NORTHERN Samar 1st District Rep. Paul Ruiz Daza urged the Professional Regulatory Commission to find other ways by which graduates can get licenses without taking licensure exams.

He lamented the abysmal passing rates in the licensure exams for Certified Public Accountants, fishery technologists and agriculturists at 24.36 percent, 33.18 percent and 36.92 percent, respectively.

Daza cited PRC data which showed that the average passing rates in 36 professions from 2017 to 2022 was only 40.81 percent.

The lawmaker, however, said that students should not be blamed for this.

“Ito pong mga board exams are anti-student, anti-poor and arbitrary. Hindi po iyan kasalanan ng students,” he said, adding that the government, particularly the Commission on Higher Education and PRC, need to find solutions.

Daza urged his fellow legislators and the regulators to recognize the need for such alternatives due to the current living situation of the average Filipino.

“Many of these graduates are from poor and disadvantaged groups and it is truly disheartening that they could not pursue their much-sought profession because they could not pass the board exams,” he said.

One alternative that can be considered is through an apprenticeship program.

He said aspiring professionals may instead be allowed to practice their profession under a licensed professional for a significant period, and then be qualified to be licensed pending performance requirements and related training certificates.