Mark Villar files bill seeking to extend PRC ID validity to 5 years

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Mark Villar has filed a bill that seeks to extend the validity of the Professional Identification Cards (PICs) issued by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to five years.

Senate Bill No. 2391, or the “PRC ID 5-year Validity Act,” filed by Sen. Mark Villar on Aug. 11, proposes to add two more years to the current three-year validity of PICs.

According to the senator in the explanatory note of his bill, “Extending the validity of the PRC ID to five years is a practical reform that will save our professionals time and money, reduce congestion in PRC offices, and allow them to focus more on their careers, their families, and the people they serve.”

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A PIC serves as proof of licensure, certifies an individual’s eligibility and legal authority to practice a regulated profession in the country, and is widely accepted as a primary valid ID for various transactions.

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READ: House OKs bill increasing PRC ID validity to 5 years on 3rd reading

Based on data from the bill, while there are 5,887,714 professionals across 65 PRC-regulated professions, the commission has only one central office and fourteen regional branches, along with its 21 satellite service centers and four one-stop centers.

Under the proposed measure, PRC is also directed to complete necessary system upgrades and administrative processes, including revisions to annual registration fee assessments, within six months of the law’s effectivity.

Villar said the measure is aimed at reducing the time, expenses, and administrative burden faced by Filipino professionals who are required to regularly renew their PICs.

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“Our professionals have already invested years of study, training, and continuing development to serve the country. We should not add unnecessary burdens to their work through frequent and costly renewal transactions,” he added.

House Bill No. 8876, proposing the same five-year extension, was previously approved on third reading by the House of Representatives in May this year. /jpv