean. - The College shall be headed by a Dean who shall
10 be appointed by the Board, subject to the guidelines on qualification and standards set by the Board, and upon the recommendation of the President of the ESSU, and pursuant to the policies, standards, and guidelines of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). The Dean shall render full-time service, serve a term of three (3) 14 years, and may be reappointed to another term. Within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act, the President of the ESSU shall constitute the Search Committee for the Deanship. The powers and duties of the Dean of the College, in addition to those specifically provided for in this Act, shall include those usually pertaining to the Office of the Dean of similar state universities and colleges and those delegated by the President. The salary of the Dean of the College shall be in accordance with RA 11466, or the "Salary Standardization Law of 2019", and such other laws amendatory thereto, which may hereinafter be enacted, and shall be comparable to that being received by the Deans of similar educational institutions. In case of vacancy in the Office of the Dean by reason of death, compulsory retirement, resignation, removal for the cause, or incapacity of the Dean to perform the functions of the office, the Board shall, upon the recommendation of the President, designate an Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the College, pending the appointment of a
1 new dean: Provided, That the OIC shall serve only during the unexpired portion of the 2 term. The Dean of the College shall be assisted by a College Secretary, who shall be 4 appointed by the Board.
Sec. 6. The Faculty. - The Board shall, upon the recommendation of the
6 President of the ESSU, appoint the faculty of the College: Provided, That no political 7 belief, sex, gender, cultural or community affiliation or ethnic origin, nor religious opinion or affiliation shall be a matter of inquiry in the appointment of the faculty of 9 the College: Provided further, That said appointment shall be subject to the guidelines on qualification standards set by the Board in accordance with the policies of the CHED: Provided finally, That no member of the faculty shall teach for or against any particular religious denomination.
Sec. 7. Scholarship Programs and Admission. - The College shall provide
scholarships and other affirmative action programs to assist poor, but deserving students who qualify for admission to the College. Students who have availed themselves of the scholarship program under RA 11509, or the "Doktor Para sa Bayan Act", shall render a return service in accordance with the said law. Students availing themselves of other nationally-funded scholarship programs to complete the medicine degree program under the College may be required to render a return service depending on the contract to be signed between the student and the College. No student shall be denied admission to the College by reason of sex, gender, religion, cultural or community affiliation, physical disability, ethnic origin, or any other forms of discrimination.
Sec. 8. Academic Freedom. - The College shall enjoy academic freedom
pursuant to Paragraph 2, Section 5 of Article XIV of the Constitution.
Sec. 9. Loan or Transfer of Supplies, Apparatuses, or Equipment, and Detail of
Personnel to the College. - Heads of national government agencies and instrumentalities may, upon the request of the Board through the president of the
1 ESSU, loan or transfer supplies, apparatuses, or equipment, and detail personnel to 2 the College: Provided, That such loan, transfer, or detail shall not be detrimental to 3 public service. The personnel to be detailed to the College shall perform such duties as may 5 be required by the Dean of the College and the time spent for such duties shall be 6 counted as part of the detailed personnel's regular service.
Sec. 10. Assets, Liabilities, Records, and Personnel. - All appropriations, assets,
8 both real and personal, personnel, and records of the College, as well as its liabilities 9 or obligations, shall be titled or named after the ESSU. All parcels of land belonging to the government to be occupied by the College shall be the property of the ESSY and titled under its name: Provided, That should the ESSU cease to exist or be abolished or such aforementioned parcels of land be no longer needed by the ESSU, the same shall revert to the local government unit concerned or to the Republic of the Philippines, as the case may be.
Sec. 11. Duty and Tax Exemptions. - The importation by the College of medical
books or publications, medical equipment or instruments which are for medical, laboratory or scientific purposes shall, upon certification by the CHED, be exempt from customs duties in accordance with the provisions of RA 10863, or the "Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA)". All grants, bequests, endowments, donations, and contributions made to and used actually, directly, and exclusively for educational purposes by the College shall be exempt from donor's tax and the same shall be considered as allowable deductions from gross income for purposes of computing the taxable income of the donor in accordance with the provisions of the National Internal revenue Code of 1997, as amended.
Sec. 12. Compliance with the CHED Requirements. - The provisions of this Act
27 notwithstanding, the establishment of the medical program shall become effective 28 only upon determination and declaration by the CHED that the institution has
1 substantially complied with the policies, standards, and guidelines of the CHED for the 2 Doctor of Medicine Program.
Sec. 13. Suppletory Application. - The provisions of RA 8292, otherwise known
4 as the "Higher Education Modernization Act of 1997," shall form part of this Act.
Sec. 14. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of
6 this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
Sec. 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from
the approval of this Act, the Board shall, in consultation with the CHED, issue rules 9 and regulations to implement its provisions.
Sec. 16. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any part or provision of this
11 Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not 12 affected are in full force and effect.
Sec. 17. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders,
rules and regulations, and other issuances contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are amended, repealed or modified accordingly.
Sec. 18. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
17 complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. Approved,
Reproduced from the Senate document. The official PDF is the authoritative version.