Repealing R.A. No. 10912 (Continuing Professional Development Act of 2016)

Senate Office of the fortrefary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES DEC 17 P3:55 First Regular Session ) SENATE RECEIVED BY: Senate Bill No._ 1628 Introduced by Senator Erwin T. Tulfo AN ACT PROVIDING FOR VOLUNTARY CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR PROFESSIONALS, REPEALING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10912, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2016' EXPLANATORY NOTE The State recognizes the vital role of professionals in nation- building and the importance of continuing education in maintaining competence, ethical standards, and global competitiveness. However, regulations governing the practice of professions must always be reasonable, fair, and responsive to the actual conditions faced by Filipino professionals. Republic Act (R.A.) No. 10912, or the "Continuing Professional Development Act of 2016," made the completion of CPD units a mandatory requirement for the renewal of Professional Identification Cards (PICs). In practice, this requirement has become burdensome and expensive, particularly for professionals earning modest incomes and those based in the provinces, due to high seminar fees, limited access to accredited programs, and inconsistent quality of offerings. The mandatory nature of CPD has effectively tied the right to practice a profession to the ability to pay for seminars, resulting in delayed renewals, lost livelihood opportunities, and undue hardship for

otherwise qualified professionals. Rather than promoting genuine learning, the system has encouraged compliance-driven participation and the commercialization of professional education. This bill repeals R.A. No. 10912 and adopts a voluntary continuing professional development framework. It encourages lifelong learning without making CPD a prerequisite for license renewal, and ensures that no professional is denied or delayed in the exercise of his or her profession due to non-participation. By shifting from mandatory to voluntary CPD, this measure restores fairness and reasonableness in professional regulation while still supporting continuous learning and ethical practice. In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. ERWIN T. TULPO

Senate Ottite of the Secretary TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 25 DEC 17 P3:55 First Regular Session ) RECEIVED BY: SENATE Senate Bill No. 1628 Introduced by Senator Erwin T. Tulfo AN ACT PROVIDING FOR VOLUNTARY CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR PROFESSIONALS, REPEALING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10912, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2016" Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the

2 policy of the State to ensure that regulations affecting the practice of professions are reasonable, non-discriminatory, and not unduly 4 burdensome, and to uphold the right of professionals to practice their 5 professions without unnecessary impediments while encouraging 6 continuous learning through flexible and voluntary mechanisms.

SEC. 2. Repeal of Republic Act No. 10912. - Republic Act (R.A.)

° No. 10912, otherwise known as the "Continuing Professional Development Act of 2016" is hereby repealed.

SEC 3. Voluntary Continuing Professional Development. - In

lieu of mandatory continuing professional development, the Philippine Regulation Commission (PRC), in coordination with the Professional Regulatory Boards (PRBs), shall adopt voluntary continuing 16 professional development, subject to the following principles:

a) Participation in continuing education programs shall be purely voluntary and shall not be a prerequisite for the renewal of professional identification cards (PIC) issued by the PRC; b) No professional shall be denied, delayed, or restricted from renewing his or her professional identification cards on the ground of non-participation in continuing education programs; and, c) Continuing education programs shall be designed to be affordable and accessible in order to support professional growth, skills enhancement, an ethical practice. The Commission may provide incentives for voluntary participation in continuing education programs.

SEC. 4. Transitory Clause. - All continuing professional

development units or credits previously earned under R.A. 10912 shall be recognized as voluntary continuing education activities, but shall no longer be required for any purpose related to renewal of PICs.

SEC. 5. Separability Clause. - Should any provision or part of

this Act be declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions and parts hereof, insofar as they are separable from the invalid ones, shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 6. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders,

proclamations, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SEC. 7. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days

after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. Approved,