THE UNIVERSITY of Southern Mindanao officially launched its medicine program and at the same time broke ground for the construction of its College of Medicine main building in its campus in Kabacan, North Cotabato.

The school was given a budget of P77 million to construct the building.

Rep. Jose Tejada of Cotabato’s third district, Senators Pilar Juliana ‘Pia’ Cayetano and Sherwin Gatchalian and other stakeholders worked to have the project funded under the General Appropriations Act.

USM President Francisco Gil Garcia thanked the government for its support, saying that the construction of the building will be of big help to future doctors.

Cotabato Gov. Nancy A. Catamco expressed full support for the project, especially in the training of local doctors.

Present during the groundbreaking were Tejada, USM Vice President for Academic Affairs Geoffray Atok, Sen. Cayetano’s Chief of Staff lawyer Noel de Guia, Philippine Futures Thinking Society Representatives Professor Michville Rivera and Dr. Ruperto Sangaking, CoM Dean Dr. Dahlia Arancel, Cotabato Regional and Medical Center Chief Administration Officer Sergio Java and Kabacan Municipal Administrator Ben Guzman.