Manila, Oct. 27 -- The government has earmarked nearly PHP1 billion in next year's budget to boost the number of doctors and health professionals serving in underserved communities, Malacanang said Monday.

In a press briefing on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the Department of Budget and Management allocated PHP997.71 million under the proposed 2026 National Expenditure Program for the Doktor Para sa Bayan program.

Majority of the amount or PHP909.99 million will go to the Medical Scholarship and Return Service Program of the Commission on Higher Education, while PHP87.71 million will fund the Pre-Service Scholarship Program of the Department of Health, according to C...