To all OAP Board of Trustees, Society/Chapter Presidents, Officers, Coordinators and members and shareholders. This is in reponse to your queries and clarification regarding the effectivity of the CPD Law otherwise known as Republic Act 10912. FAQs are:
The answer is NO and NO. In a letter from our legal counsel Atty. Bayani Abesamis dated October 18, 2016, it cited that RA 10912 is not self-executory. It requires Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) to make CPD compliance mandatory for renewing PRC IDs. As of this writing, the PRC has yet to issue the required IRR. In the same letter, Atty. Abesamis cited that PRC confirmed through a press statement release on October 17, 2016 which says: "In compliance with Republic Act No. 10912 entitled An Act Mandating and Strengthening the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Program for all Regulated Profession, Creating the Continuing Professional Development Council, and Appropriating Funds therefor, and for Other Related Purposes, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) will fully implement the requirement for CPD. The implementation of the said Act will be on the first quarter of 2017." Moreover, on October 10, 2016, the CPD Council for Optometry in acting to OAP’s application as CPD provider, it stated among others that: ". . . a meeting with all optometry stakeholders will be scheduled as soon as the I.R.R. of R.A. No. 10912 and the Optometry CPD Operational Guidelines have been finalized and approved." (underscoring supplied.) With this, it clearly seems that it was the PRC - Board of Optometry who acted in our application as CPD provider and not the CPD Council which is yet to be officially organised and convened to act on its mandate. And there seem to be no CPD provider accredited yet under this new law (RA 10912). Therefore, NO credit units nor points yet to be awarded to any optometrist. As a matter of fact, under the new law, it is only OAP who applied to be CPD provider. Republic Act No. 10912 is a much-awaited and welcome piece of legislation because of its noble purpose and intention. There may be entities issuing CPD points, but it could be highly questionable or even null and void without the prescribed procedure, Atty. Abesamis said. | |
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An article written by OAP's Dr. Carmen Abesamis-Dichoso was recently featured in the newsmagazine of World Council of Optometry (WCO). It talks about Typhoon Yolanda and its devastating effects particularly on optometrists from Leyte. Centro Escolar University - College of Optometry, led by its dean, Dr. Jessica Flor Torre, and OAP, collaborated to extend help by raising funds and donating ETDRS charts to optometrists whose practices where affected by the typhoon. To view the interactive magazine, please click here. IACLE, in cooperation with OAP, will hold a second edition of the Advance Contact Lens Fitting Workshop, this time to be held at the Cebu Doctors Auditorium, Cebu Doctors University. The two-day comprehensive workshop will again focus on the following topics:
Dr. Jeanette Romualdez-Oo, Dr. Carmen Abesamis-Dichoso, and Dr. Michael Ong will be the speakers and facilitators for the workshop. Pre-registration is until October 11, 2014. The following are the rates:
Regular rates will be Php 3,500 for practitioners and Php2,500 for students. For inquiries, please fill up the form below. Sight Saving Month celebration started today with a courtesy call to Bacolod City Mayor MONICO Puentevella headed by Optometric Association of the Philippines Past President Dr. Melissa B. Anglo and Neg. Occ. Optometric Society President Dr. Edith Estevez with Asst. Treasurer Dr. Irene Lanado. OAP -N.O.O.S. has lined up the following activities for the whole of August. On 4 Aug. the group will be interviewed during ABS-CBN's The Morning Show. Followed by eye care missions in cooperation with DYEZ. Children of Elementary School in Bago City, DSSD mendicants and persons with disabilities and indigents at the Queen of Peace Parish are among those who will avail of free eye care services.
In their meeting with Mayor Puentevella , City Health Officer Dr. Salome Binas, and DSSD OIC Mrs. Pacita Tero the group offered to train the teachers of Mabini Elementary School on vision screening to help identify visual defects. Furthermore, OAP-N.O.O.S will provide eye examinations and will welcome non-government agencies to work with them in making quality vision care accessible to all. For further information you may email anglolowvision@gmail.com The Optometric Association of the Philippines congratulates the board passers of the recently concluded Optometry Board Examination. Here is the official announcement from the PRC website:
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