PASAY CITY -- Senator Christopher “Bong” Go expressed his disagreement with the proposal to abolish licensure exams, particularly for nursing and law, saying that it may be detrimental to the quality of education and standards set by professions in the country.

“Hindi po ako sang-ayon diyan dahil mayroon tayong sinusunog na, kumbaga, alam mo quality o anuman po na… kailangan po pumasa sila sa standard,” said Go in an ambush interview after the groundbreaking ceremony of the Armed Forces of the Philippines-Philippine National Police Housing Project in Pulangbato, Cebu City on Friday, July 9.

“Nag-aral tayo, pagkaaral natin kailangan po mag-exam sila at malalaman kung pwede na nilang gampanan ‘yung kanilang propesyon na natapos,” he added.

Earlier, Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III floated the idea of dropping the mandatory board exams for nurses and other professions, saying that the students have already undergone numerous examinations in school.

Go said that majority of students who have taken their board exams will not agree with the suggestion.

“Eh mahirap po na porke’t naka-graduate ka hindi ka na papasok ng board o bar exam. Hindi po, mahirap, hindi po ako sang-ayon dun,” said Go.

“And I’m sure majority of our students and also mga professionals nakapag-bar at nakapag-board exam ay hindi po sang-ayon dito,” he added.

Earlier, Go appealed to the government to include frontliners of the Professional Regulation Commission, such as proctors and watchers, for upcoming professional board exams, and board examiners in the A4 priority group for COVID-19 vaccination. This is to ensure that they are able to perform their duties safely as they are protected from COVID-19.

“Kaya nga po ako mismo, bilang Senate Committee Chair on Health, ay pinakiusapan ko po ang IATF na bigyan po ng bakuna kaagad ‘yung mga PRC examiners para hindi na po ma-postpone ‘yung examinations nila,” said Go.

“Binakunahan na po ‘yung PRC examiners para po makapag-conduct na sila ng examinations sa mga nurses. Eh, ganun din po gawin natin, kung kailangan bakunahan ‘yung mga examiners and even the examinees ay bakunahan para po protektado sila. Bigyan po natin ng prayoridad,” he added.

In his previous appeal, Go emphasized the significant role of the PRC in processing and evaluating professionals, particularly nursing graduates, which, in turn, could address the need of the country for more medical frontliners amid the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Go also filed in July 2019 Senate Bill No. 395, also known as the "Advanced Nursing Education Act of 2019". The measure seeks to protect and improve the nursing profession by instituting measures that will result in relevant nursing education, humane working conditions, better career prospects and a dignified existence for our nurses.

Go’s proposed measure will require the establishment of standard basic and graduate programs for nursing education, to be implemented in Commission on Higher Education-accredited institutions of higher learning. (BI)