Bello walks back licensure exam statement: ‘I didn’t propose scrapping it’
Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III clarified on Thursday, July 8, his statement on the possibility of “doing away” with the licensure exam of nurses, and even lawyers.
“My proposal is for the Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) and Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to study the possibility. I didn’t propose scrapping it,” Bello said in an interview with ANC’s Headstart.
“I’m not proposing to scrap. I’m proposing especially to the Philippine Nurses Association and the Board of Nursing to study all that applies to all other board like Board of Engineering na pag-aralan nilang mabuti,” he added.
When asked whether he patterned that idea from a specific country or know of one where there are no board exams for nurses, he said he has not gone through that extent yet. He said, “Dumating lang sa isip ko when I was speaking with the Philippine Nurses Association dahil awang-awa na ako sa ating mga nurses.”
“I’d rather trust the product of an eight-year course than one day exam,” Bello said.
In a virtual press briefing on Wednesday, July 7, Bello said he raised the idea to the PNA and the Board of Nursing to “do away” with the licensure examination.
“In my meeting and dialogue with the Philippine Nurses Association and the Board of Nursing, sinabi ko, alam ninyo why don’t you recommend na we do away with the examination?”
He also questioned the need for these examinations as the students have already spent so much time studying. Bello said the same for those who want to pursue a career in law.
“Why don’t we do away with Bar (examination)? Tutal ‘yung estudyante may four-year Pre-law, four years (law school) proper, dadaan ka sa rigorous scrutiny, tapos dadaan ka pa sa Bar,” Bello, a lawyer himself, said in the press briefing.
He also said that these examinations bring additional financial burden to nursing students who already spent a lot of money in their years of studying.
Chief Justice Gesmundo, PNA oppose Bello’s proposal
On Thursday, July 8, the Philippine Nurses Association president Melbert Reyes said in an interview on ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo that PNA and the Board of Nursing “disagreed immediately” to the Labor secretary’s proposal during a meeting discussing the deployment cap of healthcare workers to other countries.
According to Reyes, the removal of board exams may affect the quality of the health professionals from the country.
“Mayroon po tayong tinatawag na Asian Qualification Framework. Bababa ang quality ng level ng graduates natin. Baka mas marami pang hingin sa kanila kung wala po tayong board exam,” Reyes said in the interview.
He added, “We respect his (Bello’s) opinion but we disagreed immediately kasi sa health professional po, kailangan natin i-ensure ang public na our graduates are competent enough to do their duties and responsibilities.”
Reyes reiterated that the board exams should not be removed because it’s the people’s lives that are on the line.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III told GMA News Online that the Labor secretary’s proposal “needs further study as there are laws that require professionals to pass board exams prior to issuance of a license.” Duque also said Bello “has to convince the legislators to amend the Nursing Act and the PRC law.”
Meanwhile, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo told reporters Thursday morning that he respects the Labor secretary’s view but for the practice of law, it is important that those who aspire to be lawyers pass the bar exams.
These examinations, Gesmundo said, are a way to sift those who are competent for the legal profession.
“I don’t see the need to abolish the bar exam,” said Gesmundo.
He added, “There is a specific rule under the Rules of Court that provides the mandatory taking of Bar exams, as well as its coverage so for as long as it is in the Rules of Court, we have to comply with it.”
Banner and thumbnail photos by KJ Rosales and Edd Gumban/The Philippine STAR