Question & AnswerQ&A (PRC Resolution NO. 2000-651)
The Professional Regulation Commission is mandated to administer and conduct licensure examinations for the various Boards, according to the rules and regulations promulgated by it, including determining and fixing the places and dates of examinations.
The authority comes from its charter (P.D. No. 223, as amended), specifically Section 5(d), which empowers the Commission to administer examinations and fix their places and dates.
The guidelines address the problems of examinees who cannot take the exam on a day that conflicts with their religious beliefs, ensuring examinees can take licensure examinations without violating those beliefs.
Licensure examinations for regulated professions with at least 500 applicants should be fixed or set twice a year, as far as practicable, except for professional teachers.
For professions with less than 500 applicants a year, the Commission shall fix or set at least one examination a year.
Licensure examinations shall not be conducted on Saturdays.
The licensure examination for professional teachers is to be conducted once a year on any day or days except Saturday.
The resolution took effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation, whichever was earlier.
The Commission considers the number of applicants and religious considerations of examinees who abstain from certain days for religious reasons, to ensure they can take the licensure examinations.
The resolution was signed by Hermogenes P. Pobre, Commission Chairman, Alfonso G. Abad, Associate Commissioner, and Avelina De La Rea-Tan, Associate Commissioner.