2nd Board Exam: Questions

I received today June 23, 2009 a text message with this question: "gd pm po pdre bern, ask lng po me kng wn po and deadline ng prc applictn 4 aug gc licnsure? wala po kxc s wbsite ng prc n pgca. tnx-(name withheld) (Good pm po Padre Bern, ask lang po ako when the deadline of the PRC for application for [to take] the Aug. [2009] Licensure exams for Guidance and Counseling. Couldn't find any in the PRC and PGCA websites.)

My answer:

Republic Act No. 9258 mentions in Article III Examination, Registration and Licensure Section 12 Examination Required. - All applicants for registration for the practice of Guidance and Counseling shall be required to undergo a licensure examination to be given by the Board and the Commission in such places and dates as the Commission may designate in accordance with Republic Act No. 8981, subject to the compliance with the requirements prescribed by the Commission.

Of course the law does not answer the question. What answers the question in the text message is contained in the Rules and Regulation of RA9258, the same Section (12), but Rule III, which states or actually simply paraphrases the law:

"All applicants for registration for the practice of guidance and counseling shall be required to undergo a Board Licensure Examination for Guidance Counselors to be given by the Board and the Commission in such places and dates as the Commission may designate in accordance with R.A. No. 8981, subject to the compliance with the requirements prescribed by the Commission."

Furthermore, what answers the question are contained in these two paragraphs following it:

Form of Application. - An application for examination and registration must be properly accomplished in hand writing of the applicant on the PRC form and shall be filed not later than twenty (20) days in the Central Office, or not later than thirty (30) working days in the Regional Office, before the date of examination. A recent photo with name tag must be attached. Prescribed fees must be paid.

Approval of Application. - The PRC Application Division shall go over the application. At least two (2) members of the Board shall approve the application. In case the former cannot do so, the Application Division shall satisfy itself that each applicant possesses the qualifications prescribed by R.A. 9258 and this R.R.

There you are: if the upcoming Board Exams in Guidance and Counseling will be scheduled on August 27-28, 2009, you can anticipate the deadline by counting 20 days (working) before the examination date for those who will be submitting their applications to the Central Office of the PRC (Manila). Those who will be submitting their application papers in the PRC Regional Offices, they may count 30 working days to get the deadline for filing their application to take the Board Exams in Guidance and Counseling.

Of course, please don't wait for the deadline because as stated in the 2nd paragraph after Sec. 12, the Board will have to approve the application. Then the place for exams will be set. So, better go and inquire with your respective PRC Offices (Manila office has this number: (02) 314-0018). What if you don't qualify? That's something for you and the PRC to arrange in order to ensure that you're qualified to take the exams. And if you qualified, feel free to text me so I can include you in my prayers, specially to St. Jude (hopeless na ba?).

Who are qualified to take the Board Licensure Exams for Guidance and Counseling?

In the meeting at House of Representatives last May 26, 2009, the following document was released for us in response to the nagging question regarding the qualifications for taking the Board Exams for Guidance Counselors. It was established in that meeting that indeed there were non-Masters holders who took the test and PASSED the exams last year! Yes, that's the plain truth, and the PRC and PRB could not but allow the Congressman-Chair of the meeting to state clearly that there was this mistake of letting the 1st Board Exams be given to those who had no Masters.

The observation that two opposing positions may be overrun by a document was provided. Note that last year, IPCAP received a reply from the PRC regarding the interpretation of the law regarding the qualifications to take the Board Exams. (click "The PRC Response to IPCAP's Letter On Board Exam Qualifications" blog entry dated Sept. 18, 2008) That comment from Atty. Lalucis was the only extant document which can be used (again) as the basis for acceptance of non-Masters board examinees for Guidance and Counseling in the absence of another document that supersedes that. The document will always win over verbal or other means of communicating this "new" (because last year was a precedent) requirements to take the licensure exams. Hence, the PRBGC provided this document so we can be guided along.

To read this document, click it and the provider will enlarge it for your convenience: