House bill making PRC ID valid for 5 years OKd on 2nd reading
The House of Representatives has approved on second reading a measure seeking to extend the validity of Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) identification cards to five years to ease the pressure of renewal on millions of professionals.
House Bill No. 8876, which was approved via voice voting on Wednesday, seeks to lengthen the validity period of Professional Identification Cards (PIC) that are currently renewed every three years, usually on the birth month of the owner.
The bill provides that all PICs issued by the PRC shall be valid for five years, subject to the card owner’s compliance with existing legal and procedural requirements.
HB 8876 also directs the PRC’s Information and Communication Technology Service to complete the necessary upgrades to the Licensure Examination Registration Information System and related administrative processes within six months after the law takes effect.
In line with the order of President Marcos to modernize government services, the House has been proposing bills to reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens on the public.
“At this time, we should help ease the expenses and inconveniences experienced by our professionals. By extending the validity of PRC IDs from three to five years, we are giving them more time to focus on their profession, livelihood and service to the country instead of the repetitive renewal process,” Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, one of the bill’s authors, said in a statement on Thursday.
Red tape reduced
“The teachers, nurses, architects and other professionals are among the pillars of our economy. It is only proper to make the process simpler, faster and more humane for them. This measure is a concrete step to reduce red tape and make government service more convenient,” he added.
In a separate statement, House Majority Leader Ferdinand Alexander “Sandro” Marcos said the measure will help reduce the time, money and effort spent on repeated renewals and long appointment queues.
“Professionals should not have to spend unnecessary time and money on frequent renewals when we can provide a more efficient system without compromising professional standards and regulation,” he said.
He added that the bill would also help decongest the PRC appointment system by reducing annual renewal transactions.
“This is a practical and people-centered reform that will make government services faster, more efficient and more convenient for millions of Filipino professionals,” the Ilocos Norte representative said.
