SPECIAL REPORT: PRC@45

The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) was first created as a national government agency by Presidential Decree (P.D.) No. 223 dated June 22, 1973, signed by then President Ferdinand Marcos, mandated to enforce the laws regulating the various professions. It was previously called the Office of the Board of Examiners, which was created by Republic Act No. 546 on June 17, 1950, under the aegis of the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

The PRC became operational on January 4, 1974. The office was attached to the Office of the President for general direction and coordination. On December 9, 1974, the Implementing Rules and Regulations of P.D. No. 223 were promulgated, paving the way for standardization of rules and procedures for the thirty-three professions then under the CSC.

On December 5, 2000, President Joseph Ejercito Estrada signed Republic Act (R.A.) No. 8981, otherwise known as the PRC Modernization Act of 2000. The Implementing Rules and Regulations were adopted on February 15, 2001 through PRC Resolution No. 1 series of 2001. With the passing of RA 8981, the Commission exercises executive, quasi-legislative and quasijudicial functions. It had also set its new thrusts and priorities such as customer-focused service, modernization through full computerization and restructuring, integrity of licensure examinations, good governance, protection and promotion of Filipino professionals and support to national development priorities.

On September 11, 2006, under Executive Order Nos. 565, 565-A, PRC was attached to the Department of Labor and Employment for administrative supervision and control. To better carry out its mandate and in order to implement the PRC Modernization Act, the Department of Budget and Management on June 8, 2016 approved the PRC Organizational Structure and Staffing Pattern (OSSP) and the Office of the President issued a Memorandum on May 16, 2017 further approving the creation of new PRC offices and services.

In fulfilment of its legal mandate, the PRC performs the following important functions, which are: 1) to conduct and administer licensure examinations to aspiring professionals, and 2) to regulate and supervise the practice of the professions exercised in partnership with the forty-three Professional Regulatory Boards (PRBs) in the fields of health, business, education, social sciences, engineering and technology, including the practice of Filipino professionals overseas and of foreign professionals in the country. The PRBs govern their respective professions’ practice and ethical standards and accredit the professional organization representing the professionals.

The PRC serves millions of professionals from 43 various regulated professions and the hundreds of thousands of aspiring professionals who take the licensure examinations every year. More so, PRC affects the lives of every Filipino relying on the services of the professionals who assume a pivotal role in economies led by the service sector. The PRC stakeholders include the professional, wouldbe professionals, accredited professional organizations, foreign professionals seeking permit to practice their professions in the country, schools and academe, other government agencies.