In a significant move towards strengthening community-based healthcare education, the North Eastern Mindanao State University (NEMSU) held a Stakeholders’ Meeting and Multi-Agency Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) Signing Ceremony for the NEMSU College of Medicine today, August 4, 2025, at the University’s Conference Room.
The ceremony, themed “Partnerships with Purpose: Strengthening Alliances in Health, Culture, and Compassion,” brought together representatives from the Provincial Health Office (PHO), City Health Office of Tandag, Municipal Health Office of Tago, and the Provincial Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR), alongside university officials and partnered agencies and representatives of the Provincial and Municipal level.
During the event, Dr. Ma. Cecilia C. Cuaresma-Cruz, Dean of the NEMSU College of Medicine, delivered the overview of the institutional partnership. She outlined the collaborative framework that will support the delivery of a community-oriented medical education program.
An open forum and MOA discussion followed, wherein stakeholders from health offices and IP communities provided their insights and affirmed their commitment to the initiative. The discussion highlighted the shared responsibilities in facilitating student internships, clinical rotations, and public health programs, as well as in supporting research, outreach, and health education campaigns in the partner communities.
Following the discussions, the confirmation of partnerships was formalized through collective statements of support and commitment from the university and agency representatives, where all expressed institutional readiness to support the goals of the College of Medicine.
The activity concluded with the official signing of the MOA and a message of gratitude from Dr. Cuaresma-Cruz, who underscored the importance of collaborative governance in building a future generation of doctors grounded in compassion, competence, and cultural awareness.
The initiative marks a strategic step in aligning the university’s medical education with real-world community needs and reaffirms NEMSU’s role as a catalyst for inclusive and transformative public service.