By Jonalyn D. Ponciano
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The Professional Regulation Commission-Cordillera Administrative Region’s (PRC-CAR) commitment to the intensified anti-fixer drive resulted in the conviction of two individuals recently.
The separate criminal cases involved falsification of documents and the unauthorized practice of a regulated profession.
In July 2026, the court found an individual accused of violating Section 32(f), in relation to Section 5, of Republic Act No. 8050, for practicing the optometry profession without the required license, guilty and ordered to pay a ₱10,000 fine.
The suspect was apprehended during an inspection and monitoring activity conducted by the PRC Board of Optometry, in coordination with PRC-CAR.
Earlier in March 2026, the court found a woman guilty of violating Republic Act No. 2382, otherwise known as the Medical Act of 1959. She was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay a ₱10,000 fine for falsification of documents and misrepresentation as a licensed physician.
According to the PRC, the woman attempted to renew a fraudulent Professional Identification Card at the PRC-CAR office. The Commission pursued criminal charges, following verification and the issuance of a formal show-cause order. The accused pleaded guilty and was found liable for falsification of documents and for misrepresentation.
Since 2012, the PRC-CAR has recorded 52 successful criminal convictions involving 30 accused individuals.
These convictions show that pretending to be a licensed professional, faking official documents, working in a regulated profession without a license, or using unauthorized people or methods to process transactions is against the law and will be acted upon, the PRC stated.
The Commission reminds the public to transact only through legitimate and established PRC procedures and to be vigilant against individuals who offer to facilitate licensure examination, professional registration, renewal, or other PRC transactions for a fee through unauthorized channels.
Also, before making transactions, always verify whether an individual is a registered professional in the Philippines and double-check by visiting the PRC verification website at https://verification.prc.gov.ph. (JDP/JDP-PIA CAR with reports from PRC)
