Reply ng Emailer

In the R.A. No. 9258, membership in the APO is automatic. BUT PGCA IS NOT THE APO. It is the Interim APO. The law says nothing about the interim APO. It does not even use that status in official documents. Ergo, automatic membership should not be imposed on us! The emailer has provided us the following added information:

Dear Fr. Bernie,

Happy Feast of our Guardian Angels!

I slept very late last night reading your blog. I salute you for that courage to SEARCH and SPEAK the truth! I tried also to think that if PGCA is accredited by PRC how about the other Association of Counselors? Are they not qualified to apply for such accreditation so that the members can ask Certificate of Good Moral Character and Certificate of Membership directly from them?

On the other hand, I am inclined to agree with your proposal that active membership will be demanded after the release of the License in fairness to other associations. Updating will be then part of the requirements in the renewal of such License.

This morning I went to PRC to ask for the application form for registration without examination. I asked the Lady in the office, how about if I am not an active member, is my application be denied? or what must i do? The answer I got was " just look at the list of requirements?" and no more words... so i turned my back.. and later I found myself walking through UST compound and entered the office of PGCA Vice president, and I asked what shall I do to obtain these certificates since I am not a member.. The response is simply.. BE a MEMBER..

I decided to attend the local workshop on Oct. 16 - 17, 2008, and I will still ask my doctor if I can be allowed to travel by plane or by boat for the midyear workshop in Cagayan de Oro City. Since according to the secretary I need to attend both the local and the National level.

I admit that i am overwhelmed by the informations i read from your blog and i can't still comprehend other issues but i can feel that something "mysterious" is happening among us counselors that prompted that Law to be imposed.

Yes, I will pray for you and for all those who are involved in these endeavors of uplifting the professionalism of counselors.

Good Luck and keep going,


Isn't this a little discouraging? People at the PRC don't even know how to answer questions. The Vice-President the emailer mentioned didn't even know how to be encouraging! Mind you I am already a PGCA member. I know almost everyone in the Board, and the problems in there (pwera yabang po). And I disagree in the way this organization is doing things. Does this hint at the possibility that the PGCA Board itself may not have really thought about these things and come up with an answer satisfactory enough and not merely coercive? In R.A. No. 9258, membership in the APO is automatic. BUT PGCA IS NOT THE APO. It is the Interim APO. The law says nothing about the interim APO. Ergo, automatic membership should not be imposed on us! Poor emailer. God help us!