ILOILO City – Some students and professionals frowned on the proposal of Labor secretary Silvestre Bello III to scrap bar and board licensure examinations.
For Betz, a public teacher from Guimbal, Iloilo, a licensure examination is a gauge of someone’s level of knowledge and competency before he or she can be called professional.
“Through this, maman-an naton kon bala handa ron ang isa ka tawo sa career nga ana ginpili,” said Betz. “Mahambal gid man ang iban nga indi man sa aram ang taraksan kang kadalag-an pero indi man ang kaaram ang isyu. The point is, na-master bala kang indibidwal ang mga competencies nga expected nga ma-master na before tana magsambuwa sa tuod-tuod nga karera kang pagka-professional.”
“Ang mga competencies nga gintudlo kana, napasulod na ayhan ti mayad agud mangin mayad tana nga professional sa pira ka adlaw? Ang tanan kadya nga mga pamangkot masabat kon makapasar tana sa licensure exam,” Betz pointed out.
She added that if there is no board exam, then there will be a question on standards especially when hiring employees.
“This is a standard tool… If we want quality service, then we must start to produce kang mga dekalidad man nga manug-professional by taking the exam and dapat mapasaran na gid according sa standards nga gin-set kang ana field of specialization,” she added.
Betz said the official who proposed to scrap board and bar exams must think twice because this is also about the future of the country and not just the comfort and convenience of the few.
Meanwhile, according to Iloilo’s 4th District Board Member Domingo Oso, the proposal was “daw suntok sa buwan”.
Oso, a lawyer by profession and a businessman before he entered politics, said the bar examination determines the preparedness and competence of law students to become future lawyers. He stressed that the bar is a national examination.
“Basta kabudlay ina nga proposal, it is a long process and a very difficult to approve,” Oso said. “Dapat may proper consultation with the Supreme Court kay basi may conflict with other agencies. Dapat pa ina i-discuss.”
Another law student, Cha Torda, opined that it’s actually in their favor to get rid of the bar exams knowing that it’s the most difficult licensure exam and only the fittest survive.
However, Torda said she personally does not agree with Bello’s proposal.
She said the “Bar” is a collective term to describe the members of the legal profession called lawyers and bar examination is actually an “aptitude test” to know whether one has the knowledge to be a lawyer or not – for now.
“The very mandate of our Constitution in the proper and expedient administration of justice, and in ensuring quality education for every Filipino citizen will be defeated by such proposal. The bar and the board examinations serve a noble purpose and are indispensable in ensuring that those who intend to enforce the law, administer justice, and instill knowledge to our future generation, possess the minimum qualifications demanded by the law, given the fragility in handling such crucial matters,” Torda stressed.
She added that getting rid of the bar exam is a slap on the face of the legal profession since it has been the standard since time immemorial.
“It would be unfair to those who grinded and shed sweat and tears to hurdle the bar. Lastly, the fulfillment of becoming a lawyer wouldn’t be so sweet if you hadn’t hurdle the bar,” Torda added.
Bert Ladera, who has a doctorate degree, also bucked the proposal.
“Kon wala board exam, wala disiplina kag mapinagusto na lang ang may kurso,” said Ladera.
“Siguro ang ginalantaw niya is ang burden sang isa ka indi makapasar nga after sang tinuig nga eskwela wala man niya napuslan ang kurso… if that is the case, dapat bag-uhon ang sistema,” Ladera emphasized.
“Antes magsaka sa next level ang estudyante dapat takson kon may nahibaluan na sia before mag-proceed sa next level until maka-graduate nga dungan ang diploma kag lisenya or accreditation. Sa sini, kon indi kapasar ang estudyante sa una nga level, then may option sia nga magsaylo sa iban nga kurso nga luyag niya. Daw pareho lang ‘na nga kon wala ka gana kag indi ka kapasar, saylo sa daw hapos,” he said.
Government employee Armi R. Tormon likewise shared the same sentiment.
Tormon has two daughters – a registered nurse who hurdled the licensure examinations and a graduating nursing student.
According to Tormon, the medical profession is very vital as it involves life. Thus, competency in the field is very important.
“Indi gid ako pabor nga dulaon ang licensure exam para sa ikaduha ko nga bata kag insigida mag-practice sang iya propesyon after graduation bangod masyado ka perilous ini sa iya mangin pasyente. Indi ma–determinar kag indi matakos ang ikasarang sang nursing graduate kon angay sia nga mag-practice sa ospital kon dulaon ang licensure exam. Indi mabal-an kon qualified sia,” Tormon said.
“Masyado ka critical ang serbisyo sang nurse… Mabutang sa risgo ang kabuhi sang pasyente nila pananglitan nga indi sila kwalipikado kag kulang ang ikasarang nila,” she underscored.
Panay News also tried to get the side of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) in Region 6 on the issue but they said there is no official statement yet coming from their central office./PN
