Oath Taking Ceremony @ University of Cagayan Valley, Tuguegarao City

Attending the Oath Taking ceremony compensates the gallons of water that comes out of my body a day before this important day where crowds of passers flock to apply for the registration and get their ticket for the oath taking.

Where as, employee and staff of PRC Tuguegarao were very busy the whole day to accommodate all clients who are almost are LET passers.  Even most of these employees didn’t take their lunch, they haven’t finished all transactions due to some reasons which we can’t blame and it is common to government agencies.

In my observation, these are some reasons where clients like me took over 5-6 hrs to finished my application for my license:

1. No FLOWCHART posted on how the PASSERS especially the new ones apply for their license. All of us are just asking to our co-registrants on what to do which is often wrong just to know the next steps.
2. From 2 computers in the cashier, only 1 workstation is used just to accommodate hundreds of clients who flock in the cashier. At 10:30 AM they started collecting applications for payments and putting it on cue (first come first serve) which I know was fair where lines of payees can’t be determined. Registrants do not leave their post even standing for 3 hours or more like me just to make sure I was there whenever my name will be called. Because of no megaphone available and the employee who assists the lone cashier has a very low voice, many can’t hear and need to wait for another hour for their names to be called. In the other hand, new comers do not know this scheme, and need to stand in their line.
3. Manpower is not enough. If there were enough number of employees, or PRC’s admin have planned this registration day very well, we as registrants need not to stand for half a day for this registration.
4. Not systematized. If only planned very well before the registration day, we haven’t suffered such like this. This was very unforgettable for me- Only in the Philippines!
5. Guidelines for registration is insufficient. In the PRC’s website, there were no schedule of registration was posted for Tuguegarao’s area. I rely on the hear say of my cousin’s friend from the PRC. Most of us prepared 2pcs 2×2 and 1pc 1×1 picture as noted in their website, but on the application day when we are there, we need 3 pcs 2×2 and no 1×1 picture anymore. The fees to be collected as stipulated in the website were 600 and 450, but most maybe borrowed another extra money from their friend and I need to look for the nearest ATM machine to withdraw additional cash. We paid P300 for the ticket as passes for the Oath Taking ceremony, P75 pesos for the certification of rating, P600 for registration and P450 for the annual fee.

Lessons learned and things you should know before and on the oath taking are the following:

1. Visit the website everyday after the announcement of the exam results. You should for you to know when will be the registration day, and with this, on the registration day, you will know when will be the oath taking.
2. You should not rush into registration a day before the oath taking. Because registration is not a requirement to attend the oath taking. Just get a ticket.
3. Don’t forget to bring all of the requirements for the registration. In the PRC’s website, requirements are posted on the article where they announced the passers. Oops! You should know also the exact date of your graduation day as stated in your TOR.
4. Get only the ticket as passes for the oath taking. Yes, this is your passes in attending the oath taking ceremony.
5. You may attend only on the day of oath taking. I saw some attendees who are passers buying tickets from the lobby where PRC staff are there to entertain some lost participants.
6. It’s only on the oath taking ceremony where they announce the regional topnotchers. A girl from my back where I seated is crying because of happiness and I heard her friends asking “Where you not informed?”, and she answered, “Yes, I ain’t! I really don’t know I am on top!”.
7. Bring extra money. As what happened to me, I thought it was only P1,050 as published in their website, but there were other fees like the ticket and rating.
8. You may bring with you your parent/guardian or love ones on the day of oath taking. Many are envious to some passers who brought their love ones with them. Some schools who are very supportive of their passers accompanied them in their oath taking program.
9. Bring decent clothes. I heard some while we are in the process of registration having a problem of whom they will borrow clothes or money to buy an attire for the oath taking ceremony. By the way, a simple semi-formal is enough to enter the venue.

Thanks to Dr. Faith M. Bachiller and Dr. Jesus L. Nieves, for the inspirational quotes and encouragement for us, passers, to be professional by heart and by deeds.