Bordado favors establishment of College of Medicine in Naga

REP. Gabriel H. Bordado Jr. of the 3rd district of Camarines Sur expressed his full support to the plan by the Naga College Foundation to open a school for the College of Medicine in this city.

Bordado manifested his support during a meeting with Dr. Ronnie Gigantone III, chief of the Bicol Medical Center, Naga College Foundation (NCF) President Mario Villanueva and NCF Board of Trustees Member Melvin del Puerto last October 10, this year.

It should be recalled that years back, the Universidad de Santa Isabel (USI) in this city also planned to establish a school for College of Medicine but for some reasons it did not push through.

REP. Gabby Bordado (left) with NCF President Mar Villanueva, NCF BOT Member Melvin del Puerto and BMC Chief Ronnie Gigantone III.

Bordado said that while Legazpi City has two schools that offer College of Medicine, Naga has none.

Students from this city as well as those from nearby provinces all have to go to Legazpi City to study Medicine, thereby incurring additional expenses and burden on the part of their parents.

Villanueva said during the meeting that the Naga College Foundation (NCF), on its part, is more than willing to take the cudgel in offering courses under the College of Medicine.

“NCF is now in the process of renewing the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) requirements, which was submitted last year before it will finally be given the green light for the opening of its own College of Medicine,” Villanueva said.

BMC recently was upgraded to a 1,000-bed capacity from 500 courtesy of Bordado’s effort. It has the competency now to handle additional affiliations for the College of Medicine aside from the one from Legazpi City it currently partners with.

NCF plans to open its College of Medicine by September next year once the school is over and done with the updating of all the necessary documents required by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).