ALKHOBAR, 22 July 2003 — The Philippine Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) will definitely conduct licensure examinations for Filipinos in the Kingdom in November, the community here was told.
Robert Mabulay, immediate past president of the Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers (IIEE) in the Eastern Province, broke the good news during the group’s midyear general membership meeting and technical seminar-workshop at the Le Gulf Meridien Hotel in Alkhobar last Friday.
Mabulay said he was informed by the PRC that Senate President Franklin Drilon tapped part of his pork barrel funds to make the examination possible.
The professional licensing agency had earlier scrapped its overseas examination program, citing its lack of authority to do so.
When Drilon took up the cudgels for OFW groups during his visit to Alkhobar and Dammam earlier this year, PRC chief Antonieta Fortuna-Ibe reversed her decision on condition that OFW examinees will not shoulder the travel expenses of the examiners.
Fortuna-Ibe had said she did not feel comfortable with the arrangement because it was unfair to the examinees. Besides, she said, she wanted the examiners to be impartial in conducting their duties.
Arab News learned that Drilon tapped his share of the pork barrel after failing to find additional budget for the PRC through the usual general appropriations.
Drilon was the second senator to share his pork barrel for OFWs. Opposition Sen. Panfilo Lacson started it when he pledged 5 million pesos for the Barya Mo Buhay Ko Fund organized by the community in Riyadh to help distressed and stranded Filipino workers in the Kingdom.
Some have criticized the pork barrel fund — disguised as a development fund — as a source of graft and corruption that had been draining the coffers of the Philippine government.
But some legislators have defended it, saying there are many ways of putting it to good use.
It was not clear if the PRC will include accountants in November’s licensure exams in the Kingdom. Those that are sure of being covered are civil, electrical and mechanical engineers.
During Friday’s event in Alkboar, Ambassador Bahnarim Guinomla commended the IIEE for its achievement in continuously conducting trainings and seminars for the benefit of the Filipino electrical engineers in the Kingdom.
Friday’s technical seminar was sponsored by Al-Buanain Contracting Establishment, Wahah Electric Supply Co., Electrical Materials Center Co. Ltd., Petro-Infrastructure Engineering Consultants Co., and A. Al-Bader Est. Trading.
This year’s officers are Juanito Bautista, president; Nicasio Eugenio, vice president for internal affairs; Nelson Tagapulot, VP external; Reynaldo Gines, VP technical; Voltaire Cabreros, secretary; Marino Panganiban, treasurer; Noel Obras, auditor; Cecilio Mina, assistant secretary; Vicente Sorrosa, assistant treasurer; Walter Abaya, assistant auditor; Danilo Reyes, public relations officer; Carim Amil, business manager; and Roberto Catalan, executive secretary.