Batangas State’s 23 new doctors face rural service requirement

Batangas State University produced 23 newly licensed physicians after its first Doctor of Medicine class recorded a 100% pass rate in the October 2026 Physicians Licensure Examination, Rappler said in an Oct. 25 news report.

The result put the state university’s debut cohort above the 93.66% national passing average and moves them into a government scholarship track that requires service in underserved communities, Rappler said.

The 23 graduates were beneficiaries of the Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program under Republic Act No. 11509, the Doktor Para sa Bayan Act. The law ties publicly funded medical education to later work in government health offices or hospitals in a scholar’s hometown, home province or an underserved municipality.

Nikko Diokno, one of the graduates, said the program changed his path after six years in the workforce. “Having access to free medical education alongside allowances and stipend benefits is life-changing for anyone who truly wants to serve,” he said.

The group includes Diokno, Crystal Mae Banta and Sandrei Kate Almogino, friends who entered the Batangas State medical program with financial support from the government scholarship. Rappler said they are newly licensed and intend to complete the return-service obligation in communities with limited access to healthcare.

The requirement is at least one year of public service for each year of scholarship support, according to the Rappler report. That design links the licensure result to a wider policy goal: using state-backed training to place doctors in remote or geographically disadvantaged areas.

Banta said the scholarship made medical school possible after financial constraints had delayed her plans. “Kung nawala ‘yung program na ‘yun, siguro hindi rin ako nakapag-med school,” she said, meaning she probably would not have studied medicine without the program.

The class also entered Batangas State’s program during the pandemic, with early coursework conducted online and laboratory instruction delivered through lecture videos, Rappler said. Banta said the students relied heavily on one another because they had no senior batch in the program to consult.

Where the graduates will serve is not yet settled. Rappler said they are awaiting guidance on placements and confirmation of their oath-taking date, after which license numbers will be issued.

Banta said the Commission on Higher Education had presented three options, but the batch was still waiting for the agency’s decision. She said she would prefer to fulfill the service obligation in Batangas if the opportunity is available.

Almogino said possible placements may include geographically isolated areas, rural health units, and primary or secondary hospitals. She said she is leaning toward rural health units, drawing on her experience as Department of Health personnel during the pandemic.

For Almogino, the return-service model should start with residents’ own priorities rather than a fixed outside plan. “You really need to know what the needs of the community are. Sila ‘yung kailangan mong tanungin: Ano ‘yung kailangan nila?”

she said.

Source: news report, Rappler, Oct. 25, 2026