Real Estate Brokers' Oath-Taking at PICC Today, April 26, 2011

Real Estate Brokers Oath-Taking at PICC

At 1:00 p.m. today,  those who successfully hurdled the   March 2011  Real Estate Brokers' Examinations will be assembling at the Philippine International Convention Center  for their oath-taking before the Real Estate Board of the Philippine Regulation Commission.

The Pasay-Makati Realtors Board or PMRB, headed by Atty. Nelson Arquiza, is proud to have  helped  train  426  --  out of the 3,185  (or 13.4%)   successful examinees.  Among  the 426,  three made it to the top 10:  Dennis Desoloc Lim-- 5th place,  with a score of 87.25%, aCharlene Camilla Baustista Lao-- 6th place,   87.00%,  and Basilisa Palencia  Padua-Macaranas-- 7th Place, 86.75%

To all my fellow brokers who will take their oath today-- here's wishing you all a thrilling and  productive real estate practice!

REAL ESTATE BROKERS' PHILIPPINE REGULATION COMMISSION (PRC) OATH-TAKING AT MANILA HOTEL

February  10, Thursday,  was memorable for Maita and me-- and for any PRC-registered  real estate broker,  who was scheduled to take oath that day at the Manila Hotel.

We arrived at the Manila Hotel exactly at 12:30 noon,  a full half hour earlier than  the stated start of the program.  When we reached the  lobby of the the Fiesta Pavilion, we were greeted by a representative of Jun's Photography-- the PRC- designated official photographers for the event.    As I did not want to lug around a camera,   I agreed to get their services.  I was asked to fork over Ps 1,400 as each inductee is charged Ps 700  for a set of 10 shots. So Maita and I were entitled to a total of 20 shots by any of the roving photographers.  ( Later,  I would learn that there was the Ps 400 package, good for 6 shots).

After having our first 4 shots taken at the lobby, we proceeded to the registration table where  we signed up,  given a copy of the program and a  tag that read "Inductee." At the  entrance of  Fiesta Pavilion,  a stub from our ticket was taken by one the reception ladies.  By the way, each ticket cost Ps 1,000 and we got our tickets at the PRC office when we registered weeks earlier.
 
Among the  first to arrive in Fiesta Pavilion was my Pasay-Makati Realtors' Board ( PMRB)  colleague Marlene Galeos. She was able to "save" 2 tables for PMRB, but by the time Maita and  I reached those tables, the seats were already taken.  PMRB President Atty. Nelson Arquiza then led us to another table -- No 128-- where I sat with other PMRB colleagues.  Maita sat at table No. 118, together with her colleagues from the Muntinlupa Realtors' Board.

After the welcome remarks  by Hon. Eduardo Ong, Chairman of the Professional Regulatory Board of Real Estate Service  (PRB-RES);  the inspirational message by  Hon. Rodolfo Valencia,  Chairperson of the House Committee on Housing and Urban Development; the address of keynote speaker Hon. Alfredo Po, PRC Commissioner--   the actual induction of real estate brokers led by  Hon. Po  was  efficiently conducted.  All of us inductees were asked to stand up from our seats,  we raised our right hands and  recited  the PRC oath.  The induction  ceremonies were completed in less than 10 minutes.

What took time was the pictorial with the PRC officials and member members of the  PRB-RES.  To ensure order,  inductees were called to come up on  stage  based on their table numbers.   Inductees waited for their turn while taking the snacks that were served at around 3:30 p.m.

We got our PRC certificates and IDs  at the lobby of Fiesta Pavilion.   We lined  up before the PRC staffers and queues  were based on the first letter of each inductee's family name.  The line at letter R-Z was comparatively longer than the rest-- must be because of the all the Reyeses and Santoses among my fellow brokers-- I supposed.

Then off Maita and I went for our pictorial at the hotel  with the roving photographers from Jun's.  I knew that I had to make the most of the 20 shots that we were entitled.   (I have to claim  the photos at PRC office  starting Feb 21-- that would be another trek, literally.)

Before 5:00 p.m., Maita and I drove  up to Sofitel Hotel.  PMRB members  were invited by Atty. Nelson to have our photos taken by the bay before sunset.    We were a group of about 20 Filipiniana-clad real estate brokers who gamely  took pictures of  one another. 

Just like our PRC-oath taking, the sunset that day was worth waiting for.

At the lobby of the Fiesta Pavilion

Maita and I before joining the tables of our respective boards

Together with the members of the Muntinlupa Realtors' Board led by its President Atty. Dominique Inigo (left)

With my colleagues from PMRB (seated from L-R:  Lucille Cuasay, TA Antonio, Yvonne Apad,  Monette Vicencio and Charrie de Jesus.)

Maita and I with PMRB President Atty. Nelson Arquiza

On our way out of Manila Hotel, stopped by the entrance to  Champagne Room.  Those are the envelopes with our PRC certificates and IDs that I was holding.

Among those early to arrive for the  sunset pictorial at the Sofitel

(L-R) With Art Evangelsta, Paul Reyes and Gilbert Yupangco-- happy with 2 thumbs up!

Maita  having fun  posing  with some of the PMRB ladies

Beside PMRB VP Rene Castillo from whose album some of the photos in  this blog post  were taken

Maita and I (left in shades) together with  fellow PMRB members anticipating the sunset

In the middle, posing on the grass,  is  Marlene Galeos, from whose album some of  the photos in this blog post is taken 

PMRB Adviser Phil Coquia (L) finally caught up with the group.

Maita, enigmatically smiling by the sunset

Finally, a  moment with the sea breeze and the setting sun

Making it to the PRC list

I woke up this morning to find a piece of great news on my cell phone's text screen.

"Congratulations!! for d approval of ur application for registration as a professional real estate  broker by the PRC-PREBRES. I hope this news brightens ur day."

For a split second, I thought it was just a prank until I saw that it was sent that by no less than PMRB  adviser Phil Coquia.

I right away logged on  and searched for the Philippine Regulation Commission website.  And there on my screen before me was  the latest entry on PRC's website:  "January 2011 Real Estate Consultants/Appraisers/Brokers – Approved for Registration W/out Exam."

I opened the link and I found not only my name but also of Maita's on page 13. It was a great feeling to see our names on that government list.  Sure brightened up my day!

So on February 10, at 1:00 p.m., Maita and I -- together with some of our fellow real estate brokers who filed our application last November-- will be at the oath-taking event organized by  PRC  at the Fiesta  Pavilion of Manila Hotel. 

To those also  want to  see their names in the PRC list of professional real estate brokers soon, PMRB is offering a Comprehensive Real Estate Seminar starting January 19.  Call Tere at 8930585 right away.

Do you want to be a Licensed Real Estate Broker?

This just came in from PMRB or Pasay-Makati Realtors Board.  In preparation for the first Real Estate  Broker Licensure Exam under the Philippine Regulation  Commission on March  27, 2011,  PMRB is offering  three tracks,   each  running for  4 weeks that will  allow participants to earn  as many as  120 units.  

Weekend: Every Saturday and Sunday
Jan. 22, 23, 29, 30, Feb. 5, 6, 12 & 13, 2011

Weekday:  Every Wednesday and Thursday
 Jan. 19, 20, 26, 27, Feb. 2, 3, 9 & 10, 2011

Weekday:  
 Feb. 15, 16, 17, 23, 24, March 1, 2 & 3, 2011

[ Subjects covered pursuant to Sec. 13 of R.A. 9646 ]

TIME : 8:00AM – 5:00PM

WHERE : Metropolitan Club, Estrella cor. Amapola Sts., Makati City

CREDIT HOURS : SIXTY-FOUR (64) HOURS

SEMINAR FEE : P10,000.00 (Inclusive of seminar materials, lunch, snacks
& Certificate of Attendance)

EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT. : Less P1,000.00 if paid 2 days before the seminar date

Remember,  the new year can be a time for a new career!  Call PMRB right away. (Tere:   893-05-69 or 893-05-85)

Real Estate Broker Registration at PRC

Exactly a week ago,  I -- together with some fellow members from the Pasay Makati Realtors Board-- went to the office of the Philippine Regulation Commission  along Morayta, Manila.  We finally filed  for our real estate broker registration! 

Highlights of our  trip to  PRC:

• Process Guide.   We were  fortunate to have  a step-by-step guide  from   Manny Bocaling, 2010 PAREB President, on how to go about with our registration.  The guide was  a big help -- among other things, it  reminded us of the items  to bring, the windows to approach and the time to allocate for  the process. 
• Less than 3 hours.   That is  about the time we  spent inside the PRC compound.  We arrived at  PRC shortly before 9 and we were already out  before 12 noon.   This included  the time for photocopying some documents that we forgot to make copies of, the leisurely merienda at one of the kiosks  inside the PRC compound and the waiting time for our fellow  PMRB brokers to  finish their application -- one of us actually brought the wrong envelope of documents,  thet fellow broker had to return home somewhere at The Fort and still managed to catch up with us at PRC!
• Van ride.    Thanks to 2011  PMRB President Nelson Arquiza who provided an Urvan that morning with driver even.  There were 11 of us when we left  Metroclub-- our meeting place--  at  8 a.m.  The trip was comfortable and lively--  just what  one can expect when you have a vanful of animated  real estate brokers!
• Pictorial.    This was considered a "mass-filing" event, so there were cameras, and I mean lots of camera phones,  courtesy of course of our fellow brokers. There was even a video recorder.   Marlene Galeos took the "official shots" some of which I posted here.

Before we headed back for Metroclub, we stopped by for lunch at  Golden Fortune Seafood Restaurant along T. M. Kalaw.  Gilbert Yupangco made excellent dish recommendations and I was glad he did.



At Metroclub, after reviewing our documents prior to trip to PRC

 


At Metroclub Makati, before boarding the Urvan

 


At the line on the 3rd Floor Window at PRC




After the registration process, at the PRC Office Lobby




All smiles after a hearty meal at Golden Fortune Seafood Restaurant.
Lunch recommendation and photo courtesy of Gilbert Yupangco. 


Conclusion: the actual registration process was not tedious at all.  What was time-consuming was the  completion of  all the required documents which included among other things-- a Ps 20,000 surety bond from a PRC accredited company, the original NSO copy  of  birth certificate and  NBI clearance.

BTW, we were told   by a  PRC  employee (the one at the 3rd floor window)  that we could expect our  registration approval after 3 months. Yes, that would be February of 2011-- perhaps in time for the Chinese New Year.  Anyway, I can go about with our real estate practice as I already have an official PRC claim stub for a 3-year registration card. That will do for now.

FLASH:  The list of  488 real estate brokers who can take oath this November was just released by PRC. Click here.

How difficult is it to apply for an NBI clearance?

Depends on whom you ask. 

One does not really have to go to the NBI Head Office in Manila to apply for a new clearance or for a renewal. 

But  before we proceed, one might ask, why this question on this blog?  An NBI clearance is actually  one of the documents  that are  required for a broker's registration at the Philippine Regulation Commission. 

Now  back to my  most recent  experience with NBI-- my wife Maita and I headed last Nov 4 for the NBI satellite office within the compound of  Las Pinas City Hall.  With us was our new maid,  whom  we required to apply for a clearance too, as a matter of  family policy.

We were there  before 9:30 a.m.  Since it was not my first time to apply, I knew that we had to get our Community Tax Certificate or "cedula" at the main building.  

There were  already  long queues when we reached the  NBI satellite office  that was located just a short walk behind the main  building.  One line was for males and another for females. 

Prominently displayed was a warning sign not to deal with "fixers."  There were no "fixers" in operation then. What we saw were  young men, probably new NBI recruits who were managing the traffic of applicants.  One was assigning a number depending on one's position in queue.  Maita got number 51  and my new maid, 52.  I on the other hand was in the longer line for males.  I got number 81.

For a moment I thought that it would  take endless hours in the humid but shaded waiting area.  It was a consolation to see the lines moving at a reasonable pace.

Step 1: Payment.    I paid  Ps 115 for a copy of the clearance.  I showed my  cedula and a valid ID to get  a card where my name was quickly  printed on.  This card had to be filled out with  personal information.

Step  2. Finger Printing.   The card had those boxes on one side  for  marking one's finger prints.  A veteran looking NBI employee assisted me here  fast and efficiently.  To remove the ink off my fingers after,  I was handed what seemed to be alcohol dipped paper wipes.  I was asked to fork over Ps 10, which I gladly did.  Consider it a tip.

Step 3.  Review.  I approached a window where an NBI rep examined my entries in my finger print card.  There were no questions on my card so I quickly went to the next step.

Step 4.  Picture-taking.  I was made to stand before what seemed to be a movable wooden backdrop painted in white.  In front of me was a digital camera that recorded my image in black and white.

Step 5. Clearance Release. I was  told to wait at the nearby open area.  A short while later--at about 11:45 a.m--   I was able to get  Maita's and my own clearance.   My new maid was not that fortunate though.   Her name was fairly common so there was a "hit"--  this meant that the NBI had to further check  the results.  My maid was asked to return after 5 working days.    Tough luck for our maid.

By lunchtime that day,  we were already at SM Super Center in Las Pinas situated almost across the Las Pinas City Hall . The entire  process  after all was  not as long as I anticipated it to be.

There are other NBI satellite offices around the county, this way we all do not have to go at all to the head office in along Taft,  Manila or to the  Clearance Center in Monumento  Check out NBI's website: .http://www.nbi.gov.ph/clearance.htm

By the way, while I was waiting for my turn, an NBI employee at the Las Pinas Satellite office gave me this advice:    It would also help to keep the personal copy portion  of the clearance. In the future, one does not have to go to any NBI  office at all for securing a  clearance renewal.   Just ask  a friend or relative  a favor.   Simply give him or her your  personal copy of the last clearance you applied for together with  2  passport size pictures and  he or she can apply for renewal on your behalf.  

I will certainly remember that next time around.

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