The Professional Regulation Commission in Central Visayas (PRC-7) warned on Monday against illegal practitioners employed in various companies.
PRC-7 regional director Narcival Taquiqui said that the PRC has members of the board monitoring establishments that employ fake professionals.
"Actually, the board also has experience catching non-professionals on-site during their monitoring while they are performing refraction. We have to employ only registered professionals, which is why the board is very active in working with the PRC to regulate professionals and ensure that these companies hire only registered professionals," he said.
Citing that if a certain individual does not have any license and is actively working in a company, it is considered the 'illegal practice of the profession.'
Taquiqui mentioned that the board members from Optometry were able to catch illegal practitioners in Bohol.
"They were immediately referred to the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation). Right there, when they were caught, the non-professional found during the inspection was immediately turned over to the NBI," he disclosed.
Taquiqui emphasized the crucial task of the PRC in monitoring establishments when hiring professionals, as it would be unfair to licensed professionals who did not even get the job.
Educational institutions and monitoring engineers are employed in various buildings.
"We should also coordinate with the LGU because before they issue a permit, they need to ensure that licensed professionals are present in the buildings," he stressed.
Establishments caught employing illegal professionals will be warned first. But once the board conducts their next visit and those establishments fail to comply, they will face sanctions for violations.