PRC signals reduced coursework requirement for professionals

THE Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) said that it may require less refresher coursework from professionals as the agency makes adjustments to implement the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Law.

In an interview with BusinessWorld, PRC Chairman Teofilo S. Pilando Jr. said that commission is planning a transition period before fully implementing the CPD law to reduce the burden on professionals, and to allow for time to build up the PRC’s capabilities. During the transition, mandatory refresher credit requirements may be eased.

A prescribed volume of coursework is required of professionals seeking to renew their PRC registrations.

“Among the things we are proposing will be a transition period in the implementation of the law,” he said.

Mr. Pilando added, “Under the old Implementing Rules and Regulations, most of the professions require 45 credit units but during the transition period, we will require at most 15 units. We know it takes time to ideally implement this but at the same time, we cannot say 0 units.”

Last year, in a Senate hearing, Senators Antonio F. Trillanes IV, Ralph G. Recto, Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, and Aquilino L. Pimentel III noted the difficulty many professionals have experienced in complying with the 45-credit requirement and the lack of PRC facilities to host coursework in many parts of the country.

The PRC Chairman said that the commission needs to build its capacity before it can fully enforce the CPD Law.

“We are supposed to achieve standardization… and develop further alternative modes of compliance… We have to have the necessary materials and premises,” Mr. Pilando said.

On Monday, the PRC was summoned for consultations with the Senate on its proposed amendments to the rules for renewing professional licenses.

“(T)o cushion the supposed burden of implementation, from the start we already know that we need some adjustments... considering what the law is contemplating, we are amending the IRR, to make it less burdensome and at the same time still maintain the intent of the law,” he said.

Asked to estimate how long the transition period will be, Mr. Pilando said “It’s hard for us to give definitive period because it hinges on the type of support we are going to get.” —