IS THE PGCA THE APO?

Last night, I opened the PGCA website. It has improved a lot since the last time I went to the site. Dr. Salonga directed me to go there after I forwarded her a text message from someone inquiring about his long-ago sent application for membership. I found his name in the list and jopyfully texted him about it. I also saw my name there. Thanks indeed.

Opening other portions, I chanced over the invitation to the Midyear in October 2008 at Cagayan de Oro. The stationary now carries the address of PGCA, and also the line which reads: "Accredited Professional Association by the Professional Regulation Commission." I went into their Contact Information and sent an email with this basic message:

May I request for the Certification Number of PGCA which the PRC granted it to be the APO. When was it awarded and for how long is the term?

Yes, the Rules and Regulations of RA 9258 Rule I Section 3f specifies the PGCA to be interim APO. However, it still needs the PRC certificate of accreditation to be fully an IAPO as defined. Otherwise, without the PRC accreditation certificate, PGCA should refrain from using the title of APO. It is only a PO (professional organization) without PRC's accreditation certificate, and only fulfilling half of its being an IAPO according to the Rules and Regulations. The IAPO is different from the APO which the Rules and Regulations of R.A. 9258 Rule I Section 3g Definition of Terms specifies distinctly as the "Registered and Accredited National Organization of Registered and Licensed Guidance Counselors... known as the ...(APO)."

The image of the child who lipsynched the song in the Opening Rites of the Beijing 2008 Olympics comes to mind in relation to this matter.

One of the requirements for all applicants for licensure under the Grandfather's Clause specifies the APO to provide the certificate of active membership by the President and two other officers. Without the Accreditation certificate, PGCA not being APO should not be obliging itself to do this. It certainly has done its role of submitting the list of nominees for the PRB being the organization that was responsible for having the law enacted in the first place. But that is never one of the qualifications for APO-hood. In fact, the PRC Resolution No. 178 Series of 2004 Rule 2 on Accreditation of Professional Organization and Issuance of Certificate of Accreditation in the paragraph after the list of requirements to be submitted to PRC, which starts with "After having satisfactorily met the requirements for accreditation, ..." further specifies "However, if there is a provision in the professional regulatory law requiring accreditation or recognition of the national integrated organization of professionals by the professional regulatory board and the Professional Regulation Commission, the concerned professional regulatory board shall issue a Board Resolution subject to approval by the Commission, approving its petition for accreditation and directing the issuance of a certificate of Accreditation signed by the Chair and Members of the Board and the Chairperson of the Commission, upon payment of the prescribed accreditation fee."

I hope we do things right while we can undo what can still be undone rather than allow something wrong to continue. We're still at the beginning our professionalization. I understand that Dr. Llanes went to the PRC Standards and Inspection Division to process the certification only to find out that PGCA does not have any certificate of accreditation at all. I hope the PGCA Board can really look into this matter rather than simply let things move the way they are at this time which is abrewing with questions. Or else, no one can have the moral integrity to send someone to the gallows a Guidance Counselor working without a license. There were supposed to be 2 who've been granted the registration via the Grandfather's Clause through anomalous documents(?) Anyone who has this information must inform the PRC about it, complete with documents and evidences lest this newborn babe called Guidance and Counseling be already marred with anomaly this early! Please! Not in the Guidance and Counseling profession!!!