President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed various laws to improve the capabilities of several higher education institutions, or HEIs, throughout the country, Malacañang said on Thursday.

Marcos recently inked Republic Act 11968, under which the Leyte Normal University San Isidro Satellite campus will become a regular campus and be renamed the LNU-San Isidro Campus.

Marcos also signed RA 11969, which changed the name of the Bataan Peninsula State University-Bagac Extension Campus in Bagac, Bataan to BPSU-Bagac Campus.

Additionally, he instituted the College of Medicine programs of four state colleges to advance medical education throughout the country.

The medical colleges were established in the Southern Luzon State University-College of Medicine (RA 11971) in Lucban, Quezon, and Benguet State University-College of Medicine (RA 11970) in La Trinidad, Benguet.

Marcos also signed  RA 11972 establishing the College of Medicine at the University of Eastern Philippines in Catarman, Northern Samar, and RA 11974 establishing the University of Eastern Philippines-College of Medicine in Baybay, Leyte.

He also signed RA 11973 creating the Bicol University-College of Veterinary Medicine in Ligao City, Albay.

The institution's mission is to train veterinary professionals skilled in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases in both terrestrial and aquatic animals.

"Under the newly created laws, the HEIs can now proceed with offering a Doctor of Medicine program, including an Integrated Liberal Arts and Medicine program to develop a corps of professional physicians and help strengthen the country's healthcare system," Malacañang said.

"The laws also aim to respond to the human resource development needs of the respective provinces," it added.