Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is widely acknowledged to be of great importance

in the life of schools, contributing to professional and personal development for staff and to
improvement in teaching and learning. CPD is defined as: “Professional development consists of
all natural learning experiences and those conscious and planned activities which are intended
to be of direct or indirect benefit to the individual, group or school, which constitute, through
these, to the quality of education in the classroom” as defined by Day 1999b.

According to (PRC, 2008; IES 7, 2006) the Continuing professional development (CPD), before
known as continuing professional education (CPE), is described as lifelong education of
professionals on specialized knowledge, skills, attitude and ethical and moral values after the
initial registration and admission in the profession. It is expected to raise and enhance the
professional’s technical skills and competence required and expected by the stakeholders and
the profession (IES 7, 2011; Metz and Tharenou, 2001)

The overall objective of any learning activity is the development of competence. The
International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) defines competence as "the ability to perform a
work role to a defined standard with reference to working environments."

Thus, IFAC (2010) underscores that an individual becomes competent through learning and
development. The International Accounting Education Standards Board (IAESB) of the IFAC uses
the term learning and development to incorporate the different processes, activities, and
outcomes contributing to the achievement of competence

According to Udani, 2002; AICPA, 1992 the environment within which the Accounting
professional functions is more dynamic and demanding today than ever before. The profession
is characterized by explosion of relevant knowledge and skills due to advancing technology,
globalization of commerce, increasing specialization, burgeoning regulations, and the complex
nature of business transactions

According to RA 8981, c. 2000 – PRC Modernization Act empowers the Commission to

administer, implement and enforce the regulatory policies of the national government with
respect to the regulation and licensing of the various professions and occupations under its
jurisdiction including the enhancement and maintenance of professional and occupational
standards and ethics and the enforcement of the rules and regulations relative thereto

The total CPE credit units for registered accounting professionals shall be sixty (60) credit units
for three (3) years, provided that a minimum of fifteen (15) credit units shall be earned in each
year. Any excess credit units in one year may be carried over to the succeeding years within the
three-year period. Excess credit units earned shall not be carried over to the next three-year
period except credit units earned for doctoral and master’s degrees. One credit hour of CPE
program, activity or source shall be equivalent to one (1) credit unit.’ IRR of RA 9298 - Annex C –
Rule 5. CPE Credit Units

Wherein BOA Resolution No. 59, series of 2012 Revised rules and regulations to Implement CPE
for Accountants

• CPD to replace CPE

• CPD Council for Accountancy to replace CPE Council for Accountancy

• Required 60 units of CPD may be earned by the individual professional in any of the three
years preceding the year of application for accreditation for the practice of public accountancy
and accounting education

And PRC Resolution No. 774, series of 2013 dated 25 July 2013 Revised Guidelines On The
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Program For All Registered And Licensed Professionals (CPD Guidelines)

• Definition of Terms – CPD; CPD Provider/Program; Self-Directed Learning; Lifelong Learning;

Authorship; Post-graduate Academic Studies; Specialty Training; Resource Person; Professorial
Chair; etc.

• Creation of the CPD Council; disqualifications; its powers and functions; operational protocol;
accreditation of Providers and Programs;

• Maximum 15 credit units for Self-Directed and Lifelong Learning during a 3- year compliance
period; Matrix of CPD Activities; Monitoring of CPD Programs

In 2015 – 2016, changes in CPD regulations were proposed

• PRC CPD Council for Accountancy held a series of consultative meetings with the CPD
Committees of PICPA and the sectoral organizations in August and September 2015

• The objective of the consultative meetings is to agree on how the CPD program for
Accountancy can be updated to make it relevant to the CPA in his/her professional practice in
commerce & industry, education, public practice or government

• CPAs should be aware of the varied activities that can earn CPD credit units
CPD UPDATES in 2016-2017

PRC Resolution 2016-990 – Amendment to the Revised Guidelines on CPD for All Registered
and Licensed Professionals (effective August 6, 2016)

Republic Act No. 10912 – The CPD Law of 2016 (lapsed into Law on July 21, 2016; effective
August 15, 2016)

BOA Resolution 358-2016 – Increasing the minimum CPD units from 60 to 120 credit units over
a 3-year compliance period and changing Thematic Areas to Competence Areas (effective
January 22, 2017) PRC Resolution 2017-1032 – Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of RA
10912, CPD Act of 2016 (approved February 15, 2017; effective March 15, 2017)

The Professional regulations commission (PRC) (2008) had strongly directed that participation
to CPD courses offered by CPD Council and PRC accredited CPD providers be required for all
registered and licensed professionals to be in good standing and globally competitive. The
mandate was made following the liberalization in the trade of services under the fourth
Protocol of the General Agreement for Services in Trade (GATS) and the Mutual Recognition
Arrangements/Agreements (MRAs) pursued by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the
Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) where Philippines is an active member.

Along this thought and direction that many organizations and practitioners invest money, time
and resources to sending their CPA employees to different CPD activities for their professional
productivity, growth and networking (Garavan et al., 2004). Common reasons and motivations
to CPD participation among Accounting professionals include interest in lifelong learning (Metz
and Tharenou, 2001), sense of moral obligation, to maintain and improve professional
competence (Eaton et al., 2011), to facilitate career progression, to keep abreast of new
technology and practices (BOA, 2010) and to comply with professional regulatory organizations.
CPAs are also expecting that CPD will help them become more valuable and viable to existing
and potential clients or employer, gain advantage in the highly competitive labor market and
have a better career mobility and greater earning potential (Reiling, 2011; Garavan et al., 2004).

According to RIZ P. SUNIO the writer of CPD units benefits and heavy burdens article To prevent
the stagnation of licensed professionals and their work, having them attend seminars, enroll in
post baccalaureate studies, or increase their productivity through publications and researches
are needed. This also ensures the continuous growth and advancement of their very own fields.
Even before the implementation of requiring CPD units, professionals, especially those who
work in the government, already have the incentive to earn as many certificates as they can in
hopes of increasing their ranks come promotion period.

Through the required units, they can provide better service, and hopefully, contribute to their
professional growth. I, personally, see the long-term benefits of these. For many of my
colleagues in teaching, this is an incentive for them to be updated on the latest teaching trends.

However, some of my licensed friends still have complaints about the implemented guidelines.

He added “ Attending seminars is costly in itself. Most national seminars that I had attended
cost about a minimum of P2,500. If it is in another city, the participant also has to pay for fare,
lodging, and meals. As an employee who seeks to have their licenses renewed, one has to pay
for these expenses themselves. If you’re a fresh graduate, your starting salary might be still too
little to pay for costly registration fees.”

Even if companies themselves benefit from the updated skills or knowledge of their employee
as well as in keeping a reputation that their employees have active licenses, some still wouldn’t
sponsor even at least half of the expenses the employee needs to pay for an enrichment
seminar.

Some companies also do not allow their employees to file a leave just for seminars that they do
not endorse. Therefore, precious working hours are also at stake. More subsidized seminars by
either the company or PRC would have been a really be a big help to our professionals.

Most seminars also only count as 3 CDP units. After that seminar, he still have to finish 117
more units. Accountants have the highest requirement for CPD units.

Aside from seminars, there are also alternatives such as being a resource speaker, panelist,
facilitator, or reactor in in a program or activity; socio-civil missions, academic studies or
fellowships, publishing or participating in research projects. However, some companies do not
sponsor costs for research or publishing. Aside from free publications, most local university
research journals charge about P3,000; national research journals, about P5,000, and
international journals, the cheapest one I’ve seen so far, is P6,500.

They will still credit your seminar participation even if the seminar is not an accredited CPD
provider. However, the number of points it will credit will be evaluated by the CPD
Council.Employees need work, rest, and growth. Professional growth is indeed a clear goal of
the implementation of the CPD units system. However, there is a need to lessen the burden –
and redundancy – we put in our professionals. Else, their two other needs, work and rest, will
also be at stake. The entire goal to make them grow will then eventually collapse.