33,000 Ilocano professionals gain from PRC outreach

By Freddie Lazaro

LAOAG CITY, Ilocos Norte – The mobile outreach program of the Profes­sional Regulation Commission (PRC) has served 33,029 residents in Ilocos Norte and nearby provinces since it was launched in 2015.

In 2015 and 2016, a total of 8,589 and 5,303 took advantage of PRC services, respectively. Only three outreaches were conducted in 2016.

After Senior Board Member Mat­thew Manotoc pushed for Provincial Resolution No. 028-2016, PRC visited monthly and a total of 15,617 were ser­viced in a year.

The resolution requested for “a monthly PRC mobile outreach in the province through the PGIN.”

License processing and renewal, authentication of documents, and certi­fication of board ratings are some of the services made available in Laoag dur­ing the mobile outreaches. Otherwise, one would have had to shell out more resources and travel to PRC offices in Baguio City or Tuguegarao City.

One person who was saved from additional costs was Mark Anthony R. Rivera of Dingras. Three years ago, he was relieved to hear of a PRC Mobile Outreach schedule.

As a fresh graduate who had supported himself with small jobs throughout college after a family crisis, travel expenses would have been no small amount.

During the final mobile outreach conducted in January 2018, a total of 3,520 were served. The following month, PRC finally opened its satellite office at Robinsons Place Ilocos in San Nicolas.

Simplifying government services and allowing Ilocanos to avail of them more conveniently and affordably have been a priority for Governor Imee R. Marcos, whose main thrust since 2010 has been to reduce poverty in Ilocos Norte. Now on her final term, she is eyeing a seat in the Senate.

Likewise, Manotoc is bent on equal­izing opportunities and lessening costs incurred by the youth, including fresh graduates and working professionals. He is one of two gubernatorial candi­dates in the province.