Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City > * RECEIVED

@ one 2
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS owe, £9 AU 2013
First Regular Session

TIME:

HOUSE BILL NO2623

Introduced by Rep. Winston “Winnie” Castelo

EXPLANATORY NOTE

There are fake eye doctors who engage in the practice of optometry.

This may very well be a situation occurring in various parts of the country when
peeudo-optometrists go into the practice of optometry without having acquired the
appropriate professional licenses from the Professional Regulation Commission.

This scheme may have been too prevalent when a significant number of optical
shops as those we find in malls do operate as if they ware legitimate business
establishments even though only very few of these shops have licensed optometrists,
This observation has been validated by the PRC Board of Optometry.

And yet, the use of contact lenses and eyeglasses, since they are medical
devices do need to be prescribed by eye specialists and the term, ‘eye specialists’ refer
to PRC-licensed optometrists.

‘The improper use of eyeglasses and contact lenses are found to eventually lead
to cataract or glaucoma or other related eye problems if not blindness on the part of the
unsuspecting buyer or user of these medical products.

To give Professional Regulation Commission 2 shot in the arm, therefore,
requires that the practice of optometry be more close) by PRC which alone
‘can issue professional licenses and for it to issue agency clearance before optical shops

by the concerned Local Government Unit.

The shortage of optometrists in the
two more years to the previous four-year
proliferation of optical shops without licens
unhealthy situation of such reach and scope,

ment opted to add
the one hand and
lead to an entirely

INNIE” CASTELO


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2
HOUSE BILL NO. 2633

Introduced by Rep. Winston “Winnie” Gastefo

AN ACT
REQUIRING LICENSE AND CLEARANCE FROM PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
COMMISSION FOR THE PRACTICE OF OPTOMETRY AND OPERATION OF
OPTICAL SHOPS, RESPECTIVELY AND THE SAME TO BE STRICTLY ENFORCED
BY THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNIT CONCERNED AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

8e it enacted in Senate and House of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines
in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. The Professional Regulation Commission shall hereby require
license for the practice of optometry and issue appropriate clearance for the operation of
optical shops and the same to be strictly enforced by the Local Government Unit
‘concerned.

SEC. 2. The use of contact lenses and/or eyeglasses, since they are medical
Gevices, should only be as prescribed by an eye specialist in the person of a licensed
optometrist only,

SEC. 3. Business establishments involved in the sale of contact lenses or
‘eyeglasses such as but not limited to optical shops shall likewise be issued agency
clearance from the Professional Regulation Commission before their Mayor's Permit or
Business License, as the case may be, shall be issued by the concerned Local
Government Unit,

SEC. 4. All issuances, laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts
thereof not consistent with this Act are hereby repeated or modified accordingly.

SEC. 5 This Act shall take effect thirty (30) days following its publication in the
Official Gazette and in at least four (4) newspapers of general circulation

Approved,