Angara wants more satellite venues for licensure exams amid pandemic

Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara Jr. Senate PRIB file photo / Joseph Vidal

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Sonny Angara on Tuesday urged the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) to consider setting up more satellite venues for licensure exams so that examinees no longer have to travel long distances to take the test amid the pandemic.

The PRC can establish testing venues in provinces where there are over 100 examinees with the help of local government units (LGUs), Angara said in a statement.

“LGUs can support the program by providing the venues for the exams and the personnel needed for this purpose. The PRC can just provide the necessary training for these personnel. By doing this, the cost should not be too much on the part of the government,” he said.

Angara reasoned that the pandemic has affected many families financially and current travel restrictions “have become very challenging” due to quarantine protocols.

“Licensure examinations are held at the regional offices of the PRC and for many of those who will take the exam, this means traveling long distances from their home provinces. Apart from the cost of transportation, they will also have to look for accommodations and because of the pandemic, undergo COVID-19 testing,” he added.

“All of these add up and may prove to be prohibitive to many families. Ayaw naman natin na may mga graduate tayo na hindi matuloy sa kanilang PRC exam dahil sa laki ng kailangan gastusin sa panahon na ito,” Angara said.

(All of these add up and may prove to be prohibitive to many families. We don’t want graduates not being able to take their PRC exam due to heavy expenses brought by our current situation.)

The senator said that with the “possible reopening of face-to-face classes,” the number of licensed teachers should be increased as well as doctors, nurses, and policemen.

“If we can produce more of our frontliners during this pandemic then we should find ways to make this happen. Setting up satellite exam venues is one small way we can help in this effort,” Angara said.

The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases recently approved the request of PRC to conduct licensure exams from July to September.

PRC chief Teofilo Pilando Jr. earlier said that examinees as well as exam personnel will be required to undergo quarantine and COVID-19 swab testing prior to examination.

Pilando added that the PRC designated additional exam venues, where the examinee capacity is lessened to 18 individuals from the previous 24 in accordance with social distancing rules. He,  however, did not mention the location for these new venues.

The scheduled licensure examinations in 2020 were previously postponed in August amid the rise in COVID-19 cases. Faith Yuen Wei Ragasa, INQUIRER trainee

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