ALUANCE OF PROFESSIONAlS FOR 11-IE REPEAL OF CPO lAW OF 2016

(Continuing Professional Development)

Unit 43 J•imc Cardin•l Sin Building. Pn Street, Paa>, Mani l~ (fb:Repeal CPO Law)

Press Release
August 13, 2018
REFERENCE PERSONS:
Ms. Maristela P. Abenojar, Convenor, 0926 6493235
Mr. Carlos Mallari, Convenor, 0918 3010006

SERVE THE FILIPINO PEOPLE FIRST,

REPEAL CPO LAW OF 2016

Professionals from various fields like medicine, nursing, dentistry, radiologic technology,
pharmacy, psychology, social work, fisheries, architecture, teaching, and real estate service
compose the Alliance of Professionals for the Repeal of the Continuing Professional
Development (CPD) Law of 2016. They attended the Philippine Senate hearing today on the
Continuing Professional Development Act or R.A. 10912.
On today's Senate hearing of the said law, they have submitted the signatures that they have
initially gathered for the petition to repeal the said law to its author, Senator Trillanes. The
Alliance of Professionals for the Repeal of the Continuing Professional Development
(CPD) Law of 2016 is CONCERNED that the CPO LAW of 2016 will be a medium for the
following :
.: Money-making , graft and corrupt business practices victimizing professionals;
·, Facilitate the exodus of professionals, depriving the Filipinos, especially the poor, of
important and essential services;
.· Undue burden to professionals who opt to work in the country;
: Deplete the already meager salaries of some professionals to pay for costly CPO seminars,
trainings and other similar development sessions.
They are united on the premise that the practice of their profession must be based on services
for the Filipino people first and foremost, and serve as basis for implementing professional
career development.
According to Ms. Maristela Abenojar, RN,MAN, "The CPO Law of 2016 will further push
exodus of nurses leaving the country and aggravate the understaffing situation in many
hospitals and health institutions to the detriment of the Filipino patients." In lieu of the CPO
Law of 2016 , Ms. Abenojar challenged the government to increase the salaries of the nurses
which is the biggest number of health professionals. "An entry level monthly salary of P30,000
for nurses is a crucial step towards resolving problems of overworked nurses and
understaffing," Ms. Abenojar reiterated.
~Majority of the professionals are also hand-to-mouth existence and their salaries are not even
enough for their basic needs. The cost of 45 CPO units which may reach more than P45,000
as a mandatory requirement to renewal of Professional Regulations Commission (PRC)
identification card of colleagues in the Fisheries is a grave economic burden for them," cited
by Mr. Raymund N. Fantonalgo, a registered fisheries technologist.
~In fact a few years ago, the mandatory CPO requirement for PRC 10 renewal was abolished
through PRC Modernization Act of 2000 (Republic Act 8981) because it was found to be
ineffective in ensuring continuing professional development while it was a source of rampant
corruption, " Mr. Carlos Mallari, a registered pharmacist, explained .
Dr. Joseph M. Carabeo, a physician, reiterated that "The government must urgently address
the inhumane work conditions and starving salaries of its very own professionals to better
serve its countrymen, especially the poor."