Manila, October 10, 2014 --- The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) today cautioned applicants, prospective takers of various licensure examinations including registered professionals and members of their families against fixers out to prey on unsuspecting victims.
According to the PRC, the modus operandi of these fixers is to pose or introduce themselves as PRC officials or employees and to assure the examinee or members of their families that they can guarantee the examinee to pass the board examination or facilitate the validation of licenses in exchange for a certain amount of money. Meetings with the examinees or their families where the money is to be paid to the fixers are then conducted in a restaurant or other place outside of PRC premises.
Recently, numerous e-mails from various professionals which sought to confirm the identity of a PRC official thru the social networking site “Facebook” were reported to the Commission.
The professionals identified a certain Daryl Diguidig and Shyller Ralph Hernandez as the persons constantly transacting with their would-be victims. Diguidig and Hernandez were later confirmed to be non-PRC employees by the Commission’s Human Resource Division (HRD).
It was reported that Diguidig and Hernandez directed the professionals to submit pertinent documents and to pay a corresponding fee ranging from PhP1,500.00 to PhP2,500.00 for the validation of their PRC licenses and threatened that failure to comply with the requirements will result in the deactivation of their registration with the Commission, in addition to their liabilities for penalties and surcharges.
The PRC reiterates that it does not maintain an account on any social networking site.
Other than the PRC mobile services (PRC on-wheels) and the PRC I.D. Renewal Center at the Malls, the Commission stressed that official transactions are done at all PRC Offices (Central, Regional and Satellite) and with authorized PRC personnel ONLY. To verify the identity of a PRC official whose name may have been used by these fixers, the public is advised to check from the directory of PRC officials posted in the PRC website http://prc.gov.ph/about/default.aspx?id=7.
PRC said that in waging war against fixers, syndicates and fake professionals, it continuously networks with other government agencies for a more coordinated effort to combat their fraudulent activities. It also asks PRC clients and the general public to help in this effort by reporting questionable transactions to the Commission.
For inquiry, assistance or any information regarding suspicious individuals and transactions, the public is encouraged to call the PRC’s Hotline: (02)310-0026 or e-mail queries or reports to prcpimru@gmail.com.
