SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

House Bill No. 4229

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Constitution, Article XII, Section 14, provides:

The sustained development of a reservoir of national talents
consisting of Filipino scientists, entrepreneurs, professionals,
managers, high-level technical manpower, and skilled workers
and craftsmen in all fields shall be promoted by the State.

in line with this Constitutional mandate, Republic Act No. 8981 created the
Professional Regulation Commission to administer, implement, and enforce 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.

Moreover, the Professional Regulatory Boards which are under the administrative
supervision of the PRC are tasked to monitor the conditions affecting the practice or
occupation under their respective jurisdictions and whenever necessary, adopt such
measures as may be deemed proper for the enhancement of the profession or occupation
andlor the maintenance of high professional, ethical and technical standards.

In view of the above premises, Continuing Professional Education is vital and
necessary to enhance and maintain high professional and occupational, ethical and
technical standards in the practice of the profession

Thus, there is an urgent need to institute measure that will strengthen the Continuing
Professional Education Program of the government.

Hence, this proposed legistation.

RUFYS B. RO! EZ

Lj
MAXIM B. RODRIGUEZ, JR.


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

House Bill No. 4229

AN ACT
STRENGTHENING THE CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Title. This Act shall be known as the “Continuing Professional Education
Act of 2014”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared a policy of the State to promote
and upgrade the practice of professions in the country and towards this end shall institute
measures that will continuously improve the competence of Filipino professionals in
accordance with international standards of practice, thereby ensuring their contribution to the
upliftment of the general welfare, economic growth, and development of the nation.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms, The following terms shall be defined under this Act:
a. “APO" refers to the Accredited Professional Organization

b. “Continuing Professional Education” or “CPE” refers to the inculcation, assimilation and
acquisition of knowledge, skills, proficiency and ethical and moral values, after the inital
registration of a professional, that raise and enhance the professional's. technical skills
and competence;

c. “CPE Provider’ refers to a natural person or a juridical entity which include among
others, accredited or non-accredited professional organization, firm, partnership,
corporation or institution which offers, organizes or arranges CPE programs, activities or
sources for implementation or administration;

d. “CPE Programs, Activities or Sources” refers to the regime of CPE which enhance the
competence of the professional by upgrading or updating knowledge and skills for the
profession as brought about by modemization and scientific and technical advancements
in the profession. The scope shall be beyond the basic preparation for admission to the
practice of the regulated profession. Its content shall be related to the practice of the
profession.

. “Conventions” refers to the gathering of registered and licensed professionals which shall
include, among others, conferences, symposia or assemblies for round table
discussions;

f. “Post Graduate Degree Program” refers to masteral or doctoral degree which the
professional is currently enrolled;


g. “PRC" refers to the Professional Regulation Commission;
h. “PRBs" refers to the Professional Regulatory Boards;

i, “Self-Directed Learning Package” refers to learning which uses course manuals or
accredited learning modules. Accredited learning modules include self-instructional
materials or programs which may be in the form of printed manual, audio and video
cassette tapes, films, computer-assisted leaming, study kits, leamiing aids and modules
or the use of information highway and has defined objectives and adequate content
relative to professional practice.

SECTION 4. Strengthening the CPE Program. The existing Continuing Professional

Education Program of the Professional Regulation Commission is hereby institutionalized

and strengthened, and along with this, there shall be formulated and implemented a CPE

Program in each of the regulated professions with the following objectives:

a) To provide and ensure the continuous education of a registered and licensed
professional with the latest trend in the profession brought about the modernization and
Scientific and technological advancement;

b) To raise and maintain the professionals’ capability in delivering quality professional
servic

c) Toattain and maintain the highest standards and quality in the practice of professions;

d) To comply with the professionals’ continuing ethical requirements;

e) Tomake the professionals globally competitive; and

f) To promote the general welfare of the public.

SECTION 5. Nature of CPE Programs. The CPE programs consist of properly planned
and structured activities, the implementation of which requires the participation of a
determined group of professionals to meet the requirements of maintaining and improving
the occupational, technical and ethical standards of professions. These shall include but not
limited to the following:

1) Trainings and Seminars to enhance the practice of profession;

2) Conduct of conventions of accredited professional organizations;

3) Academic Post Graduate Degree Program;

4) Self-Directed Learning Package such as the preparation and authorship of technical

papers, teaching manuals and books ; and
5) Technical Tours and Workshops;
6) Professional Exchange Program

SECTION 6. Program implementation. The over-all implementation of the CPE Program

shall be undertaken by the Professional Regulation Commission and the Professional

Regulatory Boards which shall:

1) conduct the formulation and review of Continuing Professional Education Program in
each of the regulated professions;

2) formulate, adopt and promulgate guidelines and procedures for the implementation of
the CPE Program;

3) organize CPE Councils for each of the regulated professions and promulgate guidelines
for their operation;

4) Coordinate with concermed goverment agencies and private organizations in the
implementation of CPE Program and other measures provided under this Act.

SECTION 7. CPE Council- There is hereby created a CPE Council in every regulated
profession which shall be under the supervision of the Professional Regulatory Board and
shall be composed of a Chairman and two (2) Members.


The Chairman of each of the CPE Council shall be the Chairman of the Professional
Regulatory Board, the first member is the President or Officer of the Accredited
Professional Organization and the second member is the President or Officer of the
national organization of deans or department chairman of schools, colleges or universities
offering the course of the regulated profession, and in case of the absence of this
organization, the second member shall be appointed by PRC chosen from the
recommendees of the PRB of the professionals from the academic sector.

The term of office of the Chairman and Members of the CPE Council shall be co-
terminus with their respective term of office in the PRB, APO and the national organization of
deans and department chairman of schools, colleges or universities.

The CPE Council shall also determine its budget, including travel expenses,
allowances and per diems when attending official CPE council meetings or attending to
matters assigned to them.

SECTION 7. Functions of the CPE Council. The CPE Council for each profession shall
have the following functions:
a) Evaluate and approve applications for accreditation of OPE providers;
b) Evaluate and approve application for accreditation of CPE programs, activities or
sources as to their relevance to the profession and determine the number of
CPE credit units (CUs) to be earned on the basis of the contents of the program,
activity or source submitted by the CPE providers;
c) Evaluate and approve applications from exemption from CPE requirements;
d) Monitor the implementation of the CPE providers on their programs, activities or
‘sources;
e) Assess periodically and upgrade criteria for accreditation of CPE providers and
CPE programs, activities or sources; and
f) Perform such other functions that may be Incidental to the implementation of CPE
programs or policies

SECTION 9, Secrotariat- A CPE Council Secretariat is hereby created under the
Professional Regulation Commission which shall be headed by an Executive Director to be
appointed by the Chairman of PRC. The CPE Council secretariat shall provide technical,
administrative and operational support to the CPE Councils and Professional Regulatory
Boards in the implementation of CPE programs.

SECTION 10, CPE as Mandatory Requirements in the Renewal of Professional License
and Accreditation System for the Practice of Professions. The continuing professional
education for every professional registered under the PRC is hereby made as mandatory
requirements in the renewal of professional license and in the accreditation system on the
practice of profession.

The PRC and PRBs shall formulate and promulgate guidelines to implement the
provision of this Act.

SECTION 41. Applications and Incentives. CPE credit units eamed by a professional shall
be applied for its equivalency in the training requirement for the promotion of positions in the
government agencies and private firms and the teaching positions in academic institutions.

SECTION 12. Role of the Accredited Professional Organization- The Accredited
Professional Organization shall assist the PRC and PRB in the implementation of the
Continuing Professional Education Program and for this purpose, organize a CPE
Committee.

SECTION 13. Role of Concerned Government Agencies and the Private Sector- All
concerned goverment agencies and private firms and organizations employing
professionals shall include the CPE as part of their human resource development plan and


program and allocate the necessary funding requirement for the attendance of their
professionals in CPE programs.

SECTION 14. Funding. 1) The amount necessary to carry out this Act shall be incorporated
under the appropriation of the Professional Regulation Commission in the General
Appropriations Act; 2) The annual funding requirement for the implementation of this Act
shall be sourced from the annual income of the PRC.

SECTION 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The PRC together with the
Professional Regulatory Boards within six months upon the enactment of this Act and in
consultation with the Accredited Professional Organizations shall promulgate the necessary
rules and regulations to implement this Act

SECTION 16, Separability Clause. The provisions of this Act are hereby declared
separable, and if any clause, sentence, provision or section hereof, should be declared
invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the other provisions of this Act which can be given
force and effect without the provisions which have been declared invalid.

SECTION 17. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, executive orders and other
administrative issuances and parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 18. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,