NURSING graduates get a briefing before taking the Nursing Licensure Exam in Zamboanga City on July 3. Elmeir E. Apolinario, head of the city task force handling the coronavirus response, said the exams were successfully conducted with close coordination of various local units and the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) to ensure the observance of health safety protocols. He said the city is ready to host other licensure exams. — ZAMBOANGA CITY PIO

A SENATOR on Tuesday urged the Professional Regulatory Commission (PRC) to consider more satellite venues for its board examinations scheduled this year to address financial and mobility concerns of aspiring professionals amid the prolonged pandemic.

The PRC should establish satellite testing venues in provinces where there are over 100 examinees, Senator Juan Edgardo E. Angara said in a press release, noting that local government units can support the program “by providing the venues for the exams and the personnel needed for this purpose.”

“By doing this, the cost should not be too much on the part of the (national) government,” Mr. Angara, chair of the Senate finance committee, said.

“Licensure examinations are held at the regional offices of the PRC and for many of those who will take the exam, this means traveling long distances from their home provinces. Apart from the cost of transportation, they will also have to look for accommodations and because of the pandemic, undergo COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) testing,” he said.

The licensure exams for teachers and doctors are scheduled for September. The professional exams for nurses and criminologists are scheduled for November and December, respectively.

“If we can produce more of our frontliners during this pandemic then we should find ways to make this happen. Setting up satellite exam venues is one small way we can help in this effort,” he said.

Philippine officials last week had misgivings over Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III’s idea of scrapping licensure exams for certain professions.

The country’s commission on higher education has said the idea should be based on empirical data. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza

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