The ugly side of CPD according to a Ph.D. Professor
"With
a bitter and heavy heart, I am bidding farewell to my Professional
Teacher's PRC License."
- H. L. Bernal
- H. L. Bernal
The
CPD act of 2016 took the Philippine professionals to a roar. Mixed
reactions, comments, and perspectives clouded various discussions
online.
"Since
the implementation of the Continuing Professional Development in
July 2017, no professional who applied for the renewal of his/her
professional ID has ever been denied by PRC due to incomplete or
lacking CPD units. The PRC exercises maximum flexibility in the
implementation of the CPD and has made available for the
professionals the Undertaking embedded in the Professional
Identification Card (PIC) renewal form, thereby allowing the
professional to complete and submit only the CPD units in the next
renewal period three years after his/her first renewal under CPD
Law."
-
PRC,
Posted by PRC Board on Facebook, February 5, 2018
However,
not everyone is pleased. Mr. Hernando L. Bernal Jr. Ph. D. made a
strong statement regarding the CPD Act and the PRC.
The
following is his statement on Facebook.
"Truly,
the Trillanes law (Republic Act 10912 or the Continuing Professional
Development "CPD" Act) subjects us to the money-making
extortion tactics of CPD seminar providers in their attempt to strip
us of our hard earned money in the process of obtaining CPD units for
the renewal of our licenses.
As
a teacher who has passion for learning and imparting my breadth of
knowledge onto others, I am in favor of Continued Professional
Development, but this should not make the renewal process difficult,
most especially for us professionals. I have accumulated years of
experience as an expatriate school administrator and as tenured full
professor with a Doctor of Philosophy and an impending Doctor of
Education (double doctorate), yet my competencies, capabilities,
skills, and qualifications are being put into question in the name of
money making. Who are you to question my expertise? I am more than
willing to comply in a just and equitable process, but despite
numerous visits to PRC, I am unable to meet their unreasonable
expectations for license renewal. Does that make sense? For what
purpose have I invested all of these years of hard work honing my
expertise and shaping the future of our country's young men and
women.
PRC
makes it borderline impossible for us to earn direct CPD units. This
is how difficult the person at window ** in the PRC headquarters
wants to make things for me, a bona fide Doctor of Philosophy, in my
attempt to renew my professional teacher's license:
1.
I must provide a certified copy of my TOR and Diploma (I have the
original Ph.D. TOR). Why? I am not a new board passer, I was
previously licensed, my license is still valid, therefore they should
use the information that they already have on record rather than ask
me to submit it again. This is a total waste of time, paper, and
resources.
2.
I must pay 500 Pesos. For what? I have already invested hundred of
thousands of Pesos to finish my Ph. D. and now they want me to fork
out 500 Pesos more?
3. It also needs to be certifies and stamped by notary public (another method of money making and corruption in our system - what's the point of having something notarized when you don't even need to be present in front of the notary?)
4.
The requirements for directed CPD units are very unreasonable. How
will I be able to manage to get the list of attendees in the seminar?
What other country in the world asks for this and why does the list
of attendees even matter? Other attendees have a right to privacy.
I'm the one applying for PRC renewal, not them. Who are the
bureaucrats or think of these requirements? Are they enrolled in a
contest to see who can think of the most requirements? Do they want
me to roam around like a teacher and check attendance? What if they
invoke their rights to privacy how can I now get the attendance list
as a requirement for approving CPD units?
5.
I need to wait for 60 days just to know if my application for
approval is approved or not. What happened to the direct order of the
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte that all government transactions should
be processed within 72 hours?
And
guess what. PRC offers those who need CPD units quickly to attend
seminars that are accredited by PRC itself.
1.
Each "accredited" seminar costs P4,500 + for around 1
to 2 CPD units when in fact we need 35 units or more. This is a waste
of money and time. Based on this calculation, it will cost me more
than P80,000 to renew my license. I am a teacher. I am not a
businessman or a celebrity. As a teacher I live a frugal life and I
don't have the means or ways to spend more than P80,000 to renew a
piece of plastic.
2.
I am a Doctor who has published three international works of research
in the past six months. How can I be sure that those who will
facilitate the seminar are better than me? For all you know, I should
be the one teaching the seminar. With all due respect, Ph. D. holders
in the Philippines aren't good enough for me. Most especially those
who are old. My philosophy is that these people are already obsolete
and what they will lecture to me are things of the past. I am for
innovation and technology in education. I have high standards and
expectations for Ph. D.'s "
The concept of CPD needs a lot of improvement and the authority should make proper considerations. Mr. Bernal stated that he only wants to deliver his statement to more people and he is aware that not everyone will agree in his perspective and opinions. At the end of the day, this is his valid right to express.
Are Filipinos ready to comply with the CPD requirements? Let us know your opinion!
- J. De Castro, The Notes PH-
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