MANILA, March 11 -- The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) approved the public medical school application of Samar State University (SSU).

In a statement on Sunday night, CHED Chairperson J. Prospero de Vera III said the government authority to operate was granted to the SSU's Samar Island Institute of Medicine (SIIM) for its Doctor of Medicine program.

The move is in line with the country's target to increase the number of local doctors, under the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

"The expansion of medical education in Samar will facilitate the implementation of Republic Act No. 11509 or the Doktor Para sa Bayan (Doctor for the Nation) law as there is no state college or university in Eastern Visayas where poor bu...