A PSYCHOLOGIST revealed that public psychological centers are “already overwhelmed” because of the bulk of their clients, how much more with the Professional Regulatory Board (PRB) of Psychology’s new provision for psychological centers to secure permits first before operating.
“In correspondence with some of my colleagues, they are already referring their clients to government and other private practitioners meeting the specifications mentioned (in the PRB of Psych’s new provision),” De Mar Bangeles, a psychologist and psychometrician, told SunStar Davao.
He said the new provision will add up to the traffic of patients that psychologists under the government are experiencing.
Bangeles said with this trend, it will affect clients in the long run as some of the clients are not comfortable to start “all over again”.
In addition, Bangeles said there are many cases where a psychologist works as a consulting psychologist, company psychologist, or even a head of their own center simultaneously, provided of course that “we uphold our code of ethics.”
With the amendment which emphasizes meeting the seven-year qualification, Bangeles said it might jeopardize the welfare of “our existing clients.”
“With this recent IRR, a lot of psychological centers will be forced to put their services and operations on hold especially that those who will violate the provisions would be penalized,” Bangeles said.
It can be noted that the PRB of Psychology had amended the Issuance of Permit to Operate a Psychological or Psychometrics Office, Center, Clinic, or Facility in Resolution No. 04, Series of 2023 released to members of PAP last July 5.
The amendment of rules and regulations is pursuant to Section 33 (B) of the Republic Act No. 10029, also known as the "Philippine Psychology Act of 2009", which includes requiring psychological clinics or psychological centers to be led by a psychologist with seven years of experience or more.