Rep. Ignacio Arroyo Jr. (Neg. Occ., 5th district) yesterday called for a congressional inquiry on the Professional Regulation Commission' operations and procedures following complaints of abuses by its personnel, especially from West Negros College nursing graduates.

Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella, on the other hand, has asked PRC chair Leonor Tipon-Rosero to look into complaints of alleged conflict of interests of the PRC director in Western Visayas.

Arroyo, who said he is seeking a probe on the PRC, said no one in the commission will be spared, they will go through the proverbial eye of the needle in the inquiry.

Arroyo cited a complaint to him by a group of nursing graduates from WNC that after their board exam results were unjustly withheld by the PRC for several months, the commission has forbidden them from taking their oath even though they had passed the tests.

"There is something terribly wrong in the PRC, and I intend to do everything I can to stop this injustice immediately," Arroyo said.

Arroyo said he will also ask for a rigid audit of the PRC's budget and performance, a top-to-bottom review of the commission's rules and regulations and the competence of its officials and personnel.

"I definitely would not mind calling for the reduction of whatever has to be reduced or the overhaul of whatever has to be changed in the PRC," Arroyo said.

Arroyo added that anyone who has complaints or grievances against the PRC is welcome to visit his office at the House of Representatives to share their misfortunes or ordeals in the commission.

Meanwhile, Puentevella in a letter to Rosero aired his concern over the information that PRC Regional Director Lily Ann Baldago may be liable to a conflict of interest.

Besides being a government officer of an office mandated to oversee and regulate the licensing of graduates and professionals in Western Visayas, Baldago is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Central Philippine University in Iloilo City, he said.

He asked that the information be investigated and verified and if found to be accurate and in direct violation of government rules and guidelines involving conflict of interests, that immediate and appropriate measures be taken.*CPG

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