Pasay City – Senator Mark A. Villar has filed Senate Bill No. 2391, or the ‘PRC ID 5-year Validity Act,’ seeking to extend the validity of Professional Identification Cards (PICs) issued by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) from the current three years to five years.
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 PRC identification cards.
Recent data reveals that there are more than 5,887,714 registered professionals across 65 PRC-regulated professions. The PRC currently operates one central office, 14 regional branches, 21 satellite service centers, and four offices located in One-Stop Service Centers for Overseas Filipino Workers. Under the existing system, PICs are valid for only three years, after which professionals must undergo the renewal process.
‘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,’ Villar said.
‘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,’ he added.
Under SB 2391, all PRC-issued PICs would be valid for five years, subject to compliance with existing legal and procedural requirements. The measure also directs the PRC’s Information and Communication Technology Service and other concerned offices to undertake the necessary systems enhancements, including improvements to the Licensure Examination Registration Information System and other administrative processes. The bill provides for the finalization of the revised assessment of annual registration fees within six months from its effectivity.
Senator Villar hopes that this measure would espouse a more efficient PRC renewal system that would benefit professionals across the country while supporting the government’s broader goal of reducing red tape and improving public service delivery.
‘Every hour saved from unnecessary queues and every peso saved from repeated transactions can instead be spent on productive work and professional development. Through this measure, we are making government services more convenient for the people who help keep our country moving,’ Villar said.