A BIG DREAM came true, not only for a pioneering group of 17 young men and women, but also for MMSU as an institution, as the MMSU College of Medicine (COM) was formally launched on June 16 at the Teatro Ilocandia with key personalities from various sectors in attendance.

The prestigious guest list included Congresswoman Imelda Marcos, Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, mayors of various municipalities, heads of other educational institutions, officials of the Commission on Higher Education, and some of the country’s medical luminaries.

Dr. Jose Cueto Jr., COM dean, outlined the beginnings, current status, and future directions of the country’s youngest medical school. One of the Philippines’ most eminent surgeons, Dr. Cueto is former chairman of the Professional Regulation Commission’s Board of Medicine.

In her message, Dr. Miriam Pascua, sixth MMSU president, thanked everyone who helped make the COM a reality. She stressed the need for COM’s future graduates to serve their respective communities, especially the underprivileged and marginalized – a challenge that was echoed by top neurologist Joven Cuanang, administrative consultant of the COM. The former medical director of the prestigious St. Luke’s Medical Center and incumbent chair of St. Luke’s College of Medicine Board of Trustees, Dr. Cuanang also stressed the need for the future graduates to keep attuned and be responsive to medical trends in view of a global environment.   

Dr. Ma. Lourdes Otayza, chief of the Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital and Medical Center (MMMHMC), related how their need for more doctors led them to prod MMSU to open a medical school. “The goal is to produce not just more doctors but highly qualified medical practitioners,” she said, stating further that MMMHMC ranks among the best public hospitals in the country because of its topnotch doctors who are mostly consultants.     

The Commission on Higher Education, represented by Engr. Reyen Sabate, education supervising specialist, expressed the agency’s joy over the launch of the medical school, and gave assurances of continued support.

Meanwhile, Prof. Ryan Dean Sucgang, COM college secretary, presented the college officials and roster of faculty members. He was on the verge of tears when he acknowledged the original technical working group and reminisced briefly all the hardships they had to go through.

Overjoyed and “almost speechless,” Congresswoman Marcos said she has always dreamt of a medical school here in Ilocos since MMSU was founded in 1978 by her late husband, President Ferdinand Marcos. The former first lady, who says health is her top priority, donated P100,000 as a seminal fund for the COM’s scholarship program. Governor Imee Marcos disclosed that the “secret dream” of his father was to be a doctor but because his younger brother Pacifico also wanted to take up medicine and the family could not afford to send two children to medical school, the would-be Philippine president gave way and took up law instead. The governor stressed the need to beef up medical services in the province given its current demography. Unlike the rest of the Philippines, Ilocos Norte has an ageing population.

After the speeches which were interspersed with entertainment numbers by the Nasudi Cultural Troupe, Dr. Prima Fe R. Franco, officer-in-charge of the Office of the MMSU President, launched the COM link in the MMSU website and led the unveiling of the college seal.

In closing, Dr. Maria Verena Remudaro, COM associate dean, thanked everyone who extended help for the establishment of the new college and asked for continued support for the education of future doctors.

The orientation for incoming freshmen and their parents followed in the afternoon.