Industry mentor leads move to professionalize cosmetology practice
Since 1989, world-recognized Filipino cosmetologist, Tony Galvez, has been clamoring to professionalize the cosmetology practice through licensure examinations, similar to those taken by engineers, doctors, nurses and other professional groups.
Galvez’ staunch advocacy is aimed at making local practitioners of cosmetology into world-class and globally competitive professionals, whose services and rates are comparable with those of their peers abroad.
He laments that in the
Through licensing, the practice of cosmetology will be regulated to conform with the world’s most accurate and competent services on nails, hair and skin and the products to be used by salons will be scrutinized by the licensed professionals as to their safety and efficacy for the customer, Galvez said.
“Licensing will resolve conflicts about misconduct and malpractices now abounding even in branded salons,” he explained.
Galvez maintains that licensing cosmetology will convert the holders of the profession to a position of dignity, respect and public recognition, unlike the current backward image of beauticians.
“Licensed cosmetologists can get equal opportunities that other professionals enjoy such as job security; professional status and recognition in society,” he added.
Galvez helped craft House Bill 5732 of Rep. Carmel L. Cari of
He said there is currently no standard educational qualification before a person can engage in hair and beauty care for so long as he has the experience and capital. Because of the lack of standards, salons and parlors have been swamped with quack operators whose lack of scientific grasp of cosmetology leads to endless grave consequences on consumers and the unabated malpractices among the industry players.
Licensing cosmetology will also encourage high school graduates to take cosmetology as a career because it gives pride, job recognition, stability, higher social status and worldwide recognition, he stressed.
Right now, high school graduates do not consider cosmetology as a profession because there are no licensure exams and no formal courses. Galvez leads the Tony Galvez School of Cosmetology where he runs six months diploma courses in hair care and beauty care and two-year diploma mastership course in cosmetology and one-on-one professional training (certificate training) in haircutting, hair coloring, hair rebonding straight, facial treatment, manicure and pedicure, make-up, hairstyling; permanent waving, eyelash extension and eyelash perming.
His school, founded in 1989, though not yet a member of the International Cosmetology Licensing Organization, is the only Filipino school recognized by the National Interstate Council of State Boards of Cosmetology (NIC) of
Galvez would rather look at cosmetology as a partnership of active licensed professionals than a business that can be franchised. “If you look at it as a business that can be franchised, instead of a service, then you hire experienced practitioners who eventually will leave you. Then you are forced to get in people with little or no experience and skills and that’s when your business collapses,” he added.
Just like a dental clinic, its survival hinges on the partnership of its licensed dentists and the service they provide. The same is true for cosmetology as a business. You can branch it out but never franchise it successfully since you take in investors who do not know anything about the profession, he said.
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