PRC-7 warns firms employing fake professionals

Logo of the Professional Regulation Commission. | Image from Facebook

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Professional Regulation Commission in Central Visayas (PRC-7) assured that they have been intensifying their efforts against illegal practitioners who are employed in various companies in the region.

PRC-7 Director Narcival Taquiqui said in an interview that the PRC has members of the board monitoring those establishments that employ fake professionals.

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“Actually may experience din ang mga board na nakakahuli sila on site, during their monitoring na non-professional, na nag rerefract. We have to employ registered professionals only, kaya kami, very active ang mga board with PRC to regulate ang mga professionals to ensure that these companies employ registered professionals,” Taquiqui said.

(Actually, the board also has experience catching non-professionals on-site during their monitoring while they are performing refraction. We have to employ only registered professionals, which is why the board is very active in working with the PRC to regulate professionals and ensure that these companies hire only registered professionals.)

He added that if a certain individual does not have any license and is actively working in a company, Taquiqui said that they consider it as “illegal practice of profession.”

Taquiqui mentioned that the board members from Optometry were able to catch illegal practitioners in Bohol but he did not specify when.

“Na NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) agad. Right there, nung nahuli nila, pina-NBI agad yung non-professional na nahuli doon sa inspection,” he said.

(They were immediately referred to the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation). Right there, when they were caught, the non-professional found during the inspection was immediately turned over to the NBI.)

Taquiqui said that it is crucial for the PRC to monitor the establishments when hiring professionals because it would be unfair for those licensed professionals who did not even get the job.

Commissioner and lawyer Erwin Enad of PRC, who was also present in the interview, added that they also monitor other establishments like educational institutions.

Taquiqui mentioned that they also monitor engineers employed in various buildings.

“Dapat nakikipag coordinate din kami sa LGU kasi yung LGU, before they give the permit, they have to see to it na licensed professionals dapat ang nandoon sa mga (buildings),” he said.

(We should also coordinate with the LGU because before they issue a permit, they need to ensure that licensed professionals are present in the buildings.)

Taquiqui said that establishments caught employing illegal professionals will be warned first. But once the board conducts their next visit and those establishments fail to follow, they will have to face sanctions of violations.

“We also have MOA with NBI…So for example during the inspection, may mga illegal practice without license, pwede sila makasuhan. If you’re an establishment na non-compliant, tapos may business permit ka, that is without prejudice, to possible revocation of your permit because business permit is a privilege in nature, is not a right,” Enad said.

(We also have a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the NBI. So, for example, during an inspection, if there are illegal practices being carried out without a license, legal action can be taken against them. If an establishment is non-compliant but has a business permit, it can still face possible revocation of the permit, as a business permit is a privilege, not a right.) /clorenciana