Foundations of Professional Regulation (1901‒1973) Before the country established a central agency for professional regulation, various independent boards were established between 1901 to 1950, such as: • the
Board of Medical Examiners, established on December 4, 1901, through Act No. 310 • the
Board of Accountancy, established on March 17, 1923, through Act No. 3105; and • the
Board of Electrical Engineering Examiners, established on June 21, 1947, through
Republic Act No. 184 To centralize such agencies, the
Office of the Board of Examiners was created on June 17, 1950, through Republic Act No. 546, under the supervision of the
Civil Service Commission.
Creation of the Commission (1973‒1999) On June 22, 1973, President
Ferdinand Marcos signed the
Presidential Decree No. 223 on June 22, 1973, establishing the
Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and abolishing the Office of the Board Examiners. while its Implementing Rules and Regulations of Presidential Decree 223 were promulgated on December 9, 1974. The PRC Coat-of-Arms designed by the Heraldry Commission was officially adopted on February 1, 1974. The PRC began issuing certificates of registration in
Filipino with English translation. In 1975, it saw the computerization of the database of registered professionals with the assistance of the National Computer Center.
Modernization (2000‒present) The agency went a major overhaul with the enactment of the
Republic Act No. 8981, known as the PRC Modernization Act of 2000, signed by President
Joseph Estrada. The Implementing Rules and Regulations of the act were adopted on February 15, 2001.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Act The
Republic Act No. 10912, also known as the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Act, was introduced after it lapsed into law on July 21, 2016. The law mandates professionals to participate in ongoing learning and training to renew their licenses.
Criticism Since its full implementation in 2017, the law has faced significant criticism from various professional sectors, with reasons ranging from the cost of applying credits to administrative burden. In response to the criticisms and several legislative attempts, the PRC issued Resolution No. 2019-1146 on February 7, 2019, aiming at easing the transition for professionals by significantly reducing the required credit units for license renewal and expanding the list of activities eligible for credit. ==Functions==