THE fate of the Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc. (CCBI) as the Accredited Professional Organization (APO) under Republic Act 9280 or the Customs Brokers Act of 2004 may be known as early as next month.
This after the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) gave the CCBI and another group seeking accreditation as APO, the Professional Customs Brokers Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PCBAPI), thirty days from January 29 to submit their written arguments.
CCBI said it wants the PRC to decide on which group will be the APO based on documentary annexes it will submit in order to do away with a formal trial.
“Nonetheless, we strongly stress our earlier position that CCBI is and will remain the APO until next year… The mere fact that PRC decided to hear the case… is a clear demonstration that CCBI is still the APO under RA 9280 contrary to the claim of PCBAPI that our accreditation has lapsed and was not renewed,” CCBI explained.
CCBI’s opinion hinges on a ruling by the Philippine Association of Professional Regulatory Board Members, Inc., the body deputized by PRC to receive and evaluate documents submitted by various APO in the renewal of their PRC accreditation.
Under PRC Resolution 2006-356 series of 2006, the next cycle of re-accreditation shall be 2010-2012, and every three years thereafter while the next renewal cycle shall commence September 1, 2009 until December 31, 2009 and every three years thereafter.
PCBAPI is lobbying for APO accreditation claiming CCBI’s APO accreditation has supposedly expired on December 5, 2007 and that no PRC renewal has been forthcoming.
