MANILA - The Professional Regulation Commission on Thursday said it has already stamped out the practice of “utang-tagging” where professionals with unpaid loans are prevented from renewing their licenses.

During a Congressional budget hearing, ACT Teachers partylist Representative France Castro said utang-tagging used to affect many teachers, but the practice has spread to other professions as well.

“Hindi lang po teachers ang inuutang-tagging. Nagkakaroon ng tagging sa utang pati yung mga ibang propesyon,” Castro said.

She asked what the Department of Labor and Employment and the PRC are doing about the issue, citing data that the practice was still in effect.

The PRC meanwhile said that only those covered by final and executory judgment on their unpaid loans are put on a “control list.”

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“As far po as far as tagging or untagging is concerned, wala na po tayong tagging pagdating po sa mga utang,” said PRC Chair Charito Zamora.

She said that the agency has amended its administrative procedures to prevent the tagging of professionals with pending cases.

“Only those po na merong final and executory resolution or decision whether suspension or revocation ng kanilang license, yan na lang po ang nilalagay natin sa control list para naman po sa mga protection ng ating mamayan," Zamora said.

Castro scored the PRC last year over “utang-tagging” of teachers.

She said loan sharks with connections in the agency may be behind the scheme where teachers with unpaid debts cannot renew their teaching licenses until they pay up.

Castro said teachers affected by the scheme have balances from non-government loans or loans taken up from "5-6" lending schemes which carry exorbitant interest rates.

Report from RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

• License of loan agency for teachers revoked
• Loan sharks behind 'utang tagging' vs teachers: party-list