Establish UEP College of Medicine in Northern Samar

The University of Eastern Philippines-College of Medicine (“College”) shall primarily offer a Doctor of Medicine Program, including an Integrated Liberal Arts and Medicine Program, with basic science and clinical courses.
The College shall use a learner-centered, competency-based, and community-oriented approach.
The primary goal of the College is to develop a corps of professional physicians to strengthen the healthcare system of the country and to respond to human resource development needs of the Province of Northern Samar and Region VIII.
The College shall undertake research and extension services.
The College shall provide progressive leadership in research and extension services.

The governance of the College is vested in the Board of Regents of the University of Eastern Philippines (“Board”).
The Board’s powers are governed by Republic Act No. 4126 and other applicable laws and regulations, unless this Act provides otherwise or amends them.
The administration of the College is vested in the Dean of the College, to the extent authorized by the Board.
The Dean shall be appointed by the Board, subject to Board guidelines, qualifications, and standards, upon the recommendation of the President of the UEP, and following a process of consultation with the constituents of the College.
The Dean shall render full-time service, serve a term of three (3) years, and may be reappointed to another term.

Within six (6) months from the effectivity of the Act, the President of the UEP shall constitute the search committee for the deanship.
The Dean’s powers and duties include those usually pertaining to the Office of the Dean of similar state universities and colleges and those delegated by the President.
The Dean’s salary shall follow Republic Act No. 11466 (“Salary Standardization Law of 2019”) and related amendatory laws and shall be comparable to salaries received by Deans of similar educational institutions.
If the Dean’s position becomes vacant due to death, compulsory retirement, resignation, removal for cause, or incapacity, the Board—upon recommendation of the President—shall designate an Officer-in-Charge, pending appointment of a new Dean.
The Officer-in-Charge shall serve only for the unexpired portion of the Dean’s term.
The Dean shall be assisted by a College Secretary, appointed by the Board.

The Board shall appoint faculty members of the College upon the recommendation of the President of the UEP.
Political belief, sex, gender, cultural or community affiliation, ethnic origin, or religious opinion or affiliation shall not be a subject of inquiry in appointing faculty members.
Faculty appointment standards shall be subject to the guidelines, qualifications, and standards set by the Board.
No faculty member shall teach for or against any particular religious denomination.

The College shall provide scholarships and other affirmative action programs to assist poor but deserving students who qualify for admission.
Students who avail themselves of the scholarship program under Republic Act No. 11509 (“Doktor Para sa Bayan Act”) shall render a return service in accordance with that law.
Students availing of other nationally-funded scholarship programs to complete the medicine degree program under the College may be required to render return service depending on the contract to be signed between the student and the College.
The College shall not deny admission due to sex, gender, religion, cultural or community affiliation, physical disability, ethnic origin, or any other form of discrimination.

The College shall enjoy academic freedom and institutional authority under Paragraph 2, Section 5 of Article XIV of the Constitution.

Heads of national government agencies and instrumentalities may, upon the request of the Board through the President of the UEP, loan or transfer supplies, apparatuses, or equipment, and detail personnel to the College.
The loan, transfer, or detail must not be detrimental to public service.
Detailed personnel shall perform duties deemed required by the Dean of the College.
Time spent by detailed personnel performing duties for the College shall be counted as part of the detailed personnel’s regular service.

Appropriations, assets (real and personal), personnel, and records of the College, as well as its liabilities or obligations, shall be titled or named after the UEP.
Parcels of land belonging to the government occupied by the College shall be the property of the UEP and titled under its name.
If the UEP ceases to exist or is abolished, or if the land parcels are no longer needed by the UEP, the parcels shall revert to the Municipality of Catarman or to the Republic of the Philippines, as applicable.

The importation by the College of medical books or publications, and medical equipment or instruments for medical, laboratory, or scientific purposes shall be exempt from customs duties upon certification by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) under Republic Act No. 10863 (“Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA)”).
Grants, bequests, endowments, donations, and contributions made to and used actually, directly, and exclusively for educational purposes by the College shall be exempt from donor’s tax.
The same grants and contributions shall be considered allowable deductions from gross income for computing the donor’s taxable income under the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended.

The UEP must ensure that, prior to establishing the College and offering new and revised courses and programs related thereto, it complies with applicable CHED policies, standards, and guidelines.

Republic Act No. 8292 (“Higher Education Modernization Act of 1997”) forms part of this Act.
Within sixty (60) days from approval, the Board shall, in consultation with CHED, issue rules and regulations to implement the provisions of the Act.

The amount necessary to carry out the Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
If any part or provision of the Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts not affected shall remain in full force and effect.
All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, and rules and regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the Act are amended, repealed, or modified accordingly.