Medical scholars鈥� enrollment stalled due to unpaid PhilHealth contributions
West Visayas State University College of Medicine Roxas Hall. | PHOTO: Official Facebook page of WVSU College of Medicine Registrar
ILOILO CITY — A number of students at the West Visayas State University-College of Medicine (WVSU-COM) are in a bind because of the medical scholarship and return service (MSRS) program of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), which they said has delayed Philhealth contributions and allowances.
The college, known as one of the best medicine schools in the country for garnering high ranks in the Physician Licensure Examinations, houses around 260 CHED-MSRS grantees.
More than 80 are third-year students who were tagged for “temporary enrollment” by their college registrar due to unpaid Philhealth premium contributions for 2024.
The WVSU-COM has an estimated student population of 482 which is composed of 362 medical students and 120 clinical clerks.
Under the MSRS contract, CHED will cover their monthly premium contributions of P300 from first to fifth year or during their post-graduate internship.
Article continues after this advertisementThe WVSU-COM requires their students to have Philhealth accounts to insure them from risks during hospital exposures.
Article continues after this advertisementThird-year student Franco Nodado, who serves as the scholarship program’s liaison, said the issue has been causing stress and anxiety for students, including himself.
“The delayed enrollment has also been concerning. As the liaison for the scholarship, it has also been difficult for me to help my classmates with their concerns as communication with CHED could sometimes be challenging,” Nodado told the Inquirer.
“The uncertainty surrounding my enrollment status and health coverage has caused stress and anxiety. The fact that we have not been insured for a year is startling. It raises serious concerns about health coverage, especially given the potential health risks associated with medical school,” he added.
It’s not just the Philhealth contributions that have been delayed but also their allowances.
The contract provides for a P22,500 per semester allowance until their fourth year, which covers books (P13,000), clothing and uniform (P3,500), and miscellaneous (P6,000), which should also cover their connectivity expenses.
Under the contract, they are also given P11,000 monthly allowance which covers a living subsidy (P5,000), lodging (P5,000), and transportation (P1,000).
Their contract explicitly states that the CHED shall “ensure the timely release of allowances to the grantee.”
Students said that while delays have been regular under the CHED-MSRS, they were not able to receive their allowances for their first semester which was from August to December last year.
Nodado expressed that the delays in allowances, on top of that of the Philhealth contributions, have made it financially challenging for them.
“As a medical student with expenses like rent, utilities, and research costs, these delays make budgeting difficult. Also, the constant delays and inconsistent disbursements have also forced me to ask money from my parents which I supposedly vowed not to,” Nodado said.
Fourth-year student Steven Pagunsan, who is now serving his clinical clerkship, said that while in the past the delay was at an average of two months, they noticed that for this past semester, they were not able to get it at all.
“Initially, I anticipated monthly disbursements. However, I was later informed that the allowances would be distributed biannually. After enrolling as a clinical clerk in July 2024, I expected the allowance to be released by September [2024]. Regrettably, six months have passed since enrollment, and the funds have yet to be disbursed,” Pagunsan said.
He depended on his scholarship allowance to avoid seeking help from his parents, but the delay has forced him to also borrow money from friends as well.
“I have had to borrow money from friends to cover essential costs such as accommodation, utilities, internet, meals, mobile load, and clerkship necessities. In addition to managing a demanding workload, I am also burdened with the challenge of securing funds to meet my everyday needs,” he said.
WVSU Medicine Student Council President Ma. Charlene Jereos told the Inquirer that they were concerned with the matter, saying that they needed a clearer explanation from CHED.
“Being a medical student is already challenging, and even more so when combined with financial difficulties. We demand a clear explanation for the budget deficits for the fiscal year 2024, which have resulted in the non-disbursement of funds,” Jereos said.
She said they have lobbied the matter with college and university administrations, who have reached out to the CHED regional office to resolve the matter.
“Actions have already been taken to address the issue and seek answers about the late disbursement of funds; we are now awaiting their action,” she said.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer has reached out to WVSU President Joselito Villaruz and CHED-Western Visayas Regional Director Raul Alvarez Jr. for comment but they have yet to respond.
