Marikina passes ordinance granting scholarship to aspiring doctors

MANILA, Philippines – The local government of Marikina City on Monday, October 7, passed an ordinance granting medical scholarship to aspiring doctors in the city.

This was announced by Mayor Marcelino Teodoro, who signed City Ordinance No. 078 Series of 2019 or “Libreng Pag-aaral sa Pagdodoktor para sa Marikenos” on Monday morning.

Teodoro said the ordinance was authored by Vice Mayor Marion Andres, a medical doctor.

“Ordinance ito ni Dr Marion Andres. Hindi lang propaganda ’yung libreng pag-aaral. Si Vice Mayor ang madalas na nagtutulak ng programa para sa edukasyon, he is very consistent. Ang dapat gawing modelo ng mga konsehal natin ay si Dr Marion,” the mayor said in a statement.

(This is Dr Marion Andres’ ordinance. Giving scholarships is not just propaganda. The Vice Mayor is the one who has consistently pushed for education-related programs. Our councilors should emulate him.) 

“Sabi ni Dr Marion, ang mga scholar natin ay kailangan magsisilbi for two years sa city hall kapag doctor na sila. So, ang kabutihang tinanggap nila ay they will pay forward sa mga residente sa siyudad nila. They will apply everything they learned,” the mayor added.

(Dr Marion said our scholars should serve at city for two years when they become doctors. Whatever good they received, they should pay forward by serving the residents of their city. They will appy everything they learned.)

The ordinance requires beneficiaries, after passing the board examination, to render two years of professional service as local doctors, from 8 am to 5 pm daily.

Under the city ordinance, the scholarship grant can only be availed at these schools:

• Emilio Aguinaldo College
• Far Easter University
• Fatima University
• Manila Central University
• Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila
• St Luke’s College of Medicine
• University of Perpetual Help System DALTA
• University of Santo Tomas
• University of the East

A scholarship applicant:

• must have passed the entrance examination for Medicine in the any of the above-mentioned schools
• must be a bonafide Marikina resident
• must not be more than 30 years of age upon graduating from pre-medicine courses
• must submit a letter of intent availing the “Libreng Pag-aaral sa Pagdodoktor para sa Marikenos” scholarship program grants
• must have obtained any bachelor’s degree that is construed as pre-medicine course
• must have been endorsed by the Medical Scholarship Grant Secretariat and the Medical Scholarship Board

Continuing medical students on their 2nd to 4th year status can also avail themselves of the scholarship, Vice Mayor Andres said.

Section 4 of the ordinance states that the medical scholarship program will be limited to 5 slots per school year.

The vice mayor said he wrote the ordinance so others, like him, could pursue a career in medicine. He himself became a doctor on a scholarship.

“I am also a beneficiary of a college scholarship that’s why I was able to study medicine despite [the fact that] I came from a poor family. My father was a war veteran, that’s why I was able to avail of a medical scholarship,” the vice mayor said.

“Because of this reason, I authored this ordinance to help aspiring doctors. I promised this to our fellow Marikeños during the campaign period, that is why I fulfilled  it,” he further said.

Teodoro said the local government eyes to start implementing this program next academic year, 2020-2021.

The local government said that the funding for the scholarship program will be sourced from the school board fund or the general fund. – Rappler.com