Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
 TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. 1823 
________________________________________________________________ 
 Introduced by: REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Our medical doctores are not doubt among the selfless heroes 
who have been fighting our nation battle against the Covid-19 
Pandemic since the early part of the year 2020. Since May of the 
aforementioned year, doctors accounted for 2 out of 5 deaths among 
health workers infected with Covid-19 in the Philippines. Atleast 
1,761 physicians tested positive for the desease as of October 3. This 
means that the case fatality rate for doctors was at 1.48%, which is 
the highest amongthe health workers who contracted Covid-19. 
Indeed, doctors who treat Covid-19 patients are highly at risk 
not only contracting the virus but also suffering demise therefrom. 
While there is not much study or discussion on the direct link or 
causation between the profession and the higher risk of death, it 
cannot be denied that the job entailed by the profession does require 
close proximity and more often than not direct contact with the 
patient, whether for Covid-19 or other non-Covid-19 disease that 
need be attended to in the midst of the pandemic. 
As way to repay the heroic efforts of our medical doctors, this 
Bill proposes a little incentive in the form if extending the validity of 
their medical licenses from three years to five years to somehow 
minimize their costs and allow them to practice their profession for a 
longer but still reasonable period of time. 
July 14, 2025
11:34 am


This Bills anchor its objective in the belief that extending the 
validity of the licenses of medical doctors for another two years will 
not in any way diminish their competence of knowledge with regard 
to the practice of their profession. After all, the Continuing 
Professional Development Program as amended by Republic Act 
10912 still stands, with structure, units, and other related concerns 
being subject to adjustment by the Professional Regulatory 
Commission and other relevant authorities in the event that this bill 
is passed. 
ERIC L. OLIVAREZ 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
 TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No. 1823 
__________________________________________________________________ 
 Introduced by: REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ 
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A FIVE-YEAR VALIDITY PERIOD OF THE 
PROFESSIONAL IDENTIFICATION CARDS OF ALL PROFESSIONALS 
COVERED BY THE PROFESSIONAL REGULATION COMMISSION 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. All Professional Identification Cards (PICs) issued by the 
Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) shall be valid for a period of five (5) 
years, subject to compliance with all legal and procedural requirements for its 
issuance. 
SEC. 2. In order to operationalize the provisions of this Act, the 
Information and Communication Technology Service (ICTS) and other concerned 
offices/divisions of the PRC shall complete the necessary systems enhancement 
(Licensure Examination Registration Information System or the LERIS) and other 
administrative processes, including the finalization of the revised assessment of 
annual registration fees within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act. 
SEC. 3. 1f, for any reason, any part or provision of this Act is declared 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts or provisions not affected are in 
full force and effect. 
SEC. 4. All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, and rules and 
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the previsions of this Act are 
amended, repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,