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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 706 
Introduced by REP. JAVIER MIGUEL “JAVI” L. BENITEZ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Professionals play an important role in nation-building, providing 
essential or basic services that underpin the safety, health, welfare and 
development of our communities. 
Accordingly, Sec. 14, Art. XII of the Constitution mandates the State to 
promote the development of Filipino professionals. The Professional 
Regulation Commission (PRC) was established for this purpose – to ensure the 
competence and competitiveness of Filipino professionals. Under Republic Act 
No. 8981, the PRC is to regulate the practice of professions by conducting 
licensure examinations, and certifying and registering successful examinees. 
Under the same law, the PRC is also authorized to create regional offices 
to perform its functions. Currently, the Regional Office of the PRC for Western 
Visayas is located in Iloilo City. The PRC Regional Office VI supervises four (4) 
off-site Service Centers - three (3) in Iloilo City and one (1) in Bacolod City - that 
process applications for licensure examinations, issuance of identification 
cards, and certification and authentication. 
Iloilo City hosts a total of four (4) PRC offices that serve applicants for 
licensure examinations, and licensed professionals in the entire Panay and 
Guimaras, and its 4.7 million population – or a PRC office for every 1.2 million 
people. Meanwhile, Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, and its 3.2 
million population only has one (1) PRC office.   
July 1, 2025
8:04 am


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The growing demand for PRC services arising from an increasing 
population and number of college graduates1 thus necessitate the 
establishment of at least one (1) additional Service Center in Negros Occidental. 
A PRC Service Center in Victorias City will decongest the workload of 
PRC Service Center in Bacolod City, and will benefit not only the Third District 
of Negros Occidental but also local government units in the north of the 
province. This will enhance efficiency in the processing of applications. This 
will make transactions faster, and will lower travel cost for PRC clients. 
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
JAVIER MIGUEL L. BENITEZ 
1 From 50,246 college degree holders in 2000 to 171,339 in 2015, according to the Philippine 
Statistics Authority. 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 706
Introduced by REP. JAVIER MIGUEL “JAVI” L. BENITEZ 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A PROFESSIONAL REGULATION COMMISSION 
(PRC) SERVICE CENTER IN THE CITY OF VICTORIAS, PROVINCE 
OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. There shall be established a Service Center of the 
Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) in the City of Victorias, Province of 
Negros Occidental. 
SEC. 2. Within sixty (60) days from the effectivity of this Act, the 
Chairperson of the PRC shall issue the necessary rules and regulations to 
implement its provisions. 
SEC. 3. The Chairperson of the PRC shall immediately include in the 
Commission's programs the operationalization of the PRC Service Center in the 
City of Victorias, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 


 
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SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in 
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,