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ORDINANCE NO. 2023-052

AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING A MEDICAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM IN THE CITY OF NAGA PROVIDING GUIDELINES, APPROPRIATING FUNDS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES:-

Author: Hon. Joselito S.A. del Rosario, Ph.D.
Co-Author: Hon. Jose C. Rañola, M.D.

EXPLANATORY NOTES

The Medical Scholarship Program seeks to augment the number of doctors employed in the City Government of Naga given its growing population and the rising demand for quality healthcare to maintain the fitness and productivity of its populace. The expansion of the services of the Naga City Health Office and Naga City Hospital—the latter with its new building about to be completed—all the more necessitate a comprehensive program to address the need for the availability of medical practitioners that shall be needed therein.

Be it ordained in Session assembled, that:

SECTION 1. This Ordinance shall be known as “Doktor para sa Naga Program“.

SECTION 2. Qualification. Any person desiring to avail of the Medical Scholarship Program shall meet the following requirements:

a. Born, residing and registered as voter in Naga City;

b. Has finished his pre-med degree in any accredited school in or outside of Naga City;

c. Not been penalized for any violation involving moral turpitude;

d. Passed the Panel Interview as provided hereunder; and,

e. Committed to be employed for five years in the City Government of Naga after obtaining his/her license to practice medicine.

SECTION 3. Documentary requirements. For purposes of proof of compliance with the foregoing qualification, the following documents shall be submitted by an applicant:

a. Application Letter stating his reason for his application and enumerating how he/she meets all the qualifications prescribed herein;

b. Birth Certificate;

c. Transcript of Record of his/her pre-med degree obtained in an accredited school in Naga City;

d. Certificate of Good Moral Character issued by the school last attended by the applicant;

e. Certification from the Dean of the college where the applicant obtained his pre-med degree stating the latter’s aptitude to pursue and finish medicine;

f. Affidavit of Undertaking, executed by the applicant stating the applicant’s commitment to devote the first five years of his/her professional life as an employee of the City Government of Naga immediately after he/she has obtained his/her license to practice medicine. For this purpose, a pro-forma affidavit shall be crafted by the City Legal Officer within thirty (30) days from the passage of this Code.

SECTION 4. Application Process. The timeline for the application, screening and approval of applications shall be determined by the Medical Scholarship Committee herein created.

SECTION 5. Creation of a Medical Scholarship Committee. The Medical Scholarship Committee shall review all the documents submitted by the applicants. Said Committee shall be chaired by the City Mayor or his duly-authorized representative, with the Education, Scholarship and Sports Office serving as the Secretariat thereof, and the same shall be composed of the following as members:

a. Chair, SP Committee on Health

b. Chair, SP Committee on Education

c. Chief of Office of the City Hospital

d. Department Head of the City Health Office

e. Department Head of the City Human Resource Management Office

f. City Youth Mayor

The Medical Scholarship Committee, which may come up with additional guidelines in pursuance hereof, shall then set a schedule of Panel Interview with the applicants and shall immediately submit its recommendations to the City Mayor. The list of successful applicants shall be posted in three conspicuous places at the City Hall, with postings in the city’s social media accounts and webpage.

SECTION 6. Benefits. The Medical Scholarship Program shall cover tuition, miscellaneous and other fees that the school will charge the beneficiary of this program at the time of his/her enrolment in med school every semester/term.

Applicants whose parents’ income does not exceed One Million Pesos annually are entitled to avail of this Ordinance. Further, the student-beneficiary shall be provided with a financial assistance of Five Thousand Pesos (P5,000.00) per month to subsidize his/her expenses for books, school uniforms, transportation expenses and meals.

SECTION 7. Continuing Requirement. To continue the benefits granted under this program, the grantee must maintain an average of not lower than 2.25 or 84% for each semester, with no grade lower than 2.5 or 82% in any subject.

SECTION 8. Refund. In the event that the grantee fails to maintain the needed grades and/or fails to render the required five-year service, the beneficiary shall pay the City Government the amount equivalent to the total fund disbursed to him under this without prejudice to any other legal recourse that the city government may take to protect its interest.

SECTION 9. Waiver of Service. Within one year after the beneficiary has obtained his license to practice medicine and the City Government has not communicated its desire to employ the grantee, the medical scholar is free to seek professional engagement elsewhere. The City Government of Naga has then effectively waived its right to demand the services of the grantee.

SECTION 10. Implementing Office. The Education, Sports and Scholarships Office shall serve as the implementing office of this program and, for such purpose, and with the assistance of the CEPPIO, shall perform the following task:

a. To inform the public about this program;

b. To perform Secretariat function to the Medical Scholarship Committee;

c. To render reports to the Sangguniang Panlungsod on the status of the implementation of this Program and the tasks undertaken by it in furtherance thereof.

SECTION 11. Funding. The Education, Sports and Scholarships Office shall incorporate in its annual budget the amount necessary to finance the Medical Scholarship Program, as well as existing scholarship programs of the City Government of Naga such as the Educational Assistance Program and the Naga City Tertiary Scholarship Program.

SECTION 12. Effectivity. This ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its approval.

ENACTED: June 6, 2022.

WE HEREBY CERTIFY to the correctness of the foregoing ordinance.

JESSIE R. ALBEUS
Acting City Vice Mayor & Presiding Officer

GIL A. DE LA TORRE
Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod

APPROVED: NELSON S. LEGACION
City Mayor