PRC Online Board Exams – Possible by Next Year, 2021?

Manila, Philippines – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic where most of the transactions are done online, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) is also planning for an online board exams or similar by next year, 2021. 

PRC Commissioner, Yolanda D. Reyes in an interview with Teleradyo on September 28, 2020 told that the commission is eyeing for an online/computerized conduct of licensure exams. 

Opo, papunta na po kami ‘dun. As a matter of fact, ‘yun pong ating CPD, computerized na po yan, fully computerized na po tayo. Meron na tayong training sessions na pina-capacitate na natin ang mga providers, ang mga CPD Councils, mga professionals para puro online na lang ang mga applications.

Pero ‘yung examinations po, papunta na rin po tayo d’yan. ‘Yung either with tablets, may tablets sila o kaya ‘yung online, ‘yung by on-demand lang, o kaya ‘yung walk-in. We are still studying that but we are already proposing some — we are requesting for budget po kasi for that. Eh dapat po sana, kasi lahat naka-computerized na eh. We want to be away from the paper and pencil, face-to-face exams.

On whether the PRC online/computerized exams will begin sometime by 2021, the commissioner said:

Maybe towards the end. Kasi, alam mo naman, ‘yung budget, pag na-approve, then may mga proseso tayo sa gobyerno, so ang importante lang kasi, ma-in-place na s’ya, mailatag na para papunta na roon kasi nga gusto naming lahat paperless.

PRC, as per commissioner are very much aware of the need for board exams specially those affected by the cancelled exams for 2020, but unfortunately, she said that they need to follow. To quote,

We really want to provide and conduct the examinations, kaya lang po, talaga lang pong may limitations tayo. And also, we do not want to sacrifice naman our health.

Here is the full interview of Dr. Carl Balita with Commissioner Yolanda D. Reyes,

Meanwhile, PRC Chairman Teofilo Pilando Jr. said that PRC is looking for the use of more technology-based examinations.

In an statement during the Senate hearing for budget of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on October 1, 2020, he said:

Yes. we’re thinking of using more technology-based examinations but we are to begin operation for that. 

We might be able to start with the smaller boards, which will be more manageable.

Almost all of the board examinations scheduled on 2020 were moved and re-scheduled in 2021 pursuant to the mandate of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) except for Physicians Licensure Exam (PLE) which was pushed through due to the urgent need for newly licensed medical doctors.

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