Expanding the Doktor para sa Bayan Act: Practicality or patriotism?
As the first batch of “Doktor Para sa Bayan” scholars are set to graduate, the author of the law, former senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III is pushing for the expansion of the program, saying the dream of becoming a doctor will soon be within arm’s reach for every aspiring Filipino. Aside from free tuition, financial assistance will cover living expenses, such as clothing, transportation, and rent. While the proposal has its merits, we believe it still falls short of addressing the root cause of these issues.
We believe the proposal is financially unsustainable, and the funds allocated for its expansion can be allocated to other critical legislation. The issue of lack of primary healthcare workers is not based on the number of medical graduates but on the health system itself. The Professional Regulation Commission said the Philippines produces around 4,000 physicians annually. When compared to a physician-to-patient ratio of 1:1,000, the issue lies in the inability to retain healthcare professionals in the country and not the lack of medical graduates.
A key flaw in the law is its inability to retain healthcare providers within the country. The policy requires scholars to serve in the country for four to five years. The lack of autonomy in choosing their place of assignment can be disempowering, especially when placements are far from their families or lack adequate facilities and support. This may lead doctors obligated to serve rather than inspired to do so in underserved communities.
A 2012 study (Leonardia et al.), stated that those who joined the program were significantly less satisfied with their job, many citing lack of support from LGUs as a primary cause. While some argue that the law instills a sense of national duty, we believe that instead of encouraging loyalty, the obligation and lack of proper incentives push healthcare providers to seek higher salaries and improved working conditions abroad or in urban centers.
Despite its objective to bolster the physician workforce in underserved regions through mandatory return service, the law did little to stop the brain drain of Filipino healthcare professionals. More health workers prefer contractual positions over permanent positions in government because they want to work abroad, as noted by BHW party list Rep. Angelica Natasha Co.
The lack of primary healthcare workers is a critical issue, but the Doktor Para Sa Bayan Act, despite its promises to be a multipronged approach to numerous healthcare dilemmas in the country, still has its shortcomings. Instead of pouring funds into a program that primarily treats the symptom, we must focus on addressing the underlying causes of healthcare worker attrition. What is the point of producing more healthcare professionals if the profession is not lucrative enough in our country? The expansion of the program would be an opportunity for more Filipinos who wanted to be doctors, but in the long run, wouldn’t it be in their best interest to choose practicality over patriotism to provide for their families? We are not against medical scholarships; we are against neglecting the bigger issue of poor healthcare infrastructure and utilizing government funds to promote band-aid solutions.
SYDNEY KAEDE SY,
sydneykaede.sy.shs@ust.edu.ph
