The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) has recorded a steady increase in the number of registered professionals in Central Luzon from 2018 to 2023, reaching a total of 529,772 professionals as of 2023.
During the 28th episode of the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas of the Philippine Information Agency, PRC Regional Director Paul Aban highlighted the growth, noting that the majority of registered professionals come from Bulacan with 150,871, followed by Pampanga with 123,089, Nueva Ecija with 100,104, Tarlac with 63,525, Bataan with 40,436, Zambales with 40,207, and Aurora with 9,517.
Aban explained that the PRC has four offices in the region: the PRC Regional Office in the City of San Fernando, Pampanga; the PRC Robinsons Starmills Service Center in Pampanga; the PRC My Metro Town Mall Service Center in Tarlac; and the PRC SM City Cabanatuan Mobile Center in Nueva Ecija.
“With the remaining provinces in the region where we don’t have offices yet, we bring PRC services to them through our mobile services. All our services in the regional office are also available through our mobile services,” he added.
The PRC offers a range of services and programs, including licensure examinations, Continuing Professional Development, the handling of administrative cases, mobile service caravans, and an anti-red tape program.
Aban stressed the agency’s mandate to regulate the practice of various professions, explaining that the commission oversees 46 professional regulatory boards. These boards are divided into four clusters: Business, Education and Social; Technology; Engineering; and Health and Allied.
“Each cluster has its own professional regulatory board members, appointed by the President, and is governed by various professional regulatory laws,” he explained.
The Commission’s efforts underscore its commitment to supporting the growing number of professionals in the region, ensuring that services are accessible, efficient, and aligned with national standards for professional practice. (CLJD/RPQ, PIA Region 3-Pampanga)