PRC exam fees exemption urged

A SENATOR on Sunday pushed to exempt indigents from paying licensure examination fees to alleviate their economic constraints.

Under the Senate Bill No. 2053, or the Free Professional Examinations Act, Senator Erwin T. Tulfo sought to waive the fees of the examinations facilitated by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) for qualified graduates who may avail of the service once a year.

“It is a reality for many Filipinos to finish school but never get the license they worked hard for due to a lack of funds. Instead of paying for licensure exam fees, they tend to start working —often becoming underemployed — just to get by,” Mr. Tulfo said in a press statement.

According to the PRC, licensure examination fees range from P450 to P2,200.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development is tasked to identify the qualified indigents who may seek certification from the agency to avail the benefits of the proposed measure which may be presented to the PRC, Civil Service Commission, and the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

The said institutions have also been instructed to provide annual reports of the beneficiaries of the measure to the Senate and the House of Representatives.

According to Mr. Tulfo, the bill aims to address financial barriers for indigent Filipinos in their pursuit of their professions and encourage them to contribute to the country’s economic growth. — Kaela Patricia B. Gabriel