DOLE investigates the loan tagging policy of PRC after it was mentioned by Rep. Castro saying that it is harming teachers during a budget hearing.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is currently reviewing the “utang-tagging” or loan tagging policy of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) which has made it difficult for teachers to renew their licenses because of unpaid debts.
The PRC resolution was mentioned by ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France L. Castro during a budget hearing at the House of Representatives (HoR), the Business Mirror reported.
Castro said that PRC issued this loan tagging resolution that prevents teachers from renewing their professional teaching license if they have debts from loan sharks.
This prompted DOLE’s Secretary Bienvenido E. Laguesma to investigate the matter especially since the PRC is an attached agency of DOLE.
“I only heard of ‘utang-tagging’ now, because I’ve only heard of ‘red-tagging’ which is also something we’re uncomfortable with,” Laguesma said
Castro slammed the policy, which she claimed had been in place for several years and had harmed hundreds of teachers.
Scrap it, Castro demands
“This should not be done to teachers since their license should be a different matter from their loan case. That is why I am calling for the said resolution to be scrapped,” Castro said.
There have been teachers who are mostly from the Central Luzon who are victimized by loan sharks as they have been tagged and labelled by PRC, hence they were deprived of their license renewal.
Teachers have been important figures who shape students to become ready for their careers and excel in their professions. The policy has harmed several teachers and it disabled them from getting their licenses renewed so they can share their knowledge to students.
DOLE would not tolerate the alleged “red-tagging” of union leaders and members as it is “uncomfortable” with such names against fair labor advocates.
“That’s an important concern that we would like to look into. Even we are not comfortable with that kind of relation because it is part of our responsibility to promote responsible trade unionism and the responsibility of employers to respect the rights of workers to organize,” Laguesma said
“We will not tolerate situations where our workers’ are endangered because of their activities to organize or having legitimate workers’ education programs. We should even encourage our workers’ education,” he added.
PRC’s Response
PRC Commissioner Erwin M. Enad confirmed that they have this loan tagging policy but also clarified that teachers were not immediately tagged for having outstanding loans.
“The only time that you can be tagged is if there is an issuance of summons after it is determined there is a prima facie case,” Enad said.
Additionally, PRC acting chair Jose Cueto Jr. did not clarify the role of the PRC in the collection of personal debts but he said that the policy was under review.
Amid this situation, PRC is currently considering amending this policy. But why not revoke it outright as Castro demanded.
“We are now trying to study if the tagging can only be done after adjudication and not on the issuance of summons because like in a criminal case, there is a presumption of innocence, in an administrative case that also applies,” Enad said
Tags: #DOLE, #PRC, #LoanTagging, #Teachers