Trillanes Blames Professionals Over PRC License Renewal Law Problems

Senator Antonio Trillanes IV blamed some professionals for the problems concerning the implementation of Republic Act 10912, also known as the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Act of 2015. This is after thousands of professionals are having difficulties in renewing their Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) license.



On Thursday, December 28, a long line of professionals were seen at the PRC office in General Santos City, South Cotabato, waiting for their turn to renew their PRC license. Apparently, a lot of them slept in front of the office just to make sure they will be attended early. Some of them have been coming back because of the long process.

Back in 2015, Sen. Trillanes filed Senate Bill 2581 requiring all professionals to take additional formal and non-formal learning before they can renew their licenses and identification cards. It was enacted into law in March 2016 during the time of President Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III. However, professionals described it as additional burden to them.

Apparently, registration fee for these seminars cost at least P2,000 per day. Depending on the nature of a profession, some registration fees reach up to P12,000 for 3 days or P4,000 per day. Nevertheless, there are other options such as pursuing a fellowship grant, a post-graduate diploma, or being a professor in an academic institution.

Last July, more than 50,000 professionals signed an online petition that aims to revisit the requirements for the CPD law. According to them, the law was counterproductive since paid CPD seminars rarely cater to specializations, leaving them with no choice but to take the CPD trainings, which is not affordable especially to low salary professionals.

Meanwhile, Trillanes, who is the chairman of the Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation, said he will review the complaints of the professionals. But in the case of the problems at PRC Gensan, he said it appears that the problems were caused by the professionals themselves.



“May report na nakarating sa akin na doon daw sa Gensan, maraming hindi sumunod sa instructions kaya sila natatagalan sa processing ng PRC license nila. Isa pa, alam naman nilang konti lang ang kayang i-accommodate ng opisina, dun pa rin sila nagpupunta kahit marami namang ibang branches na malapit.” He said in an ambush interview.

Contributed by Renato Pasayao