ILOILO City – The government’s substantial investment in medical education is paying off, with West Visayas State University (WVSU) producing a 100-percent passing rate in the October 2026 Physician Licensure Examination, underscoring the importance of public funding, rigorous academic training and selective admissions in developing the country’s next generation of doctors.
WVSU president Dr. Joselito Villaruz said the university’s outstanding performance reflects a deliberate strategy of maximizing government resources to produce competent physicians at a time when the country urgently needs additional medical professionals to strengthen its healthcare system.
Villaruz emphasized that the government shoulders approximately 80 to 90 percent of tuition and related educational expenses through state subsidies and programs such as the Medical Scholarship and Return Service (MSRS), making academic excellence and student accountability particularly important.
“The public knows that we have a very stringent selection process sa aton nga mga estudyante sa pagsulod sa College of Medicine. Why do we want to be very selective? Because the tuition and the expenses being allocated for every medical student are paid for by the government. So dapat ang investment sang gobyerno mabalik. Sa pag-produce sang very excellent and dedicated doctors,” he stressed.
The university topped Category A, covering medical schools with at least 100 examinees, after achieving a perfect passing rate in the examinations administered on October 3–4 and 10–11.
Two other Iloilo City medical institutions also earned national recognition, reinforcing the city’s reputation as a major center for medical education.
Iloilo Doctors’ College of Medicine ranked third in Category B, covering schools with 50 to 99 examinees, with a 96.15-percent passing rate, while Central Philippine University placed fourth with 92.86 percent.
Nationwide, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) reported that 4,165 of the 4,447 examinees passed, equivalent to a national passing rate of 93.66 percent.
While the examination results have already established Iloilo’s standing among the country’s leading medical education centers, Villaruz’s explanation of WVSU’s success has drawn attention to the role of sustained government investment in addressing the country’s healthcare workforce requirements.
He said the university’s strict admission policies are designed to identify applicants who possess not only strong academic qualifications but also the determination and resilience necessary to complete the demanding medical program.
“Pag sulod pa lang nila sa College of Medicine, ining mga bata napangitaan na namon sang potential, not only knowledge but their ability to sustain the program to become successful learners. May students success kita nga natawag nga matapos nila at the shortest possible time and makakuha sila sang licensure kay kinahanglanon gid naton sa subong nga tyempo ang dugang nga mga doctors,” he added.
Villaruz also stressed that success in the physician licensure examination begins long before students undergo formal board examination reviews.
“Ang paghanas sang mga bata to become future physicians gaumpisa first day sa med school. First year pa lang we make sure that they learn everything that we share to them,” Dr. Villaruz said.
He explained that the university places considerable emphasis on providing students with updated learning materials, comprehensive academic resources and sustained faculty mentorship throughout their medical education.
“Ginatagaan sila enough resources, books, references, kag maayo nga manunudlo to maximize their learning. So by the time they graduate, and they go post-graduate internship, ma-apply na nila ang ila nabal-an sa ila mga pasyente and eventually preparado na sila for the licensure exam,” Dr. Villaruz added.
The strong performance of Iloilo’s medical schools comes as the national government continues implementing the Universal Health Care program, which requires a sufficient and competent physician workforce to improve access to medical services.
The results also highlight the potential contribution of Iloilo-trained physicians to hospitals, community health centers and rural health units, particularly in areas where access to doctors remains a challenge.
However, the examination results alone do not establish how many newly licensed physicians will eventually serve in underserved communities.
For WVSU, the challenge now extends beyond maintaining its perfect passing record to ensuring that the substantial public resources invested in medical education ultimately translate into better healthcare services for Filipinos./PN
