CPD (Continuing Professional Development) “A Professional Burden for Improvement of One’s Career”
Long before the CPD (Continuing Professional Development) was made and implemented, professionals can renew their license relatively smoothly in PRC Professional Regulation Commission no CPD units required[1]. A professional just needed to bring his/her license to PRC central office or any satellite office all over the country[2]. They were problems and complaints but everyone seemed to be satisfied with the status quo. And when the “R.A. 10912“ or “Continuing Professional Development” known as CPD law came along, series of questions and inquiries arose on PRC, unclear guidelines, fees for CPD activities and many others
On this regard, many professionals acquire many sentiments and problems that have been addressed to PRC. Professionals that newly passed the board exams that still seeking for the job are financial incapacity because of training's, seminars, conference and whatsoever activities with CPD units is with required corresponding prices and fees. With respect to time and location, there is lack of seminars in the province that they will need to go to urban places where CPD training and seminars is conducted. Also newly professionals mostly say “We don’t have the money to afford any training's and seminars for now because we don’t have a job”. Professionals that are currently working, states that wages and salary in our country is low that professionals in rural areas is insufficient to attend or pay fees[3]. Competent professionals are fleeing to abroad to because of this issue. Thus, making our country just for training ground only for their career. And even without the outside training's and seminars which CPD provided, they will still grow and develop his/her career and skills in their company and organization which they are trained to be fit and competent for the job. There’s a little difference between a license or not. So many professionals tend not to renew their license every 3 years. They just renew it, if it needed very much to find a new job. Working professionals mostly say this, “We will be absent if the seminars and training's would fall in our duty it means no duty no salary plus the fees and the fare, so now we are in doubt to attend that”.
Many professionals with different works and levels are seeing the CPD as an additional burden to them[4]. Even before the implementation of CPD they are engaging in various activities, seminars and conference to the extent that they learn something in return. They discuss and acquaintance to other professionals their various works and business which related to their profession. They are voluntarily going for learning's and not forcing to do so, not because they can acquire CPD units.
CPD law made the process of renewing the license very costly, more bureaucratic and unnecessary. Mostly professionals are engaging in graduate studies like masters or doctorate degree to develop their learning's. They emphasize that they actually engage in self-directed CPD in the first place. They seek things every day in a way they will improve competence in their skills in their respective profession.
CPD also is a technically a holistic process of engaging one’s profession where professionals are monitored by their managers, administrators, schools and their company. Thus, it means there’s no need a law to govern one’s profession.
In “Resolution No. 2013-774 Series of 2013 “Revised Guidelines on the Continuing Professional Development of (CPD) Program for all Registered and Licensed Professionals[5].” A license professional which is practicing his/her career can only renew their license after acquiring corresponding CPD units in which he/she can obtain through seminars, training's and conference relating on their field of specialization.
After its implementation on year 2016 many professionals demand on repealing or amending the provisions in the CPD law. In the House Bill 7171 or An Act Repealing R.A. 10912 explanatory note for the repeal of the CPD Act, the party-list congressmen wrote: "Since its enactment, RA 10912 has imposed multiple financial, logistical, and psychological burdens on professionals[6]. It requires them to accumulate credit units (from 15 or 45 for most professionals to as high as 120 for certified public accountants) every three years by attending seminars, training courses, and other professional development activities[7].
As of latest update in regards to the law, a senator filed Senate Bill 2073 also An Act of Repealing R.A.10912[8]. Recto said "that in a time when inflation rate is high, oil prices continues to increase and the peso is at weakest, our local professionals need not be burdened with additional costs". Only then can they renew their licenses and continue practicing their professions. Along the way, they are forced to spend thousands of pesos, take unpaid leaves from work, endure long queues, and go through a host of other hardships. So, in my case, I did a random survey on my fellow professionals with the question “Do you agree on House Bill No. 7171 as well as Senate Bill 2073 seeking to repeal CPD Law implementation?
In my survey also concludes that professionals are saying that it would be best to stopped the law because it is not needed, if the professional wants to develop or improve he/she finds a way to cope up to the trend of development.
A professional can acquire their license through hardships in schools which is taken 4 to 5 years then take board exam and passed it. Why is it that we are giving them more pain and burden? Why not regulate something relatively successfully manage itself? Why not regulate something which harms no one? Why not regulate such as commodity prices, more jobs than graduates on college. That feeling that job was finding for you even you’re just an ordinary people. Congress and State should focus on this matter that needs immediate action and regulation. Can’t we trust our professionals? We should trust them because they acquire not just by luck but with years of hardship and intellectual capacity.
However, for now CPD had many deliberation and debates in the senate and congress means to abolish or repeal it but still already now a law, we just should strengthen it by requiring and compelling all government and private institution/agencies and companies to provide FREE programs training and seminars for their employed professional that would accumulate CPD units as this is part of their obligation as an employer pursuant to the Section 13 of the R.A. 10912. Section 13, Role of the Concerned Government Agencies and the Private Sector, governs that ”All concerned government agencies and private firms and organizations employing professionals shall include the CPD as part of their human resource development plan and program” and wait for further improvement of the law.
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION
In order to achieve the goals as a Young Professional, I will conduct an informational campaign for Renewal of PRC License and how to acquire CPD units.
I will also give a lecture on the guidelines and the Implementing Rules Regulation of PRC pertaining on CPD units.
The awareness would be participated by Licensed Professional that would be affected by the CPD Law.
About the Author
Joel Pelayo Masiglat is a first-year law student in University of Southern Philippines. He is engaged in various activities, seminars, training's in acquiring CPD units for Professional Development.
He is a Licensed Mechanical Engineer and currently working as a Engineer in a Manufacturing Firm which he exercises his expertise and technical working skills.
He believes that Development of one’s career is his/her responsible in this fast-paced competitive world.
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Footnotes
[1] R.A. Act 10912 (CPD Law of 2016)
[2] R.A. Act 8981 (PRC modernization Act of 2000)
[3]MinimumWageRatesinthePhilippineshttps://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/attachments/cls/Tab%2021.pdf
[4]Professionals have two types: License Professional and Without License
Licensed Professional-those who are passed the Board Exam conducted by the PRC
Without license- those who are no Board Exam in their Respective Career and those who are doesn’t pass the Board Exam conducted by PRC but still practicing their skills and expertise.
[5] Resolution NO.2013-774 Series of 2013 “Revised Guidelines on the Continuing Professional Development of (CPD) Program for all Registered and Licensed Professionals https://www.prc.gov.ph/uploaded/documents/RES_CPD_RevisedGuidelines_2013-774.pdf
[6] House Bill 7171 “or "An Act Repealing Republic Act 10912, Otherwise Known as the 'Continuing Professional Development Act of 2016'" introduced by ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio L. Tinio and Rep. France L. Castro, BAYAN MUNA Party-list Rep. Carlos Isagani T. Zarate, GABRIELA Women’s Party Rep. Emmi A. De Jesus and Rep. Arlene D. Brosas, ANAKPAWIS Party-list Rep. Ariel “Ka Ayik” B. Casilao, and KABATAAN Party-list Rep. Sarah Jane I. Elago, on the Second Regular Session of the Seventeenth Congress (filed on 13 February 2018)
[7] See PRC Matrix and Guidelines for their respective Profession and corresponding units https://www.prc.gov.ph/uploaded/documents/MATRIX%20OF%20REQUIRED%20CPD%202018-onwards-102717.pdf
[8]Senate Bill 2073 (UPDATED) Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto made true to his promise that he will seek to abolish Republic Act 10912, or the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Law(October 11,2018)
Note: Digital Photos and Illustrations from this blog post are culled from internet sources and from government websites. Credits to the owners.