DAMMAM, 18 January 2004 — The Philippine Regulation Commission (PRC) in Manila finally confirmed the holding of the licensure examinations for various professions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for March.
In a letter to the Philippine Professional Organizations (PPO), PRC Chairwoman Antonieta Fortuna-Ibe said that the commission will hold the licensure examinations in the Kingdom from March 25 to 28.
Ibe also explained that the minimum required number per board examinations will be limited to at least 50 examinees per region. This is a welcome development for the PPO groups who were struggling since last year looking for candidates to take the licensure examinations. PRC originally set the minimum at 200 examinees per board exam.
The PPO is composed of the Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers (PSME), Institute of Integrated Electrical Engineers (IIEE), Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE), and Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA).
According to Murry Demdam, past president of the PSME-SA, the Eastern Region groups have been making preparations for the coming examinations. However, they are still inviting OFWs in these to reach the minimum required number of examinees.
PRC also extended the deadline for the submission of applications which was originally set for Nov. 30, 2003. Ibe said that the commission is extending the Confirmation Survey Listing to up to until Jan. 30 and that all applications must be submitted to the PRC’s main office in Manila on or before Feb. 5.
At the moment, there are 116 applicants for the mechanical engineers. Forty nine are in Alkhobar, 36 in Riyadh, and 31 in Jeddah.
There are 117 electrical engineers applicants with 59 are in Alkhobar, 32 in Riyadh, and 26 in Jeddah.
The civil engineers are 66 of which 30 are in Alkhobar, 14 in Riyadh, and 22 in Jeddah.
For the accountants who will participate for the first ever PRC accountancy licensure examinations to be held in the Kingdom, only 44 so far have filed applications with 33 in Alkhobar, 6 in Riyadh, and 15 in Jeddah.
PRC made it clear that any region which does not meet the required minimum number of examinees, the examinations in that region “will be held.”
Demdam however said that examinees in other regions may join with other region which has larger number of applicants to ensure that all the four board exams will be conducted in the Kingdom.
PRC gave out the schedules for examinations in the Kingdom as follows: accountancy — 4 days from March 25 to 28; civil engineering, registered electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and certified plant mechanic — 3 days from March 26 to 28; and registered master electrician — 1 day only on March 26.
The commission also said that the same licensure examinations will be held in Manila on April for the electrical and mechanical engineering, and on May for the accountancy and civil engineering.