Nurse advocacy group Ang Nars Party-list praised Senator Ralph Recto for filing a bill that aims to repeal the controversial Continuing Professional Development (CPD) law, and echoed the lawmaker’s sentiment that its implementation is burdensome to professionals.
Ang Nars Founding President Leah S. Paquiz recently issued a statement regarding CPD law implementation and posted it in their official Facebook page. We are reposting here the full text:
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CPD LAW HAS FAILED.
While there is nothing wrong with the intent of improving the knowledge and skills of all professionals, the reality is that this law has become a burden to millions of Filipino professionals worldwide.
We laud Sen. Ralph Recto on being the first to file a bill in Senate to repeal RA 10912, the CPD Act of 2016.
CPD programs have become way too expensive and inaccessible. Professionals from the provinces spend thousands of pesos and travel for dozens of hours, some needing to book flights and rent hotels overnight just to have access to a few measly units. Many professionals put up with being crammed like sardines in a seminar hall just to comply with these requirements.
OFWs have it much worse, as the process of equivalency of foreign trainings into Philippine CPD units is too long and convoluted, and they run the very real risk of losing their hard earned licenses because of it.
ONLINE CPD should have been the solution to all these issues, as it offers instant accessibility to millions of Filipino professionals across the globe. There is no longer a need to travel long distances, adhere to strict schedules, or rent out expensive conference halls, as professionals can have the ability learn at home or even on the go.
FREE CPD could have been offered to all professionals through online seminars sponsored by their respective Accredited Professional Organizations (APO), if only the proper systems were supported by the government.
Why is it then that the PRC created an UNNECCESSARY LIMITATION on online sourced CPD, as the majority of the units is still required to be claimed in person? There is no difference in learning while sitting in a seminar hall and learning through a computer screen. Digital courses even give you the option to repeat lessons no matter how many times you need to.
It is obvious that the PRC is not ready to implement this law without it being a great burden on Filipino professionals.
Our CALL TO ACTION TO ALL PROFESSIONALS:
Let us involve ourselves in formal dialogue with the Congress and Senate!
LET US FIND SOLUTIONS TOGETHER.
Leah S. Paquiz
Founding President
ANG NARS