THE PHILIPPINE Red Cross granted scholarships to 12 students of University of the Philippines Manila College of Medicine in an effort to provide assistance to future health workers.

Each recipient will receive P300,000 per year in benefits for three to five years or the duration of UP’s medical program.

As scholars, potential doctors will be expected to volunteer with the PRC after medical school for the duration of the scholarship.

While the bond will not be strictly enforced, PRC chairman and CEO Richard Gordon hopes it will train the academics to make volunteerism part of their work ethic.

“It’s important to have scholarships because kulang na kulang tayo sa doktor, kulang na kulang tayo sa nurses, at hindi basta doctor, magagaling na doktor at prinsipyadong doktor,” he said.

“Maraming doktor ang habol ay guminhawa ang buhay. Tunay na ginhawa ang buhay ‘pag tumulong ka sa kapwa mo, mararamdaman mong umaangat ang taong tinutulungan mo, hindi lang ikaw,” Gordon added.

PRC intends to put up a major hospital in the country and wants to establish its own medical and nursing schools and provide online training classes and continuous education for Red Cross volunteers.

“We want to make sure na ang mga ga-graduate dito ay magkaroon sila ng pagkakataon makapag-aral at magamit doon sa mga ospital ng Red Cross. This will be our first stab. Pinag-aaralan pa namin maigi iyon. Matuloy o hindi, I did not make any demands,” Gordon said.