How to renew your PRC Professional Identification card online

Instead of hours of waiting, we can now renew online through PRC Online.

This July, Continuing Professional Development (CPD) will start. This means that there will be required units of professional learning (seminars, workshops, etc.) before we can renew our professional licenses. Many are already renewing their licenses while CPD is still not in effect.

I renewed my license this month and after waiting in line for hours in the PRC office, we were cut off because they can only serve a number of clients for that day. The PRC officials advised us to use the online renewal system. I created an account in PRC Online, registered my information, uploaded a scanned picture, and paid through BDO. The next day, I only had to line up for my service number and immediately got my new ID.

You can renew your PRC ID one year before it expires. Mine will expire on March 2018 but I decided to just renew now in case I don't come up with the required number of CPD units within 3 years. Now my new card is good to go until March 2021!

Please read first these step-by-step instructions from PRC on how to renew online [link].

Things to keep in mind to avoid errors:

• Once you have your payment information via DragonPay, it is better to print out the Reference numbers for BDO Deposit. After you have this information, you can proceed to the nearest BDO bank, get a cash deposit slip (blue) and make sure that you copy the BDO Deposit Reference Deposit Number. 
• In claiming your ID, don't forget to bring a hard copy of your picture used in the online application, a photocopy of your current ID, and the claim stub (you can print in from your online transactions in your PRC account). 
• In ID renewal, I paid 545 pesos in cash deposit, as there is an additional service fee for online transactions.

I noticed that waiting in PRC is always a hassle. If we are going to line up, better be prepared (bring a fan, food, water, and something to read or games to play). I heard several complaints and I have some suggestions to (hopefully) improve their services. 

• Picture taking. I often say that your picture for PRC will be your most unflattering picture. It is better to have your picture taken in an outside studio, but sometimes due to some errors (ears not showing, uncollared shirt, or wrong placement of your name), PRC does not accept it. There's no aircon in the waiting area in PRC Iloilo (its just an unfinished building used as a parking lot), you have to line up, its hot and you are sweating and by the time its your turn, you already look stressed and disheveled. They take pictures in a hurry so don't expect it to look that good. I hope they really improve this service, but it has been that way since I applied for the board exam two years ago!
• I hope they give clear instructions. People are clueless when they arrive and often people ask and are confused where they have to go first. In PRC Iloilo, if you need to have a picture taken, just proceed first to the picture-taking area. For all inquiries and transactions, you need to line up first on the Information Desk in front. 
• Patience is a virtue.
• PRC Online is a great service that saves a lot of time, but people from rural areas are not aware of this and some don't have access to the internet, computers, and scanners so some still choose to wait. I hope they have better information dissemination. Its a waste to have a service and yet the people are not aware of it.

There are also PRC branches in Robinsons Iloilo and Robinsons Bacolod, but you may still have to wait for your ID to be released. It may take awhile to wait in PRC if you renew (manually) in their offices, but you will get your ID right away at the end of the process.

You can ask questions below, but please first read PRC's instructions on renewing your PRC ID online.