(Manila Bulletin) The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) expressed its support for President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s plan to strengthen the country’s healthcare system by building specialty hospitals across the Philippines as well as “prioritizing the welfare” of medical frontliners.

Marcos disclosed this plan in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) held on Monday, July 25.

“CHED is facilitating the production of the critical manpower for the President’s plan to build specialty hospitals all over the country. Through the Doktor Para sa Bayan Law, we have authorized the opening of new medical programs in seven universities and recently lifted the 11-year-old moratorium on the offering of new nursing programs in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs),” said CHED in a press statement on Wednesday, July 27.

Through these newly-implemented medical and nursing programs, the Commission highlighted that the country will now be able to produce additional nurses and doctors who may man the additional hospitals that the country is planning to build.