Department of Health Defends PRC in Requiring Training Before License Renewal

The Department of Health (DOH) has defended the Professional Regulations Commission’s (PRC) move to require all regulated professionals to undergo training programs as a prerequisite for renewing their licenses.

The PRC should not be blamed for imposing such requirement as it is merely following provisions of Republic Act 10912 or the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Act of 2016, Health Secretary Dr. Paulyn Ubial said Wednesday in response to recent protests made by the Alliance of Health Workers (AHW).

The group has argued that it is impractical to make training a prerequisite for license renewal since its members have already passed their respective board examinations and it would only be an additional financial burden on them.

“The PRC is the agency mandated by law to implement the Continuing Professional Development Act of 2016, directing all standardized professions to undergo certain required training programs as a prerequisite for renewal of licenses of all regulated professionals,” Ubial explained.

She noted that this makes it very clear that effective this year, all professionals licensed and registered under the PRC are required to earn CPD units before they can renew their licenses.

The department’s hands are tied on this issue, Ubial said.

Section 10 of RA 10912 makes CPD a mandatory requirement in the renewal of the Professional Identification Card (PIC) of all registered and licensed professionals. (LSJ/PNA)