Mark Villar seeks to extend PRC ID validity to 5 years
By Dhel Nazario
Published Aug 17, 2026 02:32 pm
At A Glance
- Sen. Mark Villar filed SB 2391 seeking to extend the validity of PRC Professional Identification Cards from three years to five years.
- The measure aims to reduce costs and red tape for more than 5.8 million registered professionals by cutting the frequency of ID renewal transactions and easing congestion in PRC offices.
- The bill also calls for PRC system upgrades and the revision of annual registration fee assessments to support a more efficient renewal process.
Senator Mark Villar has proposed extending the validity of Professional Identification Cards (PICs) issued by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) to five years.
Senator Mark Villar (Photo from the Office of Senator Mark Villar)
Villar said this through Senate Bill No. 2391, or the “PRC ID 5-year Validity Act”, a proposal that would ease the recurring time, financial, and administrative costs shouldered by Filipino professionals who need to renew their PRC IDs every three years.
More than 5.8 million professionals are currently registered under 65 PRC-regulated professions. The agency maintains one central office, 14 regional offices, 21 satellite service centers, and four One-Stop Service Centers for Overseas Filipino Workers, where professionals process various transactions, including PIC renewals.
“Our professionals have already invested years of study, training, and continuing development to serve the country. We should not add unnecessary burdens to their work through frequent and costly renewal transactions,” Villar said.
Under the proposed measure, PRC-issued PICs would remain valid for five years, provided holders continue to meet existing legal and procedural requirements. It also tasks the PRC Information and Communication Technology Service and other relevant offices with upgrading its systems, including the Licensure Examination Registration Information System, to support the longer validity period and streamline related administrative processes.
The bill further requires the PRC to finalize a revised assessment of annual registration fees within six months from the law’s effectivity.
“Extending the validity of the PRC ID to five years is a practical reform that will save our professionals time and money, reduce congestion in PRC offices, and allow them to focus more on their careers, their families, and the people they serve,” he added.
Villar said the measure is intended to make PRC transactions more efficient while advancing efforts to cut red tape and improve government services.
“Every hour saved from unnecessary queues and every peso saved from repeated transactions can instead be spent on productive work and professional development. Through this measure, we are making government services more convenient for the people who help keep our country moving,” Villar said.