The House of Representatives has approved on final reading a measure seeking to extend from three to five years the validity of Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) ID cards and registration certificates. House Bill No. 9764 was approved in a plenary session on Wednesday with 234 lawmakers voting in favor and zero objections. Lawmakers said the move would reduce the number of annual renewal transactions and ease pressure on the PRC appointment system. The bill was principally authored by House committee on civil service and professional regulation chair and Bohol Rep. Kristine Alexie Tutor, Parañaque Rep. Edwin Olivarez, Ilocos Norte Rep. Angelo Marcos Barba and Northern Samar Rep. Paul Daza. Tutor described the bill as “noncontroversial” and expressed confidence it would also be passed by the Senate.
“Extending the validity of the PRC license ID to five years from the current three years will directly benefit around one million professionals who register and renew with the PRC in a year,” Tutor said, adding that this was consistent with the Ease of Doing Business and Anti-Red Tape laws. —Jeanette I. Andrade